The Preceptory of Angouleme

France, department of Charente, city of Angouleme

In Angouleme, Templars possessed a house with a chapel close to the seigneurial castle, but archives are quite vague about the location of this House.
All that is known from an act arbitrating a conflict between Templars of the preceptory of Boixe and the abbey of Saint-Amand-de-Boixe, is that Brother Aimery Lambert was the preceptor of Angouleme, Boixe and du Fouilloux at the same time.

In 1373, the papal inquiry into the properties of the Hospital revealed that the place had been abandoned for two years and that it had generated no income since.
In 1588, the Duke of Epernon decided, upon the King's order, to modify the fortifications of the castle of Angouleme. These modifications lead to the destruction of the Templar House and its chapel which were near the lower court and the high walls of the castle.
The Commander of Villegats, upon whom Angouleme depended, sent a petition to the Duke of Epernon to spare the buildings, but he was denied. All the buildings were razed to the ground and the materials re-used to build the new fortifications.

1. "Les Commanderies des Templiers et des Hospitaliers de Saint-Jean de Jérusalem en Saintonge et en Aunis"
   

   Anne-Marie Legras; Editions du Centre National de Recherche Scientifique 1983

2. "Les Templiers dans le Sud-Ouest"
   

   Jacques Dubourg; Editions Sud Ouest 2001