Old Louppy-sur-Loison Castle

Old Louppy-sur-Loison Castle, locally known as Château Feodal de Louppy-sur-Loison, lies in the village of the same name, in the Meuse department in France.

The fief of Louppy-sur-Loison at first belonged to the Count of Verdun. At the end of the 12th century the fief yielded to the Count of Bar. In 1198, Theobald I, Count of Bar, built a new castle here, next to an earlier fortification.

The present remains however date back to a castle built in the 13th or 14th century. It was built on an elevated piece of land in a loop formed by the Loison river. Originally the feudal castle had a quadrilateral ground plan with circular towers at its corners. It had a deep moat which was fed by the Loison.

In 1214, the fief of Louppy-sur-Loison was divided between the Châtelain of Stenay and that of Marville. In the middle of the 13th century one part was owned by Hugues de Montquintin and the other part by Gerard de Haraucourt. This shared ownership of the fief continued until the arrival of the Pouilly family in the 16th century, who joined both parts together again.

I couldn't find out when the Old Louppy-sur-Loison Castle was abandoned and fell to ruin but I think it was after Simon II de Pouilly had the New Louppy-sur-Loison Castle built in the first half of the 17th century. The present church was built on the ruins of the old castle in 1878.

At present the remains of Old Louppy-sur-Loison Castle are part of the grounds of the village church and town hall. Its exterior can freely be visited. An impressive remnant. The New Louppy-sur-Loison Castle is only some 100 meters away.

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