The castle was built in 1873 by Félix Meilheurat des Prureaux, who reconstructed an ancient living house. Meilheurat family had lived in the region for generations, originally coming from the village of Bert.
The
site of Prureaux was established in 1715. Meilheurats were a notable
farmer family, mentioned in the official documents as „owners” of
the site. They didn’t work themselves but hired herdsmen, called
„journaliers”. Depending on season and needs, they also hired
stone cutters, lumberjacks, carpenters, roofers, masons and
cattlemen. They maintained the garden and poultry-yard, took care of
horses and cattle.
The farm
site was exploited by farmers. They maintained the site, not paying
the rent but sharing half of their cattle and harvest with the owner.
The last member of Meilheurat des Prureaux family, Paul, died in
1916. In 1927 his only daughter Ghislaine married with Roland Rochaïd
Dadah, whose grandfather was Lebanese. In 1993 their only daughter
Mrs Monin signed a lease agreement with Solidarités Jeunesses
for a length of 99 years.
Till
the end of the 2nd World War the farm was self-sufficient, producing
most of products necessary for inhabitants and cattle. Around the
poultry-yard there were sheds to store tools and an aviary (not
existing nowadays), a cabin to store wood, a pigsty, a hutch, as well
as a room to fabricate slops. In the buildings from left to right: an
orangery to protect plants from winter frost, also used as a laundry
every 15 days, a cowshed, stalls, a saddlery and a hayloft above.
In the western pavilion: bread
oven, servant house, a building to store onions. There also was a
cellar called „saut-de-loup„ to store carrots and beetroots. On
the 2nd floor: storage of dry fruits and grains for cattle. On the
1st floor: storeroom for cars (garage nowadays).
The
middle part of the building consisted of different workshops for
woodwork, clothing fabrication, tool reparation as well as gun
storeroom. There was also a room to store wheat, a pump to wash
horses, cheese fabrication cages at the ceiling, oat for mattresses,
nap for pillows, lain for mattresses. Upstairs in attic, grain and
wood for construction were stored.
