Château de Boutavent may have been built in the 11th century, but there is no written evidence of exact date. It has been confirmed that during the 13th and 14th century, the castle belonged to the Lords of Montfort. According a legend during the 7th century the castle was the residence of Judicaël, King of Domnonée, and that it had been the place where the King and saint Éloi met. This last was sent to bring peace in a fight for borders between Bretons and French.
The castle is structured into two classical elements: a courtyard and a barnyard, separated by a deep gap. Four buildings which could be guesthouses, are on both sides of the barnyard. The fortification and elements of the barnyard can still be seen.
In the 16th century, the castle was already ruined. The circumstances of the destruction of the fortified site of Boutavent remain mysterious. Maybe it has been dismantled during the War of succession (second half of the 14th century) or in 1373, during the campaign of Bertrand du Guesclin in Brittany, but nothing proves that the castle hasn't been inhabited then.
Many local authors of the 19th century wrote about Boutavent, in particular writers like Poignand, Vigoland or Oresve. Even though these stories constitute rare stories about the site, it is impossible to retrace the entire history of the castle, as there are only a few sources.
The castle has not been searched yet but many campaigns of consolidation of the relics took place since 2006. During these campaigns, archaeological material has been found (slate, ceramic, ground pavement and glazed tiles).
References:The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.
Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.