Moats Washhouse
Moats Washhouse is a small washhouse built inside the former château’s moats, accessed by a stone staircase. Originally open-air, it later received a simple wooden-post roof.
Moats Washhouse is a distinctive washhouse positioned in the moats below the old château of Sennecey-le-Grand. Reached by a descending staircase, it was originally an open-air washing area before being upgraded with a lightweight gallery roof supported by wooden posts. Its stone-slab floor and simple construction reflect its functional purpose, serving the community by making use of the moat’s water system. Though modest in scale, this lavoir forms an important part of the town’s small built heritage, illustrating how defensive structures were adapted for everyday life.
All About the Washhouse
Original type of the washhouse
open-air and sited inside the château’s moat area.
How to access
through a side entrance door and then by a staircase down into the moat.
Structure and materials
wooden posts forming a two-slope gallery roof.
Floor
from stone slabs
Water for wash area
relied on moat/spring water and possibly overflow drainage water.
Gallery of the Washhouse
Location of the Washhouse
Ruffey Well
Ruffey Well is a stone well located in a grassy, tree-lined area of the Ruffey Hamlet in Sennecey-le-Grand. Built with rounded stone masonry, it remains a charming but neglected testimonial of local water infrastructure.
La Farge 2 Pump
La Farge 2 Pump is an old, cast-iron hand water pump set against a stone wall in a rural setting, likely from the late 19th or early 20th century. It has a long lever handle and a spherical finial on top.
St Julien Washhouse
Saint-Julien Washhouse is a 19th-century village washhouse built of local limestone, featuring a stone basin fed by a natural spring. Its flowing water system and traditional tiled roof made it an essential communal place for washing clothes and village social life.