The castle was, in the Middle Ages, the seat of one of the most important seigneuries of Angoumois. In the 12th century, La Tranchade was part of the domains of the abbey of Saint-Cybard. In the 14th century, it belonged to the lords of Pressac. The entrance to the estate is via a postern flanked by two asymmetrical square towers, with a parapet on machicolations decorated with shells. A bridge replaced the old drawbridge and crosses the moat dug in the rock. The building is made up of two square buildings, backing onto the keep. The latter is the oldest part, built towards the end of the 14th century. It is rectangular with a blind facade. A hexagonal tower containing the spiral staircase is attached to it. Both are crowned with battlements. The other part of the main courtyard was built in the 17th century. The windows of the south-eastern facade are framed by flat pilasters resting on consoles.