On the ruins of a Gallo-Roman way station, the site sprang up again in the 11th century, or maybe earlier, with a castle (the Castellum Sancti Petri – Saint-Pierre castle) built on a mount (in Basque, Mendi Kaxko: mountain top), a symbol of feudal power.
This artificial bank, surrounded by a ditch, is thought to have underpinned a tower.
The castle was undoubtedly destroyed at the end of 1177 (12th century) by Richard the Lionheart (aged 20), during a raid he led at Saint-Jean-de-Cize (the village’s name at the time, ancient capital of the Pays de Cize) to put a stop to the toll-collector’s ransoms the Lord levied on pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela.
This raid marked the end of this village’s seigniory, which was taken over by Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, where feudal power lay from then on.
Theories to date. (Added to the Supplementary Historic Monument List (ISMH) on 27/09/1984).