A Brief History
Beaumont was founded in 1272 by Lucas de Thanay, Seneschal of Guyenne, on behalf of King Edward I of England ; it was chosen by the Lord of Biron, the prior of St Avit-Seigneur and the abbot of Cadouin.

The Bastide
Beaumont is unusual in that, while most bastides are quadrangular, Edward I gave instructions for Beaumont to be constructed in the shape of an H in memory of his father, Henry III. Equally untypical, Beaumont was built on the site of an already populated area - highly paradoxical for a bastide which means ‘new town’ in the Oc language. Indeed, the « Old Square » (« La Place Vieille ») is situated outside the town walls clearly indicating the presence of an earlier town. Despite the fact that only fragments of its original fortifications exist today, the bastide of Beaumont is still imposing.

What to See
St Front’s Church : Built in the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries, St Front’s Church dominates the town and its english, Gothic architecture puts one more in mind of a fortress than a place of worship. Four defence towers enclose the exterior façade and chevet, and battlemented parapets follow the length of its walls. A basket-handled door framed by five pointed archivolts allow entry into the church. Inside, a vast (450kg) chancel keystone is sculptured with heads including that of the church’s namesake, St Front. Along the same aisle, towards the middle of the nave, is the entrance to St Joseph’s chapel, built on the vestiges of an earlier church.

The Main Square
On three side of the market square a few original houses built above the arcades still exist but the central, covered hall has disappeared.

Luzier’s Gateway
Luzier’s Gate is one of the rare vestiges of the fortified wall completed in 1320 and was originally flanked by a square defence tower. Lateral grooves, still visible, allowed for a portcullis and the gate was shut with a simple wooden bar.