Archaeological sites

Torrentino

ASCIANO


Torrentino was a fairly large castle, strategically located near an important ford of the Ombrone river and a mill. There is attested in 1178 the presence of the Church of S. Angelo, unfortunately already disappeared in 1214.


From the second half of the 12th century, following the depopulation of the countryside, from Terentino (i.e. Torrentino), the population began to move to the suburb of Campalboli (today Camparboli). The phenomenon is testified by the oath of 1198 of the Ascianese to the government of Siena, among which there are also four men "de Terrentina".


Further evidence of the phenomenon found in the "Table of Possessions" where the provenance from Terentino of a part of the inhabitants of the suburb of Campalboli is testified: it shows that in the early fourteenth century the lands, located in correspondence with the Castellare di Terentino, were owned mostly just from the Church of San Niccolò di Campalboli and some inhabitants of that suburb.


From this table we can also understand that Terentino was a decastellated castle, like that of Montecontieri.


Despite this population loss, Torrentino, due to its aforementioned strategic position, retained at least until the second half of the sixteenth century a great strategic importance. Torrentino has in fact been for centuries the sighting and control post of the upper course of the Ombrone valley, as well as the nearby ford.


In fact, even after the second half of the thirteenth century, the construction of the Ponte del Garbo following the famous battle of Montaperti, due to its wooden structure, certainly could not premise the transit of bulky and heavy wagons that continued to use the ford of Torrentino.


Furthermore, in all the periods coinciding with the repeated destruction of the bridge, for war reasons or because of the frequent floods of the river, it was necessary to continue to use the ford.

 

To access the map of the defensive sighting network, of which Torrentino was an important node, click here.

Torrentino was a fairly large castle, strategically located near an important ford of the Ombrone river and a mill. There is attested in 1178 the presence of the Church of S. Angelo, unfortunately already disappeared in 1214.


From the second half of the 12th century, following the depopulation of the countryside, from Terentino (i.e. Torrentino), the population began to move to the suburb of Campalboli (today Camparboli). The phenomenon is testified by the oath of 1198 of the Ascianese to the government of Siena, among which there are also four men "de Terrentina".


Further evidence of the phenomenon found in the "Table of Possessions" where the provenance from Terentino of a part of the inhabitants of the suburb of Campalboli is testified: it shows that in the early fourteenth century the lands, located in correspondence with the Castellare di Terentino, were owned mostly just from the Church of San Niccolò di Campalboli and some inhabitants of that suburb.


From this table we can also understand that Terentino was a decastellated castle, like that of Montecontieri.


Despite this population loss, Torrentino, due to its aforementioned strategic position, retained at least until the second half of the sixteenth century a great strategic importance. Torrentino has in fact been for centuries the sighting and control post of the upper course of the Ombrone valley, as well as the nearby ford.


In fact, even after the second half of the thirteenth century, the construction of the Ponte del Garbo following the famous battle of Montaperti, due to its wooden structure, certainly could not premise the transit of bulky and heavy wagons that continued to use the ford of Torrentino.


Furthermore, in all the periods coinciding with the repeated destruction of the bridge, for war reasons or because of the frequent floods of the river, it was necessary to continue to use the ford.

 

To access the map of the defensive sighting network, of which Torrentino was an important node, click here.



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