BRESSUIRE, a town in western France, department of Deux Sevres, 48m. N. of Niort. Pop. (1931) 4,882. The town over looks the Dolo, a tributary of the Argenton. Its history is a series of pillages and burnings, notably in 1214, 137o, 1598 and The church of Notre-Dame (12th and 15th centuries) has an imposing Renaissance tower, and the castle (built by the lords of Beaumont, vassals of the viscount of Thouars) is in ruins; part of the site is occupied by a modern château. It is an agricul tural market-centre and makes woollen goods. Bressuire has a sub-prefect and a tribunal of first instance.