Pellegrue, unlike Sainte-Foy-la-Grande, is not a "newly built" bastide. It was built on or near an earlier medieval town. Thus, there was a castle (castrum) attested in 1242 well before the creation of the bastide. The town developed around the castle, which no longer exists today. The current coat of arms of the town of Pellegrue represents "a silver crane holding in its dexter a golden vigilance". Vigilance was a pebble preventing the animal from falling asleep. Legend says that the crane would have played a role in saving the city.
