Hénin-Beaumont

French commune
name= Hénin-Beaumont
region=
departement=
arrondissement=
canton= Hénin-Beaumont (chef-lieu)
insee=62427
cp=62110
maire=Gérard Dalongeville
mandat=2008-2014
intercomm=Communauté d'agglomération d'Hénin-Carvin
longitude=2.95083333333
latitude=50.4216666667
alt moy=32 m
alt mini=23 m
alt maxi=65 m
hectares=2072
km²=20,72
sans=26,100
date-sans=2005
dens=1215|

Hénin-Beaumont is a commune and chief town of a canton in the Pas-de-Calais "département" in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.

Geography

An ex-coalmining and now a light industrial town situated some convert|6|mi|km|1 east of Lens, at the junction of the N43, D919 and the D39 roads. The A21 autoroute passes through the northern part of the commune.

History

The commune came into existence in 1971, the result of a merger of the communes of Hénin-Liétard and Beaumont-en-Artois.
Hénin-Beaumont has been populated since before the arrival of the Romans, attested by excavations in the 19th century, where coins and other remains were found. In 880, the town was the victim of the Norman invasion.
The town’s name has changed over the centuries. From around the year 950, there are various documents listing it as "Hennium", "Henninium" or "Heninium" and later as "St Martinus Henain". In 1274 it appeared for the first time under the name "Hanin-le-Liétard", after the seigneur, either in recognition of services rendered to the city for its fortifications, or simply to distinguish it from the nearby commune of Hénin-on-Cojeul.
In 1852, the discovery of coal deposits in the Pas-de-Calais brought Hénin-Liétard into the industrial age. From around 1856, many foreigner workers came to Henin-Liétard to work in the mines. The railway came to the town at around the same time, in 1859.
During World War I, the German occupation was harsh and destructive. On the night of 3rd/4th October 1914, the invaders looted and ransacked the town. In April 1917, the town suffered almost total destruction as the Allies dislodged the Germans, who blew up the church of Saint-Martin before leaving the city. After the signing of the armistice, the original inhabitants returned on December 2nd, 1918. The town hall was rebuilt in 1925. In 1928, La Compagnie des Mines de Dourges built the church of Sainte-Marie for the miners. The church of Saint-Martin was rebuilt in Greco-Byzantine style by the architect Boutterin in 1932. The new railway station was opened in 1933.
At the end of the Second World War Henin-Beaucourt was liberated by the Allies, in September 1944.

Population

Places of interest

* Vestiges of an old castle.
* The churches of St.Martin and St.Marie, both dating from the 20th century.
* The war memorial.
* The Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery.

Twin towns

* Konin, Poland
* Herne, Germany
* Wakefield, England
* Rufisque, Senegal
* Rolling Meadows, USA

See also

*Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department

External links

* [http://www.mairie-heninbeaumont.fr/ Hénin-Beaumont website] fr
* [http://www.agglo-henincarvin.fr/ Communauté d'agglomération d'Henin Carvin website] fr
* [http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_details.aspx?cemetery=33241&mode=1 The CWGC graves in the communal cemetery]
* [http://www.quid.fr/communes.html?mode=detail&id=26916&req=Hénin-Beaumont Hénin-Beaumont on the Quid website] fr

Notes

*"This article is based on the equivalent article from the French Wikipedia, consulted on August 3rd 2008."