Vieil-Hesdin

French commune|name=Vieil-Hesdin
region=
departement=
arrondissement=
canton= Le Parcq
insee=62850
cp=62770
mayor=Maurice Decoster
mandat=2001-2008
intercomm=Communauté de communes de Canche Ternoise
longitude=2.0997
latitude=50.3583
alt moy=37 m
alt mini=31 m
alt maxi=125 m
area=982
km²=9,82
pop=364
year=1999
dens=37|

Vieil-Hesdin (Eng: Old-Hesdin) is a commune of northern France, in the "department" of Pas-de-Calais.

Geography

Situated 6 kilometres south-east of Hesdin, on the banks of the river Canche.The D340 road passes through the middle of Vieil-Hesdin.

History

Once just simply known as Hesdin, this little village was, in the Middle Ages, a large and prosperous town. Its position in the heart of the county of Artois, once part of the Spanish Netherlands, led to its downfall.From 1471 until its destruction in 1553, it suffered many sieges and sackings, as a result of fighting between the Kings of France, the Holy Roman Empire, Henry VIII of England and several French nobles.

The end of Hesdin, as it was then known, was at the hands of Charles V. His 60,000 strong army had already ravaged Metz and razed Thérouanne in April 1553 and he ordered the city and the castle completely destroy. A month later, the wreckers had finished their work. Only the convent and chapel were spared. Some months later, the demolition material was used to found a new city 6 kilometres downstream, at a village then called Maisnil. This new town took the name Hesdin-fert, then Hesdin-fort, eventually becoming Hesdin. The ruined town was known for a while as Hesdin-le-Châtel, then eventually as Vieil-Hesdin (Old-Hesdin).

Population

Places and monuments

* Chateau Estruval. A former convent of the Black Nuns. The façade, roof and cloisters are protected by decree of July 9 1981. The garden walls and buildings (including two pigeon houses) are also protected by decree of April 28 1993.

More information from : [http://www.culture.gouv.fr/documentation/memoire/LISTES/bases/france-dpt.htm French Ministry of Culture database]

ee also

Communes of Pas-de-Calais

External links

* [http://vieilhesdin.hacky.info/ Association des Amis du site historique du vieil Hesdin] fr
* [http://www.recensement.insee.fr/RP99/rp99/co_navigation.co_page?nivgeo=C&codgeo=62850&theme=ALL&typeprod=ALL&lang=FR&quelcas=LISTE Vieil-Hesdin on the Insee website] fr
* [http://www.quid.fr/communes.html?mode=query&req=Vieil-Hesdin Vieil-Hesdin on the website of Quid] fr