Vieil-Hesdin

Vieil-Hesdin
Vieil-Hesdin
Location within Nord-Pas-de-Calais region Vieil-Hesdin
Coordinates:
Country	France
Region	Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardy
Department	Pas-de-Calais
Arrondissement	Montreuil
Canton	Le Parcq
Intercommunality	Canche Ternoise
Government
• Mayor (2001–2008)	Maurice Decoster
Area1	9.82 km2 (3.79 sq mi)
Population (2006)2	382
• Density	39/km2 (100/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	62850 / 62770
Elevation	31–125 m (102–410 ft) (avg. 37 m or 121 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

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

Geography

Vieil-Hesdin is situated 6 kilometres southeast of Hesdin, on the banks of the river Canche on the D340 highway.

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

Historical population of Vieil-Hesdin

Year	1962	1968	1975	1982	1990	1999	2006
Population	338	338	371	362	364	364	382
From the year 1962 on: No double counting—residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) are counted only once.

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.

See also

• Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department

References

• INSEE commune file

External links

• Association des Amis du site historique du vieil Hesdin(French)
• Vieil-Hesdin on the website of Quid(French)
• French Ministry of Culture