Beuvraignes
Encyclopedia
Beuvraignes is a commune
in the Somme
department in Picardie
in northern France
.
, the town of Beuvraignes is situated in the centre of Picardie
, to the extreme southeast of the fertile plain of the Santerre
. Of linear growth, the town sits between Tilloloy
, on the other side of the N17, the A1 autoroute and the TGV railway line and, on the other side, by Crapeaumesnil
.
Beuvraignes is 5 miles (8 km) from Roye and 10 miles to the east of Montdidier
.
Bounded by 10 other commune territories (four belong to the Somme department and six to the Oise
), the population is divided up between the principal town and three hamlets, l’Abbaye, Cessier and Loges. The terrain around Beuvraignes forms a gently-rippled plateau limited by the valley of the Matz.
and Posthumous. At this time, the territory was populated by the Veromandues, a Gallic tribe of Belgian origin, who lived in an environment of woodland and marshes.
In the 13th century, Beuvraignes appears in the archives of the abbey of St. Eloi of Noyon, under which control it remained until the 18th century. Most people were peasant farmers paying dues to the abbey. Life was hard during the medieval period in the north of France, in between famines and the invasions of the English, Burgundians and the Spanish.
Things changed little during the French Revolution for the peasants. The church was requisitioned and transformed into a gunpowder factory. The locals pleaded for their lord of the manor of Tilloloy, but he was guillotined under The Terror
.
The 19th century was more kind to the people of the territory. Economical development and abundant harvests, the building of the castle at Loges (home to the baron of Septenville in 1798), the hiring of 2 teachers (rare in a rural environment under the Empire), installation of paving and a square for the town centre, a new chapel in 1867, the creation of the railway line between Roye
and Compiègne
, with a train station in the town (1879) and finally, the inauguration of a telegraph office in May 1900.
World War I
broke the momentum, as, early in 1915, the town was razed and reduced to ashes. In 1919 when the first inhabitants returned, they discovered the town was more like a lunar landscape. It took 10 years to recover the fertility of the land and for the trees to flower and fruit again. Each year, farmers still find military traces of that terrible war.
During World War II
, the town was under Nazi occupation and classified as the forbidden zone. Beuvraignes had two prisoner-of-war camps. Some inhabitants were arrested and never returned from the Nazi camps.
Nowadays, the town’s economy consists of a bakers, a horticulturist, two plumbers, a mattress maker, a glass-fibre factory) and several other businesses.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Somme
Somme
Somme is a department of France, located in the north of the country and named after the Somme river. It is part of the Picardy region of France....
department in Picardie
Picardie
Picardy is one of the 27 regions of France. It is located in the northern part of France.-History:The historical province of Picardy stretched from north of Noyon to Calais, via the whole of the Somme department and the north of the Aisne department...
in northern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Geography
Beuvraignes is situated on the D133 road, some 30 miles (48 km) southeast of AmiensAmiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
, the town of Beuvraignes is situated in the centre of Picardie
Picardie
Picardy is one of the 27 regions of France. It is located in the northern part of France.-History:The historical province of Picardy stretched from north of Noyon to Calais, via the whole of the Somme department and the north of the Aisne department...
, to the extreme southeast of the fertile plain of the Santerre
Santerre (region)
Santerre is a natural region of France, located in the center of the French region of Picardie.Located between Amiens and Saint-Quentin, the Santerre is a territory covering an area of about 3 000 km², including 242 communes and with a population of 106 489 inhabitants.Still covered with...
. Of linear growth, the town sits between Tilloloy
Tilloloy
Tilloloy is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Tilloloy is situated in the east of the department southeast of Amiens, on the N17 road...
, on the other side of the N17, the A1 autoroute and the TGV railway line and, on the other side, by Crapeaumesnil
Crapeaumesnil
Crapeaumesnil is a small village in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise....
.
Beuvraignes is 5 miles (8 km) from Roye and 10 miles to the east of Montdidier
Montdidier
Montdidier is the name of several communes in France:* Montdidier, in the Moselle département* Montdidier, in the Somme département...
.
Bounded by 10 other commune territories (four belong to the Somme department and six to the Oise
Oise
Oise is a department in the north of France. It is named after the river Oise.-History:Oise is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
), the population is divided up between the principal town and three hamlets, l’Abbaye, Cessier and Loges. The terrain around Beuvraignes forms a gently-rippled plateau limited by the valley of the Matz.
Etymology of the name of the commune
Beverinae (1048), Bevrigne (1148), Buvrigne (1184), Buveringnes (1300), Buvregnes (1362), Buveraines (1564), Buvringe (1625), Buverainge (1666), Beuvreines (1743), Beuvraignes (1767)History
Different discoveries of the 19th century proved the Gallo-Roman origins of the town. Finds include pottery kilns and effigies of NeroNero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
and Posthumous. At this time, the territory was populated by the Veromandues, a Gallic tribe of Belgian origin, who lived in an environment of woodland and marshes.
In the 13th century, Beuvraignes appears in the archives of the abbey of St. Eloi of Noyon, under which control it remained until the 18th century. Most people were peasant farmers paying dues to the abbey. Life was hard during the medieval period in the north of France, in between famines and the invasions of the English, Burgundians and the Spanish.
Things changed little during the French Revolution for the peasants. The church was requisitioned and transformed into a gunpowder factory. The locals pleaded for their lord of the manor of Tilloloy, but he was guillotined under The Terror
Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror , also known simply as The Terror , was a period of violence that occurred after the onset of the French Revolution, incited by conflict between rival political factions, the Girondins and the Jacobins, and marked by mass executions of "enemies of...
.
The 19th century was more kind to the people of the territory. Economical development and abundant harvests, the building of the castle at Loges (home to the baron of Septenville in 1798), the hiring of 2 teachers (rare in a rural environment under the Empire), installation of paving and a square for the town centre, a new chapel in 1867, the creation of the railway line between Roye
Roye
Roye is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Roye, Haute-Saône, in the Haute-Saône département* Roye, Somme, in the Somme département* Roye-sur-Matz, in the Oise département-People:...
and Compiègne
Compiègne
Compiègne is a city in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.The city is located along the Oise River...
, with a train station in the town (1879) and finally, the inauguration of a telegraph office in May 1900.
World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
broke the momentum, as, early in 1915, the town was razed and reduced to ashes. In 1919 when the first inhabitants returned, they discovered the town was more like a lunar landscape. It took 10 years to recover the fertility of the land and for the trees to flower and fruit again. Each year, farmers still find military traces of that terrible war.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the town was under Nazi occupation and classified as the forbidden zone. Beuvraignes had two prisoner-of-war camps. Some inhabitants were arrested and never returned from the Nazi camps.
Nowadays, the town’s economy consists of a bakers, a horticulturist, two plumbers, a mattress maker, a glass-fibre factory) and several other businesses.
Population
External links
- Beuvraignes on the Quid site (French)