Grand-Laviers
Encyclopedia
Grand-Laviers is a commune
in the Somme
department in Picardie
in northern France
.
, by the banks of the canalised river Somme
. The ancient forests of Abbeville remain as woods on the hills to the west of the village.
at Amiens
. Controversy surrounds the meaning of the name: « lavoir » according to some, « arm of a river » according to others. In 882, when the Normans
sacked the abbey at Saint-Quentin
, the king Carloman II of France, set up his camp at Laviers to block their passage to the sea.
In the 11th century, a fort comprising a palisade
on a motte
was built at Laviers,, on a point jutting out towards the bay.
In 1137, Abbeville’s charter, granted by the Comte de Ponthieu mentioned « Laveriœ »
In 1177, Jean de Ponthieu gave money to the leper hospital of the frères du Val and the gift of a forest was noted. The clearing of an area of the forest now known as the "Valley of the Lepers", between Laviers and Buigny-Saint-Maclou
may have started up as early as 1164.
In 1696, the leper hospital was finally closed down.
In 1777, after a branch of the Somme was blocked at Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme
, the authorities decided to build a canal from Abbeville to the estuary at Saint Valery. Work began in 1786 but hit problems in 1793 with the installation of the sluice
-gates in the muddy sub-strata and above all, the reaction of the local farmers, raising sheep and cattle on the salt-marshes. Work resumed under the orders of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, who wanted Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme as a war-port. In 1810, Spanish prisoners worked on the terracing and the maritime canal was inaugurated in 1827.
In 1840, Laviers took the name of Grand-Laviers and from 1845 to 1850, the railway line from Abbeville to Étaples
was built, a section of the Paris – Boulogne line. The river bed of the Somme
was filled and moved to accommodate the construction.
The town was comparatively safe during the First World War, accommodating Indian colonial assistants.
In May 1940, during the Second World War, the town was separated from Abbeville
.
It was liberated by English troops in August 1944.
In 1953, a primary school was constructed at Grand-Laviers, and the following year, the pupils of the school inherited a castle from the Jusancourt family that now houses an educational medical institute.
On May 2, 1976, the commune of Petit-Laviers was amalgamated with Grand-Laviers.
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
The commune is situated on the D40 road, some 3 miles (5 km) northwest of AbbevilleAbbeville
Abbeville is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Location:Abbeville is located on the Somme River, from its modern mouth in the English Channel, and northwest of Amiens...
, by the banks of the canalised river 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....
. The ancient forests of Abbeville remain as woods on the hills to the west of the village.
History
The Latin names Latverum or Laverum appear in the year 881 in the records of the abbey of Saint-VaastSaint-Vaast
For the saint see, voir Saint Vaast.Saint-Vaast is the name or part of the name of several places:-France:Saint-Vaast is part of the name of several communes in France:* Airon-Saint-Vaast, in the Calvados department...
at Amiens
Amiens
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...
. Controversy surrounds the meaning of the name: « lavoir » according to some, « arm of a river » according to others. In 882, when the Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
sacked the abbey at Saint-Quentin
Saint-Quentin, Aisne
Saint-Quentin is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France. It has been identified as the Augusta Veromanduorum of antiquity. It is named after Saint Quentin, who is said to have been martyred here in the 3rd century....
, the king Carloman II of France, set up his camp at Laviers to block their passage to the sea.
In the 11th century, a fort comprising a palisade
Palisade
A palisade is a steel or wooden fence or wall of variable height, usually used as a defensive structure.- Typical construction :Typical construction consisted of small or mid sized tree trunks aligned vertically, with no spacing in between. The trunks were sharpened or pointed at the top, and were...
on a motte
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
was built at Laviers,, on a point jutting out towards the bay.
In 1137, Abbeville’s charter, granted by the Comte de Ponthieu mentioned « Laveriœ »
In 1177, Jean de Ponthieu gave money to the leper hospital of the frères du Val and the gift of a forest was noted. The clearing of an area of the forest now known as the "Valley of the Lepers", between Laviers and Buigny-Saint-Maclou
Buigny-Saint-Maclou
Buigny-Saint-Maclou is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:The commune is situated on the N1 road, just north of Abbeville.The Abbeville airport is within the boundaries of the commune.-Population:...
may have started up as early as 1164.
In 1696, the leper hospital was finally closed down.
In 1777, after a branch of the Somme was blocked at Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme
Saint-Valery-sur-Somme
Saint-Valery-sur-Somme is a commune in the Somme department. The village is a popular tourist destination because of its medieval character and ramparts, Gothic church and long waterside boardwalk.-Geography:...
, the authorities decided to build a canal from Abbeville to the estuary at Saint Valery. Work began in 1786 but hit problems in 1793 with the installation of the sluice
Sluice
A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...
-gates in the muddy sub-strata and above all, the reaction of the local farmers, raising sheep and cattle on the salt-marshes. Work resumed under the orders of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, who wanted Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme as a war-port. In 1810, Spanish prisoners worked on the terracing and the maritime canal was inaugurated in 1827.
In 1840, Laviers took the name of Grand-Laviers and from 1845 to 1850, the railway line from Abbeville to Étaples
Étaples
Étaples or Étaples-sur-Mer is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. It is a fishing and leisure port on the Canche river.There is a separate commune named Staple, Nord.-History:...
was built, a section of the Paris – Boulogne line. The river bed of 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....
was filled and moved to accommodate the construction.
The town was comparatively safe during the First World War, accommodating Indian colonial assistants.
In May 1940, during the Second World War, the town was separated from Abbeville
Abbeville
Abbeville is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Location:Abbeville is located on the Somme River, from its modern mouth in the English Channel, and northwest of Amiens...
.
It was liberated by English troops in August 1944.
In 1953, a primary school was constructed at Grand-Laviers, and the following year, the pupils of the school inherited a castle from the Jusancourt family that now houses an educational medical institute.
On May 2, 1976, the commune of Petit-Laviers was amalgamated with Grand-Laviers.
Population
Places of interest
- Bonance woods.
- fifteenth century church
- The ruins of a 13th century chapel which belonged to an old friary hospital.