Méharicourt
Encyclopedia
Méharicourt is a commune
in the Somme
department in Picardie
in northern France
.
, in a small depression of a plateau, the start of the valley of the river Luce.
Some Roman
remains, of coffins, have been found in the area. There was possibly a small camp here. As with much of the region, it suffered during the Hundred Years War and again during the Wars of Religion
.
Méharicourt was a place of pilgrimage to the martyrs Saint Candide and Saint Flamidien. Their relics were carried from Rome in 1688 and presented to St. Martin’s church by the Count of Tincourt.
By 1899, Méharicourt had three steam-powered factories employing 500 people making linen products, socks, stockings and hunting jackets.
The linen
industry provided prosperity throughout the 18th and 19th centuries and the village became chef-lieu
, a title it lost to Rosières
in later years.
During the 19th century, the village was invaded by Cossacks in 1814 – 1815.
In 1840, the streets were repaired and the church restored, by a grant of 3000 francs and the labour of the local unemployeed. The bell-tower, built in 1607, was reconstructed in 1842
A school for girls and a refuge were built in 1863.
The Second World War saw a German airfield built next to the village, with building materials taken from the town hall of Rosières.
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 D39 and D131 crossroads, some 25 miles (40 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...
, in a small depression of a plateau, the start of the valley of the river Luce.
History
The village name has evolved over the centuries, from "Mahéricourt" in 1135, through "Maharicourt", "Méhatincourt" and "Méharicours en Sangter".Some Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
remains, of coffins, have been found in the area. There was possibly a small camp here. As with much of the region, it suffered during the Hundred Years War and again during the Wars of Religion
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
.
Méharicourt was a place of pilgrimage to the martyrs Saint Candide and Saint Flamidien. Their relics were carried from Rome in 1688 and presented to St. Martin’s church by the Count of Tincourt.
By 1899, Méharicourt had three steam-powered factories employing 500 people making linen products, socks, stockings and hunting jackets.
The linen
Linen
Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather....
industry provided prosperity throughout the 18th and 19th centuries and the village became chef-lieu
Chef-lieu
A chef-lieu is a town or city that is pre-eminent, from an administrative perspective, in any given sub-division of territory in France and some French-speaking countries.-In Algeria:...
, a title it lost to Rosières
Rosières-en-Santerre
Rosières-en-Santerre is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:The commune is situated some southeast of Amiens, at the junction of the D28 and D329 roadsnext to the Mcdonalds-Population:-Places of interest:...
in later years.
During the 19th century, the village was invaded by Cossacks in 1814 – 1815.
In 1840, the streets were repaired and the church restored, by a grant of 3000 francs and the labour of the local unemployeed. The bell-tower, built in 1607, was reconstructed in 1842
A school for girls and a refuge were built in 1863.
The Second World War saw a German airfield built next to the village, with building materials taken from the town hall of Rosières.
Population
| 1962 | 1968 | 1975 | 1982 | 1990 | 1999 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 424 | 429 | 485 | 512 | 480 | 538 | 597 |
| Starting in 1962: Population without duplicates | ||||||