Pihen-lès-Guînes
Encyclopedia
Pihen-lès-Guînes is a commune
in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France
.
, at the junction of the D243 and D244 roads and there is a station called: Gare De Pihen
in 1084, in the form of Pithem, from the Germanic pit (wells ) + Heim (home, village), which became Pihen in the Calaisis and Boulonnais
dialect, but -hem elsewhere.
Pihem
(near to Wizernes
) is almost the same as Pihen, which led to so many errors with the mail that the commune decided to add ‘lès-Guînes’ to its name in 1923.
There is no doubt that the village is very old. Tombs have been discovered dating back to the medieval period, including shaped sarcophagi and skeletons buried directly in the chalk. Ancient thick, handmade tiles are repeatedly lifted to the surface of fields during ploughing.
Mammoth
tusks and the skull of a woolly rhinoceros
were uncovered during the construction of a departmental road.
In the early Middle Ages
, Pihen was part of the county of Guînes
then English from 1347 until 1558, when like all of the Calaisis
, it was liberated by Francis, Duke of Guise
, in 1558.
The tribulations of Pihen were not over, however. At that time, the kings of France and Spain were at war and the territory of Pihen was in the combat zone, the Spaniards from neighbouring Flanders
possessed the commune in 1596, lost it, but regained it in 1598. Most of the thirteenth century church was burnt down during this time.
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 Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of 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
Pihen-lès-Guînes is located 7 miles (11 km) southwest of CalaisCalais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
, at the junction of the D243 and D244 roads and there is a station called: Gare De Pihen
History
The name of Pihen appeared for the first time in the founding charter of the abbey of AndresAndres, Pas-de-Calais
Andres is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France.-Geography:Andres is a farming village located 8 miles southeast of Calais, at the junction of the D244 and D248 roads.-Population:-Places of interest:...
in 1084, in the form of Pithem, from the Germanic pit (wells ) + Heim (home, village), which became Pihen in the Calaisis and Boulonnais
Boulonnais
The Boulonnais, also known as the "White Marble Horse", is a heavy draft horse breed. It is known for its elegant, though large, appearance and is found in many colors. The breed's origins trace to a period before the Crusades and, during the 17th century, Spanish Barb, Arabian and Andalusian blood...
dialect, but -hem elsewhere.
Pihem
Pihem
Pihem is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Population:-Places of interest:* The church of St.Pierre, dating from the sixteenth century.* The remains of a château.-References:* -External links:*...
(near to Wizernes
Wizernes
Wizernes is a northern French commune southwest of Saint-Omer on the banks of the river Aa at the D928 and D211 road junction. The commune is subdivided into townships. and is twinned with Ensdorf, Saarland, Germany.-History:...
) is almost the same as Pihen, which led to so many errors with the mail that the commune decided to add ‘lès-Guînes’ to its name in 1923.
There is no doubt that the village is very old. Tombs have been discovered dating back to the medieval period, including shaped sarcophagi and skeletons buried directly in the chalk. Ancient thick, handmade tiles are repeatedly lifted to the surface of fields during ploughing.
Mammoth
Mammoth
A mammoth is any species of the extinct genus Mammuthus. These proboscideans are members of Elephantidae, the family of elephants and mammoths, and close relatives of modern elephants. They were often equipped with long curved tusks and, in northern species, a covering of long hair...
tusks and the skull of a woolly rhinoceros
Woolly Rhinoceros
The woolly rhinoceros is an extinct species of rhinoceros that was common throughout Europe and Asia during the Pleistocene epoch and survived the last glacial period. The genus name Coelodonta means "cavity tooth"...
were uncovered during the construction of a departmental road.
In the early Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, Pihen was part of the county of Guînes
Guînes
Guînes is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France.-Geography:Guînes is located on the border of the two territories of the Boulonnais and Calaisis, at the edge of the now-drained marshes, which extend from here to the coast. The Guînes canal connects with...
then English from 1347 until 1558, when like all of the Calaisis
Pale of Calais
The Pale of Calais is a historical region of France that was controlled by the Kingdom of England until 1558.- History :After the Battle of Crécy in 1346, Edward III of England, having renounced the throne of France, kept some territory within France, namely Aquitaine and the area around Calais,...
, it was liberated by Francis, Duke of Guise
Francis, Duke of Guise
Francis de Lorraine II, Prince of Joinville, Duke of Guise, Duke of Aumale , called Balafré , was a French soldier and politician.-Early life:...
, in 1558.
The tribulations of Pihen were not over, however. At that time, the kings of France and Spain were at war and the territory of Pihen was in the combat zone, the Spaniards from neighbouring Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
possessed the commune in 1596, lost it, but regained it in 1598. Most of the thirteenth century church was burnt down during this time.
Population
| 1962 | 1968 | 1975 | 1982 | 1990 | 1999 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 331 | 349 | 309 | 357 | 413 | 394 | 488 |
| Census count starting from 1962: Population without duplicates | ||||||
Places of interest
- The church of the AnnunciationAnnunciationThe Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God. Gabriel told Mary to name her...
dating from the thirteenth century. - The nineteenth century château de La Quennevacherie.