Vieil-Hesdin

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Coordinates: 50°21′30″N 2°05′59″E / 50.3583, 2.0997

Administration
Commune of Vieil-Hesdin
Location

Country	France
Region	Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Department	Pas-de-Calais
Arrondissement	Montreuil
Canton	Le Parcq
Intercommunality	Communauté de communes de Canche Ternoise
Mayor	Maurice Decoster (2001-2008)
Statistics
Elevation	31 m–125 m (avg. 37 m)
Land area^¹	982 km²
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	62850/ 62770
¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

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

1 Geography
2 History
3 Population
4 Places and monuments
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Geography

Situated 6 kilometres south-east of Hesdin, on the banks of the river Canche. The D340 road passes through the middle of Vieil-Hesdin.

[edit] 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).

[edit] Population

Population Evolution
1962	1968	1975	1982	1990	1999
338	338	371	362	364	364
Census count from 1962 : Population without double counting

[edit] 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.

More information from : French Ministry of Culture database