The Somme, Volume 2. The Second Battle of the Somme (1918): (Amiens, Montdidier, Compiègne) — John Shaqi
The Somme, Volume 2. The Second Battle of the Somme (1918): (Amiens, Montdidier, Compiègne)
History
The Somme, Volume 2. The Second Battle of the Somme (1918): (Amiens, Montdidier, Compiègne)
Somme, 2nd Battle of the, France, 1918; World War, 1914-1918 -- Battlefields -- Guidebooks
The Château, comprising the ruins of four bastions with very thick
walls, was rebuilt in the 14th or 15th century on the site of a
previous castle which probably stood near the church. In 1434, it
was besieged and captured by the Anglo-Burgundians. In 1588, it was
occupied by the Leaguers. In 1636, during the disastrous "Corbie year",
it was taken by the Spaniards, from whom the French wrested it shortly
afterwards. In 1791, it was pillaged by the people, like the Château of
Mailly-Raineval. Ancient cannon from the Château are now in the Museum
of Picardy at Amiens. The modern portion, which served as a living
apartment, stood between the two western towers, and was built under
Louis XVIII. It is now in ruins (_photo p. 28_). A large stone cross,
which formerly stood before the doorway of the parish church, was
removed and erected near the chapel of the Château. This 14th century
monument comprised a pedestal of three superimposed stories, and a
columnar shaft and cross, slightly more modern than the pedestal. The
cross has disappeared, and only part of the pedestal remains.
[Illustration: MOREUIL.--THE CHURCH BEFORE THE WAR.]
_Turn back and follow the street straight to_ the church.
[Illustration: MOREUIL.--THE CHURCH IN 1919.]
Formerly the old abbey church of a Benedictine Monastery which stood
within the castle walls, it was rebuilt in modern times in 15th century
style--except the façade which dates from the latter part of the 16th
century--when the place belonged to the Créqui family. The façade
(_Hist. Mon._) bears a great likeness to that of St. Peter's Church
at Montdidier. It comprises two large porches, above which rose the
square tower of the belfry and the gable of the nave.
[Illustration: MOREUIL CHURCH.]
The left-hand doorway comprises six pointed arches, the third one from
the inside being the most richly ornamented. This arch comprises a
series of ten carved subjects, each under a canopy.
The right-hand doorway is a replica on a larger scale of the left-hand
one.
A Flamboyant gallery runs above the doors. At the base of the belfry,
on the northern front, is a beautiful pointed window with rich 16th
century ornamentation.
The church was severely damaged during the battles of 1918. The tower
was destroyed and the porches were badly mutilated.
The interior collapsed; the pillars alone remain standing.
_Turn left into the road which descends to the Avre._ The bridge was
destroyed in 1918, and replaced by two wooden ones.
[Illustration: BUILDING A BRIDGE ACROSS THE AVRE, NEAR MOREUIL.]
=Morisel= _is next reached, which pass through. (See sketch-map, p.
71.)_
From Moreuil to Montdidier,
via Mailly-Raineval, Grivesnes and Cantigny.
Mailly-Raineval and Hill 103
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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