Crécy-en-Ponthieu
Crécy-en-Ponthieu was the site to one of the most decisive moments in French history: the Battle of Crécy, fought on August 26, 1346, between Edward III of England and Philippe VI of France.
This monumental confrontation not only resulted in the tragic defeat of the French army but also marked the beginning of the Hundred Years War. The former battlefield, on the outskirts of the village, is today a vast cultivated field.
Despite the passage of time, the memory of this distant conflict endures thanks to three moving memorials scattered throughout the surrounding countryside.
The first monument is the observation tower, erected on the site of the mill from which Edward III observed the fighting, and which thus offers a panoramic view of the former battlefield.
Next comes the Cross of Bohemia, which stands at the edge of the village. It is dedicated to Jean I of Luxembourg, King of Bohemia, who died defending the French cause, sword in hand.
Finally, another monument to John of Luxembourg stands in the heart of the village.
Monument Jean de Luxembourg
The Monument Jean de Luxembourg was erected in 1905 in the village square, Place Jean de Luxembourg.
An international fundraising campaign, supported by France, Bohemia, and Luxembourg, was launched to finance its creation. The sculptor Emmanuel Fontaine (1856-1935), a nationally renowned artist, was commissioned to create it. Fonatine had already sculpted several commemorative monuments in the Somme department.
A moving dedication is engraved on the monument’s base:
“A Jean de Luxembourg et roi de Bohême et à ses vaillants compagnons d’armes morts pour la France à Crécy le 26 aout 1346.” – “To Jean de Luxembourg, King of Bohemia, and to his valiant companions-in-arms who died for France at Crécy on August 26, 1346.”
” A la mémoire des Français morts en défendant leur patrie le 26 Août 1346 / Souscription Internationale / France Bohême Luxembourg 1905″ – “In memory of the French who died defending their homeland on August 26, 1346 / International Fundraising / France Bohemia Luxembourg 1905”
La Croix du Bourg in Crécy-en-Ponthieu
The Croix du Bourg stands in the town square of Crécy-en-Ponthieu, near the memorial to Jean de Luxembourg.
The origin of this cross remains a mystery, as no documents seem to exist about it!
This three-tiered monument rests on a rectangular base. The first two tiers, square in shape, are adorned with columns and capitals. The uppermost tier is cylindrical. It was once surmounted by a wrought-iron cross, but now features a carved pine cone. Again, no document explains this change.
Several theories exist, however. Some believe that the villagers of Crécy-en-Ponthieu erected this cross in the Middle Ages when Crécy became a commune. Others suggest that it may have served as a Lantern of the Dead, a common funerary monument in the Middle Ages. But once again, it is all just speculation!
Somme department – Picardie
Coordinates Crécy-en-Ponthieu: Lat 50.252468 – Long 1.882892
Wikimedia Commons: Monument Jean de Luxembourg by Em. Segard is Public Domain
