Abbeville is on theSomme River,20km (12mi) from its modern mouth in theEnglish Channel. Most of the town is on the east bank of the Somme, as well as on anisland.[1] It is at the start of the AbbevilleCanal, and is45km (28mi)northwest ofAmiens. In themedieval period, it was the lowest crossing point on the Somme.Edward III's army crossed nearby shortly before theBattle of Crécy in 1346.
The name Abbeville has been adopted to name a category ofpaleolithic[1]stone tools. These stone tools are also known ashandaxes. Various handaxes were found near Abbeville by Jacques Boucher de Perthes during the 1830s. He was the first to describe the stones in detail. He pointed out in the first publication of its kind, that the stones were chipped deliberately byearly man, so as to form a tool. These stone tools which are some of the earliest found in Europe, were chipped on both sides so as to form a sharp edge, were known as 'Abbevillian' handaxes orbifaces,[2] but recently the term 'abevillian' is becoming obsolete as the earlier form of stone tool, not found in Europe, is known as theOldowan chopper. Some of theseartifacts are displayed at themuseum Boucher-de-Perthes.[3]
A more refined form from a later period of handaxeproduction was found in the Abbeville/Somme River district. The more refined handaxe became known as theAcheulean industry, named afterSaint-Acheul, today a suburb ofAmiens. It retained some importance into theBronze Age.[1]
Abbeville was fairly important in the 18th century. Van Robais Royal Manufacture (one of the first major factories in France) brought greatprosperity to the town.Voltaire, among others, wrote about it.
Abbeville was the birthplace ofRear AdmiralAmédée Courbet (1827–85). His victories on land and at sea made him anational hero during theSino-French War (August 1884 to April 1885). Courbet died in June 1885 in thePescadores Islands. His body was brought back to France and buried in Abbeville on 1 September 1885 after astate funeral. Abbeville's oldHaymarket Square (Place du Marché-au-Blé) was renamed Place de l'Amiral Courbet in July 1885. This was shortly after the news of Courbet's death reached France. A statue of Courbet was erected in the middle of the square at the end of the nineteenth century. The statue was damaged in a bombing raid duringWorld War II.
On 12 September 1939 in Abbeville aconference took place. There France and theUnited Kingdom decided it was too late to send troops to helpPoland in its fight against Germany. By this time Poland was already on the verge of defeat. After five years—in September 1944—Abbeville was liberated by the Polish First Armoured Division under General Maczek.
In 1940, the Germans with the bulk of their armoured force in Panzer Group von Kleist achieved a breakthrough at Sedan withair support. The Panzer group raced to the coast of theEnglish Channel at Abbeville. This isolated (20 May 1940) theBritish Expeditionary Force,Belgian Army, and some divisions of theFrench Army in northern France.[4] TheBattle of France was lost by the Allies.
Charles de Gaulle (17–18 May 1940), as a Colonel in this period, launched acounterattack in the region ofLaon (see the map). He had 80 tanks to destroy the communication of the Germanarmoured troops. His newly formed4e Division cuirassée reachedMontcornet, resulting in theBattle of Montcornet. But, without support, the 4th DCR was forced to retreat. There was another counterattack with theBattle of Abbeville. After Laon (24 May), de Gaulle was promoted to temporary general: "On 28 May (...) the 4th DCR attacked twice to destroy a pocket captured by the enemy south of the Somme near Abbeville. The operation was successful, with over 400 prisoners taken and the entire pocket mopped up except for Abbeville (...) but in the second attack the 4th DCR failed to gain control of the city in the face of superior enemy numbers."[5] WWII was not kind to the buildings of the town as the famous 17th centuryGothicCathedral of St. Vulfran was nearly destroyed.[1]
The city was very picturesque until the early days of theWorld War II. It was bombed mostly to rubble in one night by the Germans. The town overall is now mostly modern and rebuilt. Several of the town's attractions remain, including:
St. Vulfran's church, erected in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. The original design was not completed. Thenave has only two bays and thechoir is insignificant. Thefaçade is an outstanding example of theflamboyantGothic style, flanked by two Gothic towers.
The Boucher de Perthes Museum, in the now unusedbell tower. It is a tribute toJacques Boucher de Crèvecœur de Perthes who also has a French public secondary school named after him. The museum features art work and other artefacts from the 16th century onwards, and otherexhibitions that change every few months.
A monumentaux morts (to the dead) withsculptural work by Louis-Henri Leclabart. Amontage ofphotographs of this monument is shown below.
123456789Van Valkenburg, Samuel (1997). "Abbeville". In Johnston, Bernard (ed.).Collier's Encyclopedia. Vol.I A to Ameland (Firsted.). New York, NY: P.F. Collier. p.8.
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