Esquelbecq (French pronunciation: [ɛskɛlbɛk]; from West Flemish: Ekelsbeke) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.[3]
Esquelbecq
Ekelsbeke | |
|---|---|
 St Folcwin church in Esquelbecq | |
_Nord-France.svg) Coat of arms | |
Location of Esquelbecq  | |
  Esquelbecq  Esquelbecq | |
| Coordinates: 50°53′11″N 2°25′55″E / 50.8864°N 2.4319°E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Hauts-de-France |
| Department | Nord |
| Arrondissement | Dunkirk |
| Canton | Wormhout |
| Intercommunality | CC Hauts de Flandre |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Didier Roussel[1] |
| Area 1 | 12.7 km2 (4.9 sq mi) |
| Population (2021)[2] | 2,134 |
| • Density | 170/km2 (440/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC 01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC 02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 59210 /86370 |
| Elevation | 11–29 m (36–95 ft) (avg. 21 m or 69 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Its southern limit with Ledringhem is chemin de Rubrouck.
Population
edit| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 1,559 | — |
| 1975 | 1,592 | 0.30% |
| 1982 | 1,907 | 2.61% |
| 1990 | 1,979 | 0.46% |
| 1999 | 2,124 | 0.79% |
| 2007 | 2,206 | 0.47% |
| 2012 | 2,108 | −0.90% |
| 2017 | 2,115 | 0.07% |
| Source: INSEE[4] | ||
History
editIn 1436, Wautier de Ghistelles was seigneur d'Ekelsbeke et de Ledringhem (Lord of Esquelbecq and Ledringhem) and governor of La Madeleine hospital in Bierne.[5]
The Wormhoudt massacre was perpetrated near Esquelbecq on 80 British and French prisoners of war by Waffen-SS members at the time of the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940.
Heraldry
edit
| |
The arms of Esquelbecq are blazoned : Or, a chevron azure between 3 mullets of 5 gules. | |
| motto: vaincre ou mourir (win or die) | ||
Church and organ
editThe church on the village square is dedicated to Folcwin, who died at Esquelbecq in 855 CE.[6] It is a hall church of the hallekerk type characteristic of the region, with three naves of equal length, width, and height. The interior and roof were destroyed by a fire in 1976, but the external appearance is still substantially as it was in 1610, with an attractive lozenge pattern in the brickwork.[7]
The present church organ, by Marc Garnier (who also built an organ for the Elgar Concert Hall at the University of Birmingham), was built after the fire. It is modelled on the designs prevalent in Flanders in the 17th century and is "mesotonic" – tuned so that pieces from that era can be played in meantone temperament.[8]
Transportation
edit
Esquelbecq is served by a railway station.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
- ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
- ^ INSEE commune file
- ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
- ^ Bierne history Archived 2010-02-10 at the Wayback Machine (French)
- ^ "Folcwin, St. - Dictionary definition of Folcwin, St. - Encyclopedia.com: Free online dictionary". The Gale Group Inc.; Retrieved 14 July 2018.
- ^ http://www.cote-dopale.com/tourisme/eglise-d-esquelbecq/ Côte d'Opale tourisme - Eglise d'Esquelbecq; Retrieved 14 July 2018
- ^ http://www.cote-dopale.com/tourisme/eglise-d-esquelbecq/ Côte d'Opale tourisme - Eglise d'Esquelbecq; Retrieved 14 July 2018
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