The crosses
The affirmation of the Christian Faith in the countryside
Of the ten crosses that existed in the eighteenth century...
Most of the crosses found in the villages are connected to the Catholic Faith. They are mostly calvary, commemorative or votive crosses acknowledging a vow fulfilled, cemetery crosses or 'hosannìere' crosses standing on the site of an ossuary.
Other, more functional crosses served as landmarks or pointed the way. The crosses at 'L'Orme Pouilleux' and 'La Maladrerie' stood at crossroads. The 'Croix de Pierre' was used as a milestone, marking the boundary with Frémainville, and the 'Saint-Lucien' Cross marked the boundary with Théméricourt.
...only three remain
The 1781 stewardship plan attests to the existence of the 'Croix du But'. Standing at a crossroads, it is located between the village and the hamlet of Chantereine, on the site of an old hamlet called 'Le But'. Fairly simple and built entirely of stone, it stands 1.9 metres high. The 'M' engraved on it indicates that the cross is dedicated to Mary. The cemetery cross, dating from the eighteenth century, is typical of the large stone crosses placed at the centre of cemeteries. An imposing cubic pedestal supports a tall cross, 3.5 metres in height and with a pyramidal stipes, delicately engraved with mouldings and the inscription, ‘IHS l'an de grâce 1746’ ('IHS the year of our Lord 1746'). The monogram 'IHS' is a transliteration of the word 'Jesus'.
The 'Croix Delaisement' or 'Croix du Plant' is an early nineteenth-century monolith. It is a devotional cross erected at the intersection of two country lanes between the hamlet of Chantereine and the Champs Mill. As indicated by the inscription engraved on the pedestal, it was an offering from René Delaisement as a sign of his Christian faith.
Prochain point : lat="49.088946" lon="1.873612"
