Sentiers du Patrimoine ®
Saint-Cyr-en-Arthies
Prochain point : Lat. 49.062571, Long. 1.745080
The cemetery of Saint-Cyr-en-Arthies is next to the church. If such a location is today not very frequent in the French Vexin, this was quite common for Vexin cemeteries during the Middle Ages and Modern times. The parishioners in search of divine protection had themselves buried the closest to their church. However, in the 19th century, packed cemeteries added to the hygienist climate made the councils move the cemeteries on the edge of towns. However, the Saint-Cyr cemetery stayed close to its church. It therefore still holds a few old tombstones, evidence of such funeral heritage richness: grave fences finely wrought, cast iron crosses, decors… are so many illustrations of the means put together in order to pay tribute to the deceased throughout time.
Within the cemetery, a staircase behind the church’s apse enables to access the funeral enclosure of the Hay de Slade family. Family funeral enclosures are quite rare in the French Vexin, which makes it so special. Originally surrounded with walls, it consists of three identical graves with a marble tombstone and a grave fence in iron and cast iron. The cross-braces of the fences are adorned with motives representing hourglasses and the Virgin Mary’s head. At the back of these three graves can still be seen the remains of a commemorative monument, today damaged, which used to bear the words: “Requiem dona ei Domine” that is “Lord, give them eternal rest.” The Slade family was from the Irish nobility who came to Nantes in the 17th century. They acquired the castle of Saint-Cyr-en-Arthies in 1808. The funeral enclosure hosts the graves of Désiré Hay de Slade (1765-1844) and his sons, Richard Suzanne Hay de Slade (1798-1850) and Jules Emile Léon Hay de Slade (1801-1839) whose names, date and place of death are engraved on the tombstones. When Richard de Slade died the castle was sold to Ambroise Firmin-Didot.
