Montignies in 1833

Definition of the geographical dictionary of the province of Hainaut by Ph. Vandermaelen - Brussels, 1833 (Thanks to Hérvé Cogels for making the original document available)

MONTIGNIES-LES-LENS

Municipality of the canton and 3/4 league ENE of Lens, of the district and 3 leagues 1/4 N. of Mons. It is bounded to the N. by the town of Cambron-Saint-Vincent, to the E. by that of Neufvilles; to the S. it touches the territory of Masnuy-Saint-Pierre, and to the W. to that of Lens.

This commune is made up of its capital, located roughly in the center of the territory, and the hamlets of Hubiermont, Boulois, Du Chêne, Queniau.

HYDROGRAPHY:

This territory is watered by the Dender and the Marquette stream; the first activates a flour mill.

FLOOR :

Of a slightly depressed aspect, interspersed with more or less sloping plains and hillsides whose slope is very steep at various points. The land is largely clay-limestone. There is a compact limestone quarry. It includes inverse carbonated lime, dodecahedron, analog, prism, zonary, blunt, laminar, fetid laminar and compact, laminar fluate lime (violet), prism clear quartz-hyaline, and quartz-agatha onix. Some parts are marshy. The thickness of the plant layer varies from five to ten inches.

AGRICULTURE :

One harvests per year in the various species of grains and seeds, three thousand six hundred rasières of wheat, three thousand of rye, one thousand five hundred of meslin, six hundred and fifty of snail, one thousand nine hundred and twenty of oats, three hundred and sixty -fifteen of rapeseed, and eighty of flax. There is not enough fodder for local consumption. One collects excellent vegetables in the gardens. The harvest of apples and pears amounts annually to two hundred rasières. The orchards are fairly well stocked with fruit trees. This land is carefully cultivated in large, medium and small holdings, there are ten farms - Covennal, six-year and four-year rotation - Manure, lime and peat ashes for fertilizer. The average price of plowing a bonnier is twenty-five florins. In 1830, there were thirty-four horses, sixteen colts, one hundred and three cattle, twenty-five calves, twenty pigs, one hundred and sixty sheep, twelve goats, thirty donkeys and six mules. - A little poultry. - Game menu in small quantities. - Wool, butter and cheese.

POPULATION:

One thousand two hundred and sixty-six inhabitants, of whom six hundred and twenty-one are male, and six hundred and forty-five are female. In 1830, twenty-three deaths were counted, among which were seven men; and forty-nine births, including twenty-four boys. The annual number of marriages is nine.

DWELLINGS:

There are two hundred and twenty five houses, built of stones, bricks and clay, covered with purlins, slates or straw and scattered around. The chief town contains one hundred and thirty, and the hamlet of Queniau about twenty. - A church and a primary school. We can distinguish the castle of Madame Delamotte-Baraffe; it is surrounded by beautiful walks. The English garden, the grotto, the artificial canal and the small walled little park are worth seeing.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY:

There is a quarry which provides a large quantity of stones suitable for the manufacture of lime, a lime kiln, a flour mill. - Agricultural trade.

ROADS AND PATHS:

The local roads from Neufvilles to Lens and from Cambron Saint Vincent to Jurbise cross the territory and will lead to the road from Mons to Ath; they are passable in winter. - A brick bridge.