Ham is a commune in the Somme, in the Hauts-de-France region, 20 km southwest of Saint-Quentin.
Its territory of 9.5 km² bordering the east of the Aisne department is crossed to the south by the course of the Somme and its tributary, the Beine. It still presents a green character and landscape, covered with 60% agricultural areas and 9% forests.
The locality developed on the right bank of the river, now partly canalized, in a humid environment. It is mentioned from the 10th century as a possession of the county of Vermandois (region of Saint-Quentin). At the beginning of the 12th century, an abbey was established and at the same time, Ham acquired a castle which quickly became a real fortress.
This did not prevent the stronghold from being besieged and taken by the Spanish twice, in 1557 and 1595.
Prosperous for its arable land and its strategic position, Ham which experienced an industrial boom in the 19th century century paid a heavy price in the First War. In March 1917, the Germans dynamited the castle and the entire town.
Ham however recovered, preserved vestiges of its heritage and regained its dynamism during the Thirty Glorious Years. Today it has a little over 4,600 inhabitants.
Despite the destruction of 1917, the small town has a rich heritage that bears witness to its past luster. This is the case of the remains of the castle, whose foundations date back to the 12th and 13th centuries and which became a coveted fortress in the 15th century thanks to the lords Jean II of Luxembourg and then his nephew Louis. In 1465, a 33 m high keep (the Constable's tower) was erected with walls 11 m thick. Reinforced by Vauban, transformed into a prison in the 19th century (Mirabeau, Sade and the future Napoleon III were detained there), the site listed in the Inventory has been the subject of renovation projects in recent decades. In the park of the castle, to the east of the city center, are thus visible imposing ruins (curtains, entrance tower). A statue of Napoleon III (disguised as Badinguet during his escape from the prison-castle) has been installed. Finally, a lime tree planted in 1793 (a tree of Liberty) is still visible! Visits by appointment. Inquire on +33 3 23 81 00 00.
Next, the Notre-Dame church, which served a monastery of canons from the 12th century. The choir and the transept are original. There are also Romanesque bays on the facade and above all a Gothic style crypt. Initially fitted out to accommodate relics, including those of Saint Vaneng, it was transformed into a "low church" for the offices of the monks and the relics were installed in the church itself. Comprising a nave and side aisles, its ribbed vaults rest in particular on three monolithic columns in the centre. The capitals present a wide variety of decorations. The crypt also houses the recumbent effigies (tombstones) of Odo IV, lord of Ham from 1216 to 1234, and Isabelle de Béthencourt, his wife. Finally, in the church this time, an 18th century high altar has been preserved. It should be noted that part of the old conventual buildings is nowadays occupied by a private college.
It is also worth mentioning the town hall, erected in 1879: only the original façade has been preserved. The rest of the building was rebuilt in the 1920s in a style reminiscent of Flemish town halls. It houses ironwork saved from the ruins, a collection of lithographs representing the castle and a bust of General Foy (1775-1825). A native of the town, this general of the empire is also represented in the center of the town hall square: his bronze statue was installed in 1879 and rests on a granite pedestal. There are also bas-reliefs which turn out to be copies of the sculptures of David d'Angers, author of the general's monument-tomb in the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris.
In the center again, several buildings characteristic of the inter-war period can be observed, built in brick and reinforced concrete.
In the former hamlet of Estouilly, the church has retained a pre-Romanesque nave (dating from 1050).
Back in the centre, a walk in Delicourt Park is a must. Nicely landscaped on the banks of the Somme, with trees and flowers, with playgrounds, there is a recently painted fresco evoking several great figures from the past of the city.
Remarkable frescoes have also been created inside the station (rebuilt in 1929). They are signed Marie-Fernande Van Driesten-Parys and are again devoted to the history of Ham.
Finally, a pleasant walk can be taken on the Hardines site, market gardens occupying around thirty hectares on either side of the course of the Somme, on the edge of the town of Eppeville. Laid out on soils rich in peat, drained by ditches, these gardens began to be cultivated from the 15th century. The waters of the Hardines supply several fountains in the town. Visit by appointment with the association that manages the site on +33 6 75 95 30 09.
In terms of culture, the associative cinema Le Méliès is located in the old town theatre. Information on the program on +33 3 22 79 11 94. In addition, in various halls of the town, shows, plays and concerts are offered throughout the year: inquire on +33 3 23 36 20 50.
For sports enthusiasts, it is easy to book a tennis court. Join the local club on +33 3 23 81 01 62.
As for hiking enthusiasts, they have a number of trails and itineraries available, for example along the banks of the Somme or the canal in the south of the territory, or the heights northern greens. Maps and information on +33 3 22 84 42 38.
