Once named Aneueli, Ennevelin has a story that stretches back centuries. This village offers more than meets the eye. Ennevelin is a French commune. It sits in the Nord department, in the Hauts-de-France region. Ennevelin is part of the Pévèle region. It is a rural town near Lille.
Ennevelin is not far from Lille. It is a 20-minute drive. The village is a gateway to the Pévèle area. The Communauté de Communes Pévèle-Carembault includes Ennevelin. This community has 38 towns and about 95,000 residents.
The village includes a central area. It also includes six hamlets. These are Pont Thibault, la Broye, le Maresquel, la Verte rue, le Hélin and la Planque. In 2022, the population was 2,417. The area spans 9.92 square kilometers. The population density is 243 people per square kilometer. The altitude ranges from 26 to 42 meters.
The Marque River runs through Ennevelin. It marks the border between Mélantois and Pévèle. The river’s course was changed in the 1700s and 1800s. This improved water flow. Marshes help control floods. Part of the marsh has become a fishing pond.
Ennevelin’s history is linked to its lords and estates. Aigremont was the most important estate. There were five castles in the town in the 1700s. Today, only traces remain. Farms dot the landscape. La Bosse and Saint Vaast are two examples. Some farms like Hélin have become hotels. Recent housing has increased construction, reducing rural land.
The church of Saint-Quentin is special. It is a hall church. Hall churches have naves and aisles of nearly equal height. It suffered damage from wars. It was rebuilt in 1442. It burned in 1641 during the Thirty Years’ War. Full restoration was completed in 1741. Charles Leroy renovated it in the 1800s. Alain Plateaux directed interior renovations from 1972 to 1978. The carpentry was restored. The exterior was renovated from 1997 to 1999. Only three such churches exist in Pévèle.
The Aigremont Farm is a remnant of the Aigremont estate. The family owned it before the 1100s. The estate passed through different families. The Hailly family added the estate’s name to theirs. They had a castle with a chapel founded in 1574. The farm has a dovecote tower from 1685.
The White Castle dates back to 1821. It sits on the banks of the Marque River. The Bosse Farm features buildings rebuilt in the 1800s. These details help to paint a vivid picture of Ennevelin.
The name Ennevelin appeared first in 1106. The church altar was given to the Saint-Quentin abbey. The name was written as Aneueli. The name’s origin is debated. Some link it to Annoeullin. The suffix “in” is common in the area. In 287 AD, the people of Ennevelin accompanied Saint Piat. They escorted him on horseback to Seclin. He died there after being tortured in Tournai. Ennevelin has seen both tragedy and triumph. It stands as a testament to time.