A question lingers in the air. How did a village, ravaged by war and famine, rise to become the commune of Herlies we see today? Herlies is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is part of the Métropole Européenne de Lille.
Today, Herlies is a small town in the Hauts-de-France region. It is part of the canton of Annœullin. The commune sits at 33 meters altitude. Nearby communes include Wicres, Illies and Aubers.
Around 2,276 residents call Herlies home. They are known as Herlilois and Herliloises. They live within an area spanning 7.1 square kilometers. The population density is about 320.56 inhabitants per square kilometer. Haubourdin, the largest city near Herlies, lies 10 km to the northeast.
Back in 870, religious figures from Saint Amé de Douai received lands in Herlies. The Saint Amé chapter maintained a mayor there. This is cited as early as 1090. By 1133, part of the domain belonged to the lords of Lille. In 1572, the area was separated from the fief of the castellan’s residence. It was sold with the city of La Bassée to Philipe de Saint-Aldegonde.
The village suffered greatly from famine in the winter of 1709. From 1708 to 1713, war further devastated the area. The First World War completely ruined Herlies. This was common for communes in the Weppes region. October 1914 was especially terrible. The village emptied as inhabitants fled. Intense battles raged between British regiments and German troops. The enemy counter-attack pushed the allies back. They stopped at the bottom of the “Crête d’Aubers.” There, the front remained for four years. When the war ended, returning residents found their village almost entirely destroyed.
The Second World War caused slightly less damage. Since then, Herlies has experienced renewed vigor. In 1968, Herlies was an agricultural village of 805 residents. Today, Herlies has about 2,276 inhabitants.
Pieces from the Gallo-Roman era suggest the site was occupied for at least two and a half centuries. Around 870, lands in Herlies were shared. They were given to religious figures of Saint-Amé de Douai. This chapter maintained a mayor from 1090. In 1133, part of the village was within the Empire’s territory. The county of Herlies was part of the Lille castellan’s residence.
Herlies was the seat of at least one lordship. It was established as a county before the 16th century. In 1562, Floris de Stavele was named Count of Herlies.
The coat of arms of Herlies features a blue background. It has three gold fleurs-de-lis. It also shows a label of three points of the same color in chief.
Today, Herlies stands as a testament to resilience. It is a thriving commune that remembers its past while embracing the future.