Racquinghem

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Coordinates: 50°41′38″N 2°21′31″E / 50.6938888889, 2.35861111111

Commune of Racquinghem
Location
Racquinghem (France)
Racquinghem
Administration
Country France
Region Nord-Pas-de-Calais
Department Pas-de-Calais
Arrondissement Saint-Omer
Canton Aire-sur-la-Lys
Intercommunality Communauté de communes du Pays d'Aire
Mayor Idzik Bernard
Statistics
Elevation 20 m–68 m
(avg. 41 m)
Land area¹ 5,32 km²
Population²
(1 999)		 2 334
 - Density 438/km²
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code 62684/ 62120
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once.
France

Racquinghem is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais département in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.

Contents

[edit] Geography

A large village some 6 miles (9km) southeast of Saint-Omer, on the N43 road, located on the banks of the Noeufossé canal, the border between the department of Nord and the Pas de Calais.

The commune is close to the eastern boundary of the Helfaut plateau, a remarkable geological and ecological area, not typical of the region, which now hosts the Helfaut Nature Reserve. Its flora comprises both dry and wet heathland and some protected fauna, mostly amphibians.

[edit] History

The area has been populated since before Roman times, as testified by artefacts discovered in the commune.

Various wars have been waged around the town, including the war of 1046 to 1056 between Baldwin V, Count of Flanders and Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor, one battle of which was fought between Arques and Aire-sur-la-Lys. An artificial border was created on this occasion by digging a defensive canal called the Neufe-Fosse, which eventually became the Noeufossé canal.

[edit] Population

Population Evolution
1962 1968 1975 1982 1990 1999
919 976 1219 1816 2368 2334
Census count starting from 1962 : Population without double counting

[edit] Places of interest

  • The church of Notre-Dame, dating from the 19th century.
  • The Château de Bambecque.

[edit] See also

Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department

[edit] External links

[edit] Notes

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