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Hasnon (Municipality, Nord, France)

Flag of Hasnon - Image by Olivier Touzeau, 17 December 2020

Presentation of Hasnon
Flag of Hasnon

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Presentation of Hasnon

The municipality of Hasnon (3,899 inhabitants in 2018; 1,274 ha; municipal website) is located between Lille and Valenciennes.

In Roman times, the presence of a small town called Saligunsim is attested within the limits of present-day Hasnon. Saligunsim ("a place planted with willows") was named for the significant presence of willows in the vicinity of the village. Despite being surrounded by marshes and woods, Saligunsim expanded and became a notable economic and cultural center.
In 670, following the advice of his uncle, the Bishop of Nevers, and of St. Amand, Jean (Hans), eldest son of Lord Autbalde, Count of Ostrevent, decided to transform his father's manor in a Benedictine double convent, ruled by himslef and by her sister, Eulalie, respectively.
Jean is the town's namesake. Hasnon is either John's home (from "one", "a dwelling") or John's swamp (from "noe", "a marsh"). Eulalie's cantilena, sa hort sung poem written at Hasnon Abbey in the 9th century, is the oldest known text written in langues d'oîl, the Gallo-Romance languages spoken in northern France.
Ermentrude of Orléans, queen of the Franks and wife of King Charles II the Bald, retired in 867 to Hasnon Abbey. Her daughter, Ermentrude, was appointed abbess of Hasnon. The abbey was destroyed in August 1792.

Darts was the main industry was for decades, being aid to have been invented in the town. Dart industry ceased in the 1980s because of Japanese competition. The Dart Museum is housed in the former residence of the monks of Hasnon, on the town's main square.

Olivier Touzeau, 17 December 2020

Flag of Hasnon

The flag of Hasnon (photo, photo, photo) is white with the municipal arms, "Per fess, 1. Azure a bend between two swords inverted argent, 2. Gules, a key argent", and the name of the municipality below.

Th. Leuridan (Armorial des communes du département du Nord, 1909) gives the second field as sable. These are the genuine arms of Hasnon, as evidenced by municipal seals.
The arms of the St. Peter abbey in Hasnon are "Sable four keys argent in pale 2 and 2", as featured on the Armorial Général (image). Leuridan assigned them to the municipalities of Anzin, which already used different, "fanciful" arms, and Leers and Saint-Pierre-Brouck, which still use them.

Olivier Touzeau & Ivan Sache, 19 December 2020