Beauvoir-Wavans offers several clearly distinct heritage themes: an 18th-century château, 19th-century religious art and First World War memorial sites. These themes give a cultural trip different perspectives on the area, while belonging to different periods. When planning a stay, visitors can first decide whether architecture and garden history, the history of the military hospital, or the statue of the Virgin Mary in Saint-Vaast will be their main focus. The dates help put things in context: 1783 marks the family residence, the first half of the 19th century the statue; the cemetery’s establishment and James McCudden’s death are both dated to 1918.
The Château de Beauvoir and its protected estate
The Château de Beauvoir was built in 1783 by architect Antoine du Bois as the residence of the de Beaulaincourt family. The historic estate includes a residence, agricultural outbuildings, a kitchen garden and a park. Since 2 February 2016, the château has been protected in its entirety. The protected area includes the pavilions, all outbuildings, the kitchen garden, the cour d’honneur, the park, the surrounding walls and their gates. The protected site therefore comprises more than just the residence: the garden and park areas, courtyard, walls, gates and outbuildings are also included. The two dates mark different milestones: 1783 refers to its construction as the family residence, while 2 February 2016 marks the start of its comprehensive protection. This makes it easy to distinguish the building’s history from its later protected status.
The First World War: cemetery and military hospital
The English cemetery at Beauvoir-Wavans contains 43 graves of British soldiers and one grave of a German soldier. It was established in 1918 near the Drucas military hospital. During the First World War, the Château Drucas was converted into a military hospital known as Casualty Clearing Station 21. James McCudden died on 9 July 1918 in the military hospital at the Château Drucas. The two château names refer to different historical contexts: the Château de Beauvoir is the family residence built in 1783; Château Drucas is associated with the wartime hospital. The cemetery and hospital shed light on the same period of the war from two perspectives: burial and medical care.
The statue of the Virgin Mary in Saint-Vaast
In the church of Saint-Vaast, a statue of the Virgin Mary and Child is located in the sacristy, on top of a cupboard. Its name, Vierge à l'Enfant, means “Virgin and Child” and describes the subject depicted. The figure is made of carved, gilded and polychrome-painted wood and dates from the first half of the 19th century. It is listed as a protected historic object; its protection was recorded on 7 January 1981. These are two different dates for putting it in context: the dating describes when it was made, while 1981 refers to its protected status. The carving, gilding and multicoloured painting also represent different aspects of its design.
A heritage route with a railway theme
Beauvoir-Wavans is Stage 3 of the heritage route “Une ligne ferroviaire devenue sentier de randonnée” (“A railway line turned into a hiking trail”). The title brings together railway and walking history as a heritage theme. The former railway station at Beauvoir-Wavans no longer exists.
Discover more destinations: Roussent, Buire-Le-Sec, Willeman, Lisbourg, Salperwick, Cambligneul, Carency, Grenay.
For the broader travel overview: Pas-De-Calais.
