Ragnies

Ragnies (in Walloon Ragniye ) is a section of the Belgian city of Thuin, located in Wallonia in the Province of Hainaut.

It was a common to whole share before the fusion of the communes of 1977.

Ragnies belongs to the association which gathers the most beautiful villages of Wallonia.

Etymology

The name of Ragnies finds its origin in the Latin name Radiniacas meaning “Radon villa”.

History

RAGNIES is a village whose origin is very old. (2nd front century J.C.)

Time of Cimbres and Teutons, and after those, of the Celts and Gallic, it was, a crowned place, where the tribes, met certain days to offer to their Gods sacrifices, and particularly of the human sacrifices. Various Gallic tribes divided Belgium; the nation which occupied this part of the Belgian ground, when the Romans arrived, was that of Nerviens.

Jules CESAR, made of it the conquest following the last and terrible combat not far from here, at the village of the BUISSIERE, where Nerviens succumbed. This fight extended on the territory from FONTAINE-VALMONT, RAGNIES and STREE, which confirm, the discoveries of Roman antiquities made especially in this last village.

Before the arrival of the Romans, RAGNIES was already a selected and crowned place, especially inhabited by the druids; priests of the false Gods of Nerviens, and where the people often met with a religious aim.

Not far from RAGNIES the Roman roadway of BAVAY passed to TRUCES. It entered the HAINAUT between BERSILLIES the ABBEY and SOLRE-SUR-SAMBRE and passed by STREE (Strata) (roadway). It does not appear improbable that this Roman way almost crossed Sambre, which formed a ford rather easy to cross, opposite the old Grignart castle, to arrive on this part of the territory of RAGNIES, called today Grégniaut or Grigniaut, i.e. Grignart.Cette sees rather broad is regarded as an old Roman way and always preserves in and place the name of way of Grégniaut.

It crosses the Wood of Villers, then the old way of THUIN with MAUBEUGE, passes towards the hamlet of BIERCEE, the vault of the four trees with RAGNIIES, also called the Vault of the Marshal, then the way of Maronne and that of Enfré (1) goes with THUILLIES, OSSOGNE, crosses the Roman roadway (2), moves towards ROGNEE, WALCOURT, SILENRIEUX, PHILIPEVILLE and continuous towards GIVET.

(1) report/ratio on the excursion made in this ays by the archaeological circle of Charleroi in 1878.

(2) Undoubtedly that coming from STREE, so that coming from Grignart would be distinct or a simple junction from the other or minor road, a road diverted by the Romans.

With the Middle Ages, the marshes formed by the overflows of Sambre were used several times to strengthen the dens of the brigands; With three kilometers of LOBBES, one still sees a very escarpée mountain, place where the old feudal castle of Grignart was set up.

Maurosius and its companions dévalisaient there in these places, the merchants and travellers who crossed the ford (diverted road of the Romans which crossed Sambre in this place. This Maurosius, bold bandit, being converted, founded the Abbeys of LOBBES (654) and ALDER (656). The history reports to us that it was often going to pour tears on the ruins of Grignart. It is honoured under the name of Saint Landelin.

In the continuation, this Grignart castle still became, twice, a savage haunt of robbers.

The history tells us the exploits of Anselme and the Isaac Knight of the time of Abélard, abbot of LOBBES (1045).

One found with RAGNIES, not only mutationes, mansiones or mansus (smallholdings given by the lord of the village with twelve ground bonniers, which usually formed the extent of it), since one discovered remains of them, but also of Villae Romanae, Mansum Regale (1), Ham. (2)

(1) dwelling of the king or dwelling of the lord of the village representing of the sovereign or king.

(2) low part (pasture) given by the owner of the large village to cultivate under its dependence.

While returning from Fosteau, (1) and following the Roadway of LOBBES to BEAUMONT, opposite the 6th barrier, known as of the Mines, not far from the Antique way of THUIN with MAUBEUGE Mr E. GOFFIN (born in Enghien, on August 17th, 1823, priest of BIERCEE, died there on April 17th, 1880) found the site, said Gibet on the territory of RAGNIES to the limit of BIERCEE.

(1) Brook which takes its source on the ground of LEERS AND FOSTEAU and which is thrown entirely in Sambre.Ce brook gave its name to the very ancient castle, formerly entirely surrounded of ditches. Fosteau will come from Forestella, small forest.

The roadway of LOBBES with BEAUMONT cuts this field today, and, by building it, one updated at it a staircase leading to a cellar carrying of the niches in the walls; the eternal cellar with niches of all our villa Belgo-Romans. According to the old ones, the name of Gibet, would be justified by the fact that one would have found there irons and chains similar to the obstacles employed in antiquity for the criminals (cortenae). It appears probable that it is about the true place of a gibet feudal bench on the ground. In this case, the stones of the instrument of torment would have been used not far from there.

Mr GOFFIN had made practice trenches, the ground was saturated up to one meter of depth, Roman remains, tiles, potteries, scrap, debris, etc… The villa of RAGNIES, known as CHOTIN (etymological studies on the names of cheap and villages of the HAINAUT 1857) car its name of the word Rane (grooves, frog) .RAGNEE or RAGNIES, it is the village with frogs. Most of the place is still composed of marsh. This origin, or, if one wants this etymology of word RAGNIES hardly appears exact. Initially, part of this village could be a marsh, but it could be only one small portion, whom one calls today” the Rocket” and not Rognette or Ragnette, small Ragnies, like known as also incorrectly CHOTIN. (etymological and archaeological studies of Hainaut) This word” Rocket” undoubtedly comes from the vicinity of the careers or a small vault which is there perhaps and is dedicated to Saint Roch. In fact thus the frogs could give their name to this village.

In a last work, CHOTIN is of very an other opinion which appears to us to be the true one. As regards the etymology of the name of RAGNIES, he says, we will say that it is composed of two elements, of which one is implied (Villa). Radionacis is a proper name with the genitive; it thus means the Field of Radionax. In mow old manuscripts, this name is written of many manners different: RAGNEE, RAIGNEE, RAGNIER, RAIGNIES, RANGNIES, ARRANGES, ROHEGNIES, RAINGNIES, RAINIE, RANE, RAIGNY, etc… In Pouillé, made in 1551 for the Diocese of LIEGE, from which RAGNIES formed part, it is known as: RAIGNEEZ, lord RANGNES (analectes to be used for the history ecclesiastics of Belgium Tom II)

In one of oldest, the polypticum of Jean I, Bishop of CAMBRAY, and which goes back to 868, RAGNIES is indicated by word RADIONACIS. The oldest name, the primitive name of RAGNIES, appears to be rather RADIONACIS.Cest the origin of this last which it is a question of seeking. As this village belonged to the old country of LIEGE, one finds absolutely nothing in the former historians HAINAUT. With regard to a historical book which would make mention of it, it does not exist about it with the royal library, nor elsewhere, undoubtedly. One can only venture one assumption: VILLA RADIONACIS, Field of Radionax. This name has a franque form which allots to the village an origin of this time, if however, the etymology is right. After the conquest by the Romans and then by the Francs, a Frank lord, name of Radionax could well be the first lord of RAGNIES. There he been able to make build the first Villa, Mansum Levels and being the first representative of the sovereign.

Where this Villa, castle of the frank lord could be? When one arrives of THUIN, one approaches this village of RAGNIES by a district which one calls This name “Catia” varied according to the times: one said Castia, Castiel, Castiau and finally Catia of the Latin word Castellum which means small castle-extremely. One can thus believe that was there, the villa of the frank lord (Mansum Regale). Placed on a light rise, this castle-extremely was surrounded by high walls and broad ditches, which water of the close marshes fed. Around this castle, the dwellings of the serfs, dependant on the lord rose, and thus started to form this village of RAGNIES, VILLA RADIONACIS.

Economy

The village shelters the Distillerie of Biercée, in the old Farm of the Court.

External bonds

Site of the commune of Thuin.
Site of the Union of the Cities and Communes of Wallonia asbl.
Site of the asbl Most beautiful Villages of Wallonia.
Site of the Distilling of Biercée

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