Abbeville

Abbeville Coat of Arms

Abbeville is a town in the County of Picardy, within the Kingdom of France, 12 mi. from the English Channel and 28 mi. northwest of Amiens. Located on the river Somme, it's an important town of west Picardy as a commercial marketing centre.

Founded by the abbots of St.-Riquier, Abbeville became a fortress city in the 9th century. It's best known for defending the mouth of the Somme River, built upon the last crossing point across the Somme before the sea. A charter was granted in 1184. The Gothic Cathedral of Saint Vulfran, begun in 1488, is the best known landmark; in 1650, plans exist for adding a vaulted choir to the structure.

Goods produced in and around Abbeville include refined sugar, cloth^2R, linen, tablecloths^2R, rope and fastening locks, also serving as the market centre for the village of St.-Valery-sur-Somme. Population (c.1650), 3,900.