Construction of the cross XIIIe siècle (≈ 1350)
Initial relief at Tombois (Barbonval)
1789
Private passage
Private passage 1789 (≈ 1789)
Consequences of the French Revolution
10 juin 1932
Registration for historical monuments
Registration for historical monuments 10 juin 1932 (≈ 1932)
Official protection of the monument
1976
Purchase by the municipality
Purchase by the municipality 1976 (≈ 1976)
Acquisition in exchange for a parcel
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Cemetery Cross (Former): Registration by Order of 10 June 1932
Origin and history
The cemetery cross of the Septvallons, originally located at the Tombois place in Barbonval (Aisne), dates from the 13th century. It was raised in modern times on a column and a stone base, forming a resting place. This site, on the edge of the plateau overlooking the Aisne valley, derives its name from an ancient Merovingian necropolis, suggesting a symbolic continuity of the place throughout the centuries.
The cross, probably linked to a medieval funeral or memorial use, illustrates the importance of religious landmarks in rural landscapes. After the Revolution, the calvary passed into the private domain before being bought in 1976 by the commune of Longueval-Barbonval (now integrated with the Septvallons), in exchange for a nearby plot. Its inscription in the historic monuments in 1932 underscores its heritage value.
The monument today consists of the original base, the column added later, and the medieval cross itself. Its current, though modified, location perpetuates the memory of a place full of history, from the Merovingian era to its modern protection. However, the accuracy of its location remains approximate (level 5/10 depending on the sources).
