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Origin and history

Ham Castle, built around 1052 by the Counts of Vermandois, is a typical example of a medieval fortress in northern France. Restored in the 13th century by Odon IV, he passed into the hands of Coucy's family in 1374 and was acquired by Louis I of Orléans in 1400. Its rectangular structure, reinforced by round towers and a ditch fed by the Beine, follows the "philippian scheme". The connétable Louis de Luxembourg-Saint-Pol added in 1441 a monumental tower of 33 meters high, adapted to the nascent artillery.

Transformed into a state prison after the Revolution, the castle welcomed famous prisoners such as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte (future Napoleon III), imprisoned from 1840 to 1846 before his escape disguised as a mason. Other historical figures, including the Marquis de Sade, Mirabeau or Marshal Moncey, were held there. The site became a symbol of political repression, especially during the thermal repression in 1795.

Dynamity by the Germans in 1917 during the First World War, the castle remains only ruins, abandoned and then looted as a stone quarry. Classified as a historical monument in 1965, these remains are now preserved by the association Les Amis du Château de Ham, which organizes restoration sites and events like La Médiévale since 2018. A century-old linden tree, called the tree of freedom, miraculously survives on the site.

The architecture of the castle combined advanced defensive elements (half moons, mâchicoulis, ditches) and a body of residential homes where personalities like Marie de Luxembourg lived. Vauban made changes in the 17th century under Henry IV. The Somme Canal, dug in 1821, partially drained the moat, altering the original defensive system.

Today, the site is animated by torch visits and historical reconstructions, highlighting its dual heritage: major medieval fortress and political prison of the 18th to 19th centuries. A commemorative plaque recalls Napoleon III's stay, where he conceived his ideas for social and economic progress.

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