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Origin and history

Ham Fortress, located in the present department of the Somme (Hauts-de-France), finds its origins in the 11th century under the impulse of the Counts of Vermandois around 1052. The primitive castle, restored in the 13th century by Odon IV, then acquired in 1374 by Enguerrand VII de Coucy, passes into the hands of several noble families, including Luxembourg-Saint-Pol. In the 15th century, Louis de Luxembourg, connétable de Saint-Pol, erected the famous tower of the Connétable (1441), symbol of its power and adaptation to the progress of artillery. The castle, transformed into a state prison, welcomed illustrious prisoners such as Mirabeau or Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, the future Napoleon III, who escaped in 1846.

The fortress was revived by the Germans in 1917 during the First World War and was reduced to a state of ruins. The remains, including the entrance tower and the surrounding fragments, were classified as historical monuments in 1965. Since 1977, the Association Les Amis du Château de Ham has been working on their preservation and enhancement, organizing events such as La Médiévale to revive this heritage. The site also retains a remarkable linden, a witness to past centuries, replanted after the destruction of 1917.

Architecturally, the fortress followed a rectangular plane (120 x 80 m) with round towers at angles and defences adapted to the seats, such as a ditch fed by the Beine. The Connétable tower, a military masterpiece, measured 33 m in diameter and height, with walls 11 m thick. Vauban made changes in the 17th century. The castle, linked to the crown under Henry IV, illustrates the evolution of medieval fortresses in prisons, then in symbols of resistance and memory.

His famous prisoners include the Marquis de Sade, General Hoche, or Charles X's ministers. The site, now owned by the commune, attracts visitors for its rich history, evocative ruins and cultural activities. Excavations and volunteer work preserve this heritage, while telling its past, from feudalism to industrial revolution.

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