Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The houses in Hem, in the Northern Department, form a remarkable architectural complex consisting of four low houses and an outbuilding. Built in chaule bricks, these houses reflect a style typical of the Hauts-de-France region. Their simplicity and alignment bear witness to the local vernacular heritage, often linked to the residential needs of workers and rural populations of the 19th and 20th centuries.

These houses were listed in the inventory of Historic Monuments by an order dated 14 February 1995. Their protection specifically concerns the row of four houses and their dependence, identified under the cadastral references AM 100, 99, 98, 97 and 96. Today, these buildings are the property of a cult association, suggesting reuse or preservation for community or religious purposes. Their location, at 14 rue de Croix or near the Enclos Sainte-Thérèse, remains a point of interest for the study of Hem's urban planning and social history.

In the wider context of the Hauts-de-Frances, brick houses were common in urban and peri-urban areas expanding in the 19th century. They met the need for affordable housing for families, often linked to the region's industrial or agricultural activities. These modest, though not monumental, buildings play a key role in the collective memory and local identity, reflecting the lifestyles and construction techniques of their time.

The accuracy of their location is assessed as "a priori satisfactory", with a score of 6 out of 10 indicating that their location is known but could benefit from additional checks. Available sources, such as Monumentum and internal data, confirm their protected heritage status, while leaving some areas shadowed by their detailed history or past occupants.

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