Lillers

Lillers is a commune. It is found in the region Nord-Pas-de-Calais in the Pas-de-Calais department in the north of France.

Lillers
Commune
The town hall of Lillers
Coat of arms
Location of Lillers
Lillers
Lillers
Coordinates: 50°33′52″N 2°28′59″E
CountryFrance
RegionHauts-de-France
DepartmentPas-de-Calais
ArrondissementBéthune
CantonLillers
IntercommunalityCA Béthune-Bruay, Artois-Lys Romane
Government
 • Mayor (2014–2020) Pascal Barois
Area
1
26.9 km2 (10.4 sq mi)
Population
 (2010)
10,050
 • Density370/km2 (970/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
62516 /62190
Elevation18–88 m (59–289 ft)
(avg. 29 m or 95 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

History

In the year 700 AD, two Irish princes, Lugli and Luglien, were on a pilgrimage to Rome. On the road between Boulogne and Thérouanne, near Ferfay, they were attacked and killed by robbers. Their servants buried the bodies, but they were moved by a storm to the castle of the Bishop of Thérouanne. This was seen to be a miracle. When the Normans invaded, the bodies, now holy relics, were moved to a safer place on an island with a marsh all around it. Years later, the sister of the princes, Lilia, came to pray at the chapel built to hold the relics. The town was named Lillers, after her.[1]

World War 1

In World War I, Lillers was the site of a big British military hospital. Nearly 900 soldiers are buried in the cemetery.[2] They include two winners of the Victoria Cross, Corporal William Richard Cotter and Major David Nelson.[3]

References
  1. "History Lillers". Site Officiel de la Ville de Lillers (in French). Retrieved 2009-12-01.
  2. "Lillers Cemetery". Retrieved 2009-12-01.
  3. "Lillers Communal Cemetery and Extension". Archived from the original on 2009-04-14. Retrieved 2009-12-01.

Other websites
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lillers.


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