Caudry

Caudry
Caudry
Location within Nord-Pas-de-Calais region Caudry
Coordinates:
Country	France
Region	Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardy
Department	Nord
Arrondissement	Cambrai
Canton	Clary
Intercommunality	Caudrésis–Catésis
Government
• Mayor (1995–2008)	Guy Bricout
Area1	12.94 km2 (5.00 sq mi)
Population (1999)2	13,469
• Density	1,000/km2 (2,700/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	59139 / 59540
Elevation	103–138 m (338–453 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Caudry is a commune of the Nord department in northern France.

History

In the Middle Ages, as tradition will have it, Maxellende, a daughter of the lord of Caudry, was stabbed to death by one Harduin d'Amerval on 13 November 670 after turning him down. Following this Harduin became blind. However it is said that he recovered his sight as his victim's body was carried past him during its translation. Since then Maxellende has been the patron saint of Caudry and of the blind or partially sighted.

Altarpiece with Saint Maxellende in the nearby town of Le Cateau-Cambrésis

In the 19th century Caudry started specializing in tulle and lace making.

The first loom was installed in 1826 with parts smuggled from England. By 1913 there were some 650 looms employing several thousand workers. The population expanded from 1,926 in 1804 to 13,360 in 1911.

Today Caudry remains, with Calais, the only town in France where lace is still made. A lace museum has been opened in a former workshop in the town centre.

Twin towns

Caudry is twinned with:

• Wedel, Germany

See also

• Communes of the Nord department

References

• INSEE commune file

External links

• (French) Caudry official website
• (French) Lace museum / Musée de la dentelle website