Engollon
Origin of the name Engollon
The name is recorded in 1228 as « Engolun ». The sources consulted give no etymology: the meaning of the place name is not explained.
Founding of Engollon
Engollon has no known foundation date or founder. It is a village of medieval origin on the Seyon, which belonged to the lordship and later the mairie of Valangin. Its parish is mentioned from 1228; before that date Engollon was the centre of a large parish including Valangin, Boudevilliers, Fontaines, Cernier and their outlying hamlets, which points to an origin older than the first written record. Excavations beneath the church have also revealed the foundations of an early medieval church, rebuilt several times. Engollon should not be confused with the neighbouring town of La Bonneville, whose remains lie south-west of the village: it is said to have been founded in the 13th century by the lords of Valangin to attract settlers and destroyed in 1301 by the count of Neuchâtel (to be cross-checked). Engollon has remained a farming village.
History of Engollon
around 650-730. Burials from this period are uncovered during excavations beneath the present church (to be cross-checked).
1228. First record of the village (« Engolun ») and of its parish. Before that, Engollon was the centre of a large parish including Valangin, Boudevilliers, Fontaines, Cernier and their outlying hamlets.
13th century. The lords of Valangin found the town of La Bonneville, south-west of Engollon, to attract settlers (to be cross-checked).
1301. La Bonneville is destroyed by Count Rudolf IV of Neuchâtel, after a first attack in 1296 (to be cross-checked).
1417. Jeanne de Beauffremont decides to be buried in the church of Engollon.
1427. Her husband Guillaume d'Arberg, lord of Valangin, makes the same choice and orders a chapel to be built north of the church.
1453. The parish has about 40 hearths (households).
1505. Consecration of the collegiate church of Valangin: the church of Engollon loses its importance.
1531. The village has 7 hearths (households).
1558. After the Reformation, Engollon forms a parish with Fenin.
1683-1685. Major works on the church: new roof structure, wooden bell tower and reduction of the 1427 chapel.
1803. Construction of the stone bell tower and almost complete rebuilding of the nave.
1848. The Val-de-Ruz militia parade ground at Engollon ceases to be used.
1923-1924. Restoration of the church directed by the architect François Wavre: two successive 14th-century painted schemes are uncovered and restored by the painter Alfred Blailé; the stained glass by Jules Courvoisier dates from the same period.
1964. The cantonal government proposes merging Engollon with Fenin-Vilars-Saules, which does not happen (to be cross-checked).
1968. An intermunicipal swimming pool is created on the site of the former Val-de-Ruz militia parade ground.
from 1992. Excavations resume at La Bonneville, already explored between 1874 and 1883 (to be cross-checked).
2001-2002. Commemoration of 700 years since the destruction of La Bonneville, followed by the unveiling of a monument (to be cross-checked).
2005-2006. New, more conservation-minded restoration of the church.
2012. At the last cantonal census before the merger (31 December), the municipality of Engollon has 105 inhabitants.
2013. On 1 January, Engollon merges with Boudevilliers, Cernier, Chézard-Saint-Martin, Coffrane, Dombresson, Fenin-Vilars-Saules, Fontainemelon, Fontaines, Le Pâquier, Les Geneveys-sur-Coffrane, Les Hauts-Geneveys, Montmollin, Savagnier and Villiers to form the municipality of Val-de-Ruz.
Population of Engollon
| 1453 | 40 hearths (households) approx., for the whole parish |
| 1531 | 7 hearths (households) |
| 1750 | 83 |
| 1850 | 135 |
| 1900 | 104 |
| 1950 | 88 |
| 1980 | 60 |
| 2000 | 74 |
| 2012 | 105 |
Historic sites in Engollon
Saint-Pierre church. Recorded from 1228, the church stands on the foundations of an early medieval church rebuilt several times. The rectangular barrel-vaulted choir dates from the 13th or early 14th century. It keeps frescoes: on the east side, the oldest are thought to date from the second quarter of the 14th century; those on the sides and vault are from the early 15th century. They tell the life of Christ, from the Nativity to the Resurrection. As the burial place of the Aarberg-Valangin family, the church received a lordly chapel in 1427. Stone bell tower of 1803; restorations in 1923-1924 and 2005-2006.
The site of La Bonneville. South-west of the village, in the forest, lie the remains of the medieval town of La Bonneville. Said to have been founded in the 13th century by the lords of Valangin and destroyed in 1301 by the count of Neuchâtel (to be cross-checked), it has become a place of memory for the Val-de-Ruz.
Remains in Engollon
Remains of the medieval town of La Bonneville. Excavations carried out between 1874 and 1883, and resumed from 1992, have uncovered stretches of wall, tools and arrowheads (to be cross-checked). A fountain of the former town is said to survive (to be cross-checked).
Foundations and burials beneath the church. Excavations beneath the church revealed the foundations of an early medieval church and burials dated to around 650 to 730 (dating to be cross-checked).
Sources
- Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Engollon » (Maurice Evard, version du 14.02.2017)
- État de Neuchâtel, arrêté du 6 février 2013 portant homologation des résultats du recensement cantonal de la population du 31 décembre 2012
- Paroisse réformée du Val-de-Ruz (EREN), « Temple d'Engollon »
- Cath.ch, « Le Temple d'Engollon, chef-d'œuvre méconnu du patrimoine neuchâtelois »
- Commune de Val-de-Ruz, « À voir ou visiter »
- Commune de Val-de-Ruz, « La commune en bref »
- Wikipédia (français), « Engollon »
- Wikipedia (anglais), « Engollon »
Other villages near Engollon
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