Savagnier

Canton of Neuchâtel · Region: Val-de-Ruz · 1'219 inhabitants (31.12.2012, former municipality of Savagnier, last census before the merger)

Part of the municipality of Val-de-Ruz

Origin of the name Founding Historical timeline Population over time Must-see historical sites Remains Sources and references Nearby villages

Origin of the name Savagnier

The place is recorded in 1143 in the form « Savaigner ». The name is said to come from the Latin « silva », forest (to be cross-checked). The inhabitants are called Sylvagniens.

Founding of Savagnier

No founder is known. Probable remains of a Roman villa are reported, and aerial prospecting has spotted between Savagnier and Fontaines the plans of at least five buildings and traces of isolated Roman farms, not yet confirmed by excavation. The medieval village grew up on the Seyon, below the slope of Chaumont, as two hamlets, Grand-Savagnier and Petit-Savagnier, whose communities were united from 1498. The abbey of Fontaine-André and the chapter of Neuchâtel owned property there from the 12th century. Savagnier belonged to the lordship and later the mairie of Valangin; in the 16th century some inhabitants depended on the lords of Colombier, probably through the buying back of tithes at the Reformation. In church matters the village belonged to the parish of Dombresson until 1876.

History of Savagnier

Roman period. Probable remains of a villa; aerial prospecting spots between Savagnier and Fontaines the plans of at least five buildings and traces of isolated farms.

1143. First written mention, in the form « Savaigner ».

12th century. The abbey of Fontaine-André and the chapter of Neuchâtel own property in Savagnier.

from 1400. The Aubert, Coulet, Girard, Matthey and Vuilliomenet families appear in the records (to be cross-checked).

1453. Mention of the chapel of Saint-Nicolas, a daughter church of the parish of Dombresson.

1498. The communities of Grand-Savagnier and Petit-Savagnier are united.

1518. The chapel of Saint-Nicolas becomes a baptismal church.

1531. The Reformation is introduced in the parish of Dombresson, to which Savagnier belongs. The village then has 28 hearths.

1547. Concession for the exploitation of the forests.

1592. The lordship of Valangin, to which Savagnier belongs, is joined to Neuchâtel (to be cross-checked).

1650-1653. Rebuilding of the temple: the masons David and Pierre Savoie, the carpenters Joab Matthey and his son Jonas, then Abraham Bourquin for the roof, panelling, pews, galleries and pulpit. A stained-glass window with the arms of Prince Henri II d'Orléans-Longueville marks its completion in 1653.

1689 and 1691. The community buys estates in the Erguël, outside the principality.

1696. A « village house » holds the school, the butcher's shop and the inn.

1699. Marie de Nemours, sovereign of Neuchâtel, passes through the village (to be cross-checked).

1704. The joiner Jean Juillard installs a new pulpit in the temple.

1717. Lightning damages the bell tower, which is repaired and raised.

1806. Troops of Napoleon I are quartered in the village (to be cross-checked).

1866. Construction of the schoolhouse.

1876. Savagnier becomes an independent parish, separate from Dombresson.

1888. The municipality adopts its coat of arms: azure, a golden lion holding a shield with the historical arms of Neuchâtel (to be cross-checked).

1896-1899. Drainage of the land.

1948. Restoration of the temple by the architect François Wavre; five gravestones of the Girard family (1670-1718) are reset inside.

1968. A bus line to Neuchâtel opens.

1980. Savagnier becomes a residential area.

1 January 2013. Savagnier merges with Boudevilliers, Cernier, Chézard-Saint-Martin, Coffrane, Dombresson, Engollon, Fenin-Vilars-Saules, Fontainemelon, Fontaines, Le Pâquier, Les Geneveys-sur-Coffrane, Les Hauts-Geneveys, Montmollin and Villiers to form the municipality of Val-de-Ruz.

Population of Savagnier

28 hearths (households)

1531

435

1750

624

1850

599

1900

517

1950

903

2000

1'219

2012

Historic sites in Savagnier

The temple. The former chapel of Saint-Nicolas, mentioned in 1453 and a baptismal church from 1518, was rebuilt in 1650-1653. The temple keeps its choir, the 1653 stained-glass window with the arms of Prince Henri II d'Orléans-Longueville and the pulpit installed in 1704 by Jean Juillard. Struck by lightning in 1717, it was restored in 1948 by the architect François Wavre.

Grand-Savagnier and Petit-Savagnier. The village consists of two hamlets, united in a single community from 1498: Grand-Savagnier, at about 770 metres, and Petit-Savagnier, a little lower, at about 737 metres (to be cross-checked).

The Petit-Savagnier inn. An old postcard shows an inn at Petit-Savagnier at the beginning of the 20th century. As early as 1696 the « village house » held an inn, along with the school and the butcher's shop.

Remains in Savagnier

Traces of Roman villas. Probable remains of a Roman villa are reported at Savagnier. Aerial prospecting by airship in dry weather revealed between Savagnier and Fontaines, through the colour and height of the crops, the plans of at least five buildings and traces of isolated Roman farms; they have not yet been excavated.

The Girard family gravestones. The temple keeps five gravestones of the Girard family, dated 1670 to 1718, reset during the 1948 restoration.

The 1653 heraldic window. Installed when the rebuilding of the temple was completed, it bears the arms of Prince Henri II d'Orléans-Longueville, then sovereign of Neuchâtel.

Sources

Other villages near Savagnier

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