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HARFLEUR

Volume 11 · 132 words · 1860 Edition

(Harfloricum), a small town of France, department of Seine-Inferieure, on the Lézarde, about a mile from its confluence with the Seine, and 4 miles E.N.E. of Havre, on the railway between that town and Paris. It has a fine Gothic church, surmounted by a beautiful tower and spire; and has some manufactures of earthenware, and a sugar refinery. In the middle ages it was an important fortress and harbour. It was taken in 1415 by the English, who expelled the inhabitants and re-peopled the town. In 1433 it was recovered by the French; in 1440 it was again stormed by the English, but was about ten years afterwards finally captured from them by Charles VII. of France. The fortifications have been demolished, and the harbour is now dried up. Pop. about 1700.