Artillery passing through Ressons-sur-Matz.
From Belloy Plateau to Compiègne,
via Ressons-sur-Matz, Marquéglise, Margny-sur-Matz,
Élincourt-St. Marguerite, Marest-sur-Matz, Coudun and Bienville.
At the crossing of the road with N. 17, on the left, is the Chateau of Séchelles. Continue along G.C. 146; 2 kms. further on, there is a very bad level-crossing over a narrow-gauge railway. After crossing a normal gauge railway (l. c.) and another narrow-gauge line, Ressons-sur-Matz is reached. Turn left to reach the church.
Ressons-sur-Matz.—The Main Street.
Ressons is a very ancient market-town. St. Amand, bishop of Maestricht, preached the Gospel there about the year 632. It was formerly a fairly important place, especially in the 16th century. A fortified castle, standing at the end of the village on the road to Séchelles, was taken by the Burgundians in 1430, and afterwards recaptured by the French.
The church (Hist. Mon.) dates from various periods: the nave and side-aisle with their richly ornamented buttresses were rebuilt in the middle of the 16th century; the most ancient parts (cornices of the nave, and the northern transept and choir) are 12th century; fragments of the stained-glass windows bear the date "1561". The building was considerably damaged in 1918: the stained-glass windows were destroyed and the bell disappeared.