The Palais-de-Justice in 1917.
The entrance to the Palais-de-Justice is below the vaulted passage. On the first story, the Entrance Hall and the corridor leading to the Audience Chamber were decorated with six large Brussels tapestries, believed to be work of Henry Reydams (17th century). Made originally for the town of Douai, they were taken from the Château of Ferrières—pulled down in 1809—in the Department of Oise. The subjects, taken from the Book of Exodus, depicted: The Crossing of the Red Sea; the Hebrews glorifying God; Gathering Manna; Moses striking the Rock; Making the Golden Calf; Worshipping the Golden Calf. The 1st, 3rd and 4th were faithful reproductions of tapestries in the Cathedral of Chartres, said to have been made after drawings by Raphael.
The Tomb of Raoul de Crépy.
The other public buildings of Montdidier stood in the main road which divides the town from north to south into two unequal parts. The first of these was the Church of St. Pierre (Hist. Mon.) reached by passing under the archway of the Palais-de-Justice and following Rue St. Pierre.
The interior of St. Peter's Church.
Of this church hardly anything remains except the walls and débris. Portions of the building were 14th century, but most of it dated from the 16th century. The tower, now in ruins, was added in 1742. The doorway was the most remarkable part of the building. The plans were the work of Chaperon (1538), the master-mason of Beauvais Cathedral. The style is a combination of flamboyant Gothic (central dividing pillar, archways, springing of the archways, and niches with socle and canopy at the base of the main pillars), and Renaissance (voluted niches and trefoiled bell-turrets, at the top of the pillars). At the top of the accolade-shaped arch was a shield bearing the arms of France, surrounded by St. Michael's collar, the three crescents of Henri II, and a monogram combining the "H" of Henri II, the double "D" of Diane de Poitiers, and the double "C" of Catherine de Médicis. The side-walls of the church are sustained by buttresses. In accordance with a custom fairly common in Picardy, each bay of the side-aisles had its own separate roof forming a right-angle with that of the great nave. The interior, with its three naves, massive pillars and low 15th century vaulting—lower at the choir end than near the doorway—appeared somewhat heavy in style.
Montdidier Cemetery (north-east of the town). See Itinerary, p. 98.