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FOUGERES

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Originally appearing in Volume V10, Page 737 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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FOUGERES , a See also:

town of See also:north-western See also:France, See also:capital of an See also:arrondissement in the See also:department of Ille-et-Vilaine, 3o in. N.E. of See also:Rennes by See also:rail. Pop. (1906) 21,847. Fougeres is built on the See also:summit and slopes of a See also:hill on the See also:left See also:bank of the Nancon, a tributary of the Couesnon. It was formerly one of the strongest places on the frontier towards See also:Normandy, and it still preserves some portions of its See also:medieval fortifications, notably a gateway of the 15th See also:century known as the See also:Porte St Sulpice. The See also:castle, which is situated in the See also:lower See also:part of the town, directly overlooking the Nancon, is now a picturesque ruin, but gives abundant See also:evidence in its towers and outworks of its former strength and magnificence. The finest of the towers was erected in 1242 by See also:Hugues of See also:Lusignan, and named after Melusine, the mythical foundress of the See also:family. The churches of St Leonard and St Sulpice both date, at least in part, from the 15th century. An hotel de ville and a See also:belfry, both of the 15th century, are of architectural See also:interest, and the town possesses many curious old houses. There is a statue of See also:General B. de Lari Coisiere (d. 1812), See also:born in the town.

Fougeres is the seat of a suhprefect, and has a tribunal of first instance, a chamber of See also:

commerce and a communal See also:college. It is the See also:chief See also:industrial town of its department, being a centre for the manufacture of boots and shoes; tanning and See also:leather-dressing and the manu-facture of See also:sail-See also:cloth and other fabrics are also important See also:industries. See also:Trade is in See also:dairy produce and in the See also:granite of the neighbouring quarries. Fougeres frequently figures in See also:Breton See also:history from the 11th to the 15th century. It was taken by the See also:English in 1166, and again in 1448; and the name of Surienne, the captor on the second occasion, is still See also:borne by one of the towers of the castle. In 1488 it was taken by the troops of See also:Charles VIII. under la Tremoille. In the See also:middle ages Fougeres was a lordship of some importance, which in the 13th century passed into the See also:possession of the family of Lusignan, and in 1307 was confiscated by the See also:crown and afterwards changed hands many times. In 1793, during the See also:wars of the See also:Vendee, it was occupied by the insurgents.

End of Article: FOUGERES

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