| Préseau | |
| Commune Status: | Commune |
| Image Coat Of Arms: | Blason de la ville de Préseau (59) Nord-France.svg |
| Arrondissement: | Valenciennes |
| Canton: | Marly |
| Insee: | 59471 |
| Postal Code: | 59990 |
| Mayor: | Sandrine François-Lagny[1] |
| Term: | 2020 - 2026 |
| Intercommunality: | CA Valenciennes Métropole |
| Coordinates: | 50.311°N 3.575°W |
| Elevation M: | 85 |
| Elevation Min M: | 49 |
| Elevation Max M: | 99 |
| Area Km2: | 6.34 |
Préseau (in French pronounced as /pʁezo/, in picard: Pérziau) is a commune in the Nord department of northern France.[2]
Préseau is first mentioned in 1173 when the place is called "Presel", meadow in Old French. Only in 1724 was the name Préseau definitely chosen.
In the first half of the fifteenth century, the tiny village has a total of 22 "feux", meaning 22 houses. The inhabitants essentially live off the land since their principal activity is agriculture. Documents containing the fiefs held by the count of Hainaut testify the building of a kiln belonging to the count which stays up for all the fifteenth century.
Préseau was one of the six peerages of the county of Valenciennes. A peerage is inherited from father to son by virtue of blood link.[3]
On 9 October 1918 Canadian pilot Captain Lynn Campbell and his machine-gunner 2nd Lieutenant William Hodgkinson of the Royal Air Force (Royal Flying Corps) were shot down in their Bristol Fighter above Préseau by Paul Bäumer of Jasta 2. They are buried in the cemetery, left to the calvary behind the church.
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