Sentiers du Patrimoine ®
Ableiges
Poursuivre par la rue du carrefour et prendre à droite la rue Maurice Ravel pour revenir sur la rue principale. Près de la croix, se situe le panneau sur La Villeneuve-Saint-Martin.
Prochain point : Lat. 49.067959, Long. 1.968351
The present square is located at the northern edge of La Villeneuve-Saint-Martin, in an area where historic buildings coexist with more recent suburban developments. Old postcards show that the square once contained a large pond, which is also visible on the 1834 cadastral map. With no natural watercourses running through La Villeneuve-Saint-Martin, this pond would undoubtedly have been an important water resource for the village, serving in particular as a watering place for livestock.
The square was fully refurbished by the commune in 2020. Among the linden trees stands a cast-iron water pump manufactured by Dragor. This company, based in the Sarthe region, produced this type of cast-iron pumps in the early 20th century. Mounted on two hollow columns, the pump contained an internal belt fitted with buckets. Operated by an external crank, a pulley moved the belt up and down through the cast-iron legs to draw water from considerable depths, up to 20 metres or more. The water was discharged through a lion’s head spout, which, besides being the distinctive decorative feature of the Dragor brand, also held a bucket in place during pumping. These pumps remained in use until the 1960s, when running water became widely available in households.
