Crucifix from Hougoumont

The chateau and farm of Hougoumont, on the western side of the Waterloo battlefield, were a vital part of the Allied army’s defences. Hougoumont stood at one end of the Allied line, protecting the Duke of Wellington’s right flank. It was defended by nearly 1,200 soldiers from the Guards division, and from Nassau and Hanover. Before the fighting began at 11.30 on the morning of 18 June 1815, these men turned the farm buildings and garden into a makeshift fortress.

The farm was already protected by thick hedges and brick walls, in which the soldiers cut loopholes through which they could fire their muskets. French attackers would need to charge through volleys of musketballs, then climb the walls of Hougoumont and attack the bayonet-armed soldiers within. The French also brought cannons and mortars to try and smash the defenders out of the farm. This artillery set fire to many buildings, threatening to burn many Allied soldiers alive.

Although the barn and farmhouse both burnt almost to the ground, the small adjoining chapel survived. Perhaps it is not surprising that a stone building standing by itself proved resistant to the flames – but to the devout locals, this was an act of god. This crucifix, a Christian religious symbol probably carved in the 17th century, was touched by the fire – the scorching can still be seen on the left foot. Unfortunately, the right leg was broken off some time after the battle, perhaps by a thoughtless tourist who wanted a souvenir.

Victor Hugo, who wrote about the Battle of Waterloo in his classic novel Les Miserables, described the scene in the chapel during the Battle of Waterloo:

“The flames filled this building; it was a perfect furnace; the door was burned, the floor was burned, the wooden Christ was not burned. The fire preyed upon his feet, of which only the blackened stumps are now to be seen; then it stopped, – a miracle, according to the assertion of the people of the neighbourhood.”

This crucifix, a priceless relic of the Battle of Waterloo, was stolen from the historic site of Hougoumont in 2011. Police and historians feared that it had been sold to an unscrupulous private collector and would never be seen by the public again. Remarkably, it was recovered in early 2015, and will be back on display in the refurbished Hougoumont chateau from 18 June 2015.