Bob suggested a walk to Mount Orgueil Castle today, as no rain was in the forecast until late tonight. It was a 3+ mile walk that was pretty along the way and even better at the end. Who would have thought that our best view of the trip to date would be in a village called Gorey?
We walked from St Saviour Parish east into St Martin Parish and ultimately to the east coast of the island.
The 16th Century Christian Chapel built above a Neolithic passage grave at La Houge BieWe are now experienced road walkers on these lovely tree-shaded lanesThe houses and landscaping along the route were impressive.Also, some pretty fields and farmland Queen’s Valley Reservoir with a walking trail around the waterMore great landscaping Pretty little cottage along the walled roadLoved the fall colors An impressive gate to a large estateGouray Church, which sits high over the bay overlooking Gorey Village and the harborLooking down a steep stairwell down into Gorey VillageOur first view of Orgueil (Gorey) Castle and the colorful storefronts below
The current structure of Mount Orgueil Castle was built in 1204 when the Channel Islands became a front line between England and France. It successfully withstood several French assaults. It was refortified in the 16th century, but it was eventually replaced by Elizabeth Castle on the south coast of the island due to the invention of cannons.
During World War II and the German Occupation, the castle was used as a barracks and observation post, and the Germans added concrete fortifications.
Looking south along the Bay of GrouvilleAnother view of the castle and very low tide in the harborSome nice homes overlooking the bay A boat sculpture and lovely landscaping along the promenade Some of the businesses below the castle at the end of the promenade A pretty coffee shop/cafe
It was all downhill into the village, so up on the way back.
We had a view of the bay through someone’s parking terraceGrouville is the parish immediately south of St MartinA fun find in a wall along our walk backA marker showing the division between St Martin Parish and St Saviour Parish
One of the initial brochures that we had picked up on Jersey had a listing of local events. One that caught my eye was a Royal Court and States Chamber Tour. You were to purchase tickets on Eventbrite. When I went to the site, there were no tickets on offer, so I reached out to the contact person to see if there was another site I needed to go to. She kindly opened up 2 more spaces, and Bob and I walked the 40 minutes to Royal Square this morning for the 2 hour guided tour.
One view of Royal Square with a statue of George II and a couple of the 200+ year old chestnut treesThe current Royal Square was formerly the market place and was also the site of the Battle of Jersey, when the British successfully defended the island from an invasion by FranceA local stonemason put the V in the pavement during the occupation. Fearing punishment, he claimed it was in reference to the Red Cross ship, SS Vega.The 3 buildings that we toured — the former library (brown stone building in forefront), the Royal Court (pink building), and States Chambers (cream building at the end)
The former library, with a pretty domed room and chandelier, is now used as an overflow courtroom when needed or to hold state dinners or other functions.
The Royal Court is the judicial arm of the state, with many trials decided by appointed or elected jurats instead of a jury.
The State Chambers holds the State Assembly or legislative arm of the state government. The Assembly is made up of 49 elected members, 12 Constables (one for each parish) and 37 Deputies, each representing about 3,000 Islanders, with less-populated parishes being combined to make for more equal representation.
We were not allowed to take photos during the tour, but we got this goodie bag at the end so we have proof that we did actually do the tour.
After the tour, we walked to their high street, or main shopping area. The street goes by a few names including Queen Street and King Street. It was busy on a Saturday.
A look down the pedestrian-only streetDe Gruchy, a higher end department storeAn old mill wheel (I think) in the middle of an intersection A pretty clockThe far end of the high streetThe Toad Monument erected in 2004 in commemoration of 800 years of the island’s allegiance to the English crown and in memory of the presence on the site (between 1698 and 1811) of the island’s prison.
The words on the column of the sculpture are extracts from the Code Le Geyt of 1698 concerning crimes and applicable punishments. The toad on top of the column is the Jersey toad, which the dune covered and marshy island had a lot of when initially settled, so Jersey islanders have the nickname of toad.
From the high street, we walked towards the Opera House, as we had wanted to see that.
A war memorialThe statue of the Scottish born Sir George Don, who among other things served as the Lieutenant Governor of Jersey from 1806 through the Napoleonic Wars (ending in 1815).A war memorial in Parade GardensA portion of an old wall retained in front of Jersey General Hospital The Opera House
We continue to have very changeable weather with wind and bouts of rain and occasional sun. Today was much better than yesterday when the winds were positively Orkneyesque. So today, we headed back out to explore a section of another parish walk. This time we headed northwest of St Saviour Parish to Trinity Parish, the most rural of Jersey’s parishes, with only 84 houses per square kilometer.
We were most interested in seeing 2 of the sites — the Jersey Zoo and the Eric Young Orchid Foundation, one for a photo op and one to visit. It ended up being about a 6.5 mile walk with a little more rain than had been predicted on the weather app, but we were prepared.
Bob got us to the zoo, which was just a bit over an hour walk.
Chateau Vermont, there is some $$ on this islandBob and I were just commenting on how pretty the walk was when we came upon this humble brag sign.
Besides big heads, Bob likes to photo fungus. We found a few interesting mushroom patches on the way to the zoo.
The attractive entrance to the Jersey ZooAnother view of the entrance
We chose not to go into the zoo purely on cost considerations. It would have been $55 for both of us to go, and there are other activities that we want to do, and most things here have an entrance fee. From what we have heard though, it is a good zoo with a conservation focus.
From the Jersey Zoo, we then began following the Trinity Parish walk route to the Eric Young Orchid Foundation.
Me carrying the parish walk guide that describes the routes and what you see along the wayThis is a memorial to Bernard Scheidhauer of the French Air Force who crash landed near this spot on 11/18/42. He was taken prisoner by the Germans, but in March 1944 he escaped along with 75 other prisoners. Sadly, he was captured by the Germans 5 days later and murdered.A better photo of a reproduction of a painting of Bernard by a local artist The entrance to the Eric Young Orchid Foundation
Eric Young was a local man with a passion for orchids that led him to build a collection of world status. The Foundation is his legacy. We have been intrigued with these plants after a housesit in the heart of Texas, where we were tasked (Bob took this on) with the watering and care for over 600 orchids.
Some photos of the orchids and other plants at the foundation.
These make me smile, but we don’t know what they are.A marker showing the division between parishes
Bob and I decided that after our long parish walk on Tuesday, we’d treat ourselves to a visit to the La Mare Wine Estate Wednesday afternoon— before a storm was to blow through Wednesday evening. We purchased tickets for the 3:30 tour and tasting.
The wine estate is 8 miles from the house. We decided to walk the 40 minutes to the downtown bus station for a bit of a mobile outing and then catch the number 7 bus for the almost 30 minutes to ride to the winery.
Bob found us a new route into town, so we could see some new sites. Some scenes from our walk.
“Les Jongleurs” sculpture donated to the Parish of St Helier by the Jersey Public Sculpture Trust.An attractive building being used by a medical officeSt Helier Parish ChurchA colorful pub
The 2:40 bus towards the winery was fairly full. We arrived at the La Mare stop a little before 3:10 and then had a short walk down a country lane to the winery. Our timing was good, as we had just gotten checked in for the tour and sent to the cafe to await the start when the rain started. It was really coming down when we went to leave at about 5:15ish, but we had already decided that we would call a cab for the trip back.
Walking onto La Mare property. It is called a wine estate, but they make wine, cider, and liquor as well as homemade chocolates and biscuits.The landscaped parking lotA ticket hut that must be used during busier times of the year. We were directed by sign to check in at the shop.The very colorful chicken that greeted us on the way in and outThe attractive cafeThe view of some of the vineyards from the cafeThe sign on the women’s restroom. I prefer this to the usual image.A muselet (champagne cork wire cage) styled chair
There were only four of us on the tour, as their season is winding down. Only their store will be open as of November 1. Maybe because of this we seemed to get a lot of extras. The tour description stated a tasting of 3 wines and their apple brandy cream liquor. We did get those, with the cream liquor served in small handmade chocolate cups, but we also got a small taste of their (hard) cider, a half a biscuit, a handmade cream-filled chocolate, and a small taste of fudge with another different chocolate. Crazy! The staff was very friendly, and it was a nice, relaxed tour with some very short films to explain more about the different processes. We highly recommend.
Their event room where we had our wine tastings and watched the short (few minutes each) films.The distillery room
The cab ride home was an event onto itself, with a very friendly, very chatty driver, who seemed to be able to navigate the narrow roads in the rain at a good clip even while not apparently looking in the direction of travel. I was happy to jump out of the car to feed the cats and let Bob finalize the payment and conversation when we got back to the house.
St Clement is the smallest parish on the island, but it’s location on the sheltered south coast and proximity to St Helier have made it a popular place to live. St Clement was Bishop of Rome in 92 AD and is the Patron Saint of Sailors, having achieved martyrdom when he was thrown into the Black Sea with an anchor tied around his neck for providing water to fellow prisoners.
St Clement Parish is southeast of St Saviour. It was about an eight mile walk, but since we walked to the start and then back again, it made our mileage total for the day about 11 miles. We had a bit of everything on our walk — sun, cloud, and rain, but it was definitely less windy than yesterday.
A garden center and tea room we hope to visit not far from the houseWalking down a country laneA view over the parish to St Clement’s BayLots of fields before we got closer to the coastAnother country road towards the coastA residential building on the coastal road across from the bayLow tide allowed us to walk on the beach for a bitLooking the opposite way up the beach One of three lighthouses in the parish. This one offers safe passage for shipping into St Helier harbor. There is a lighthouse across from this in the bay for the same purpose.Modern homes along the coast road and some high residential buildings behind. These are the only ones we have seen so far.A stone noting the unsuccessful escape attempt by young Jerseymen during the occupation Looking across the beach to Green Island, so called as it stays green all yearStones commemorating two individuals who successfully swam around the island of Jersey in 2000. Helen did it faster!An 18th century Jersey Round Tower, one of the 19 remaining from the 30 built as a defense against the FrenchLa Hougette lighthouse on the top of a hill in the parishSt Clement’s Church, dating from at least the mid 11th century Our walk had us sharing the road with cars on quieter rural roadsFormerly, Grouville Windmill, which was converted into a lookout tower during WWIIA view of the medieval Mont Orgueil or Gorey CastleApproaching St Clement’s Church and Caldwell Hall, the original parish hall in St Clement
Jersey is having an unsettled weather week per the weather people on tv and what we are experiencing. Apparently, a series of fronts are coming through, so we’re having rain off and on with lots of wind. We thought it made for a good day to visit the free-to-enter Jersey Museum, and we took the #3 bus each way. We did, however, walk back and forth to the gym this morning.
Looking up at an old fort and the top of a leisure center built in the 1970sThe outside of the Jersey Museum and Art Gallery. The Visitors Center is also located inside here.
The museum covered a range of topics about Jersey, and we spent 90 minutes there. We started with a 20 minute intro film, which provided a quick history from Neanderthal times to current day. This is a scattershot of items that I found of interest.
An example of a pamphlet (for sale) of an execution, including the last words of the condemned individual A staging of a treadmill punishment for male prisoners in Jersey beginning in 1836. The treadmill ground wheat for bread for the prisoners.A skeleton of a red deer found on Jersey. The exhibit noted how the red deer evolved to be smaller (island dwarfing), so they could survive on an island with limited food.A photo of Victor Hugo after his exile from France to Jersey when he denounced Napoleon. He was forced to flee Jersey for Guernsey after 3 years after supporting a newspaper that had criticized Queen Victoria for her close links with Napoleon.Court entries from the 1585 record of the witchcraft trial of Jeanne Le Vesconte. Between the 1560s and 1660s, there were 65 witch trials on the Channel Islands which led to 33 executions.“Our Hands,” by Adam Perchard. This piece remembers the 65 people tried for witchcraft in Jersey. Sea-worn limpet shells mark the hands of those who were killed or banished— an ancient Jersey symbol of healing.The charter issued by King Richard II in 1378 confirming the liberties and privileges granted to Islanders by King Edward III in 1341. The charter still stands.
When we researched “our” parish of St Saviour the other day, one of the main claims to fame was the actress Lillie Langtry. There were a few items in the museum related to her.
“A Jersey Lily,” 1878, Sir John Everett Millais. The exhibit noted that while the painter and Lillie are both from Jersey, she is painted holding a Guernsey lily.An ornate toilette case given to Lillie by wealthy New Yorker Freddie Gebhard, with whom she had a relationship Mitch Courland a local, who has received an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire). He received his for services to the community, especially the Jersey Honorary Police and Young People in Jersey.
There was a whole section devoted to the almost five year German occupation and then liberation and rebuilding. It was interesting the views of the different ways Jersey residents spent the war and the impact during and afterwards. There were Island residents who left the island before the occupation because they didn’t want to live under German rule. There were the Islanders who stayed and lived under the occupation, and then there were Island residents who were sent to German prisoner of war camps because they were not native Islanders (born in UK, France, etc.). Hard feelings arose in trying to get everyone back in a hard economic climate and a shortage of housing.
But first, the celebration!
And some happy new unions…
The wedding clothes for a couple who met briefly in Jersey before the war. They met again at a dance after the liberation and were married at St Saviour Church in 1947.A poster to promote tourism to Jersey after the war“Jersey, My Childhood Home, Layla May Arthur, 2019. Scenes of Jersey in 12 panels, one for each of the parishes.We identified the St Saviour parish panel after being here less than a weekLooking up at the mast atop the hill, which is flying the Jersey flag and a gale cone to indicate a gale warning. I t is operated by a team from Jersey Heritage at the Maritime Museum.
Yesterday, Bob and I had a good 8+ mile walk from the house in St Saviour parish through St Helier parish, St Laurens parish, St Peter parish, and into St Brelade parish to an artisan market in the St Brelade Parish Hall near St Aubin’s Bay before heading back along the waterfront trail to St Helier where we caught a bus back to the house.
Government House in St Saviour parish, where the Lieutenant Governor (Crown representative) residesAn example of the road and sidewalk situation in Jersey. As was the case in Guernsey, there is frequently only sidewalk on one side of the streetThe gym that we have joined while here. The field immediately behind the gym is the home field for the Jersey National Football (Soccer) Team.The route took us up and over a hill before descending down to the waterfront. These are the initial steps up,The view of St Helier from the top of the series of stairs There was a cemetery that we walked through at the top of the hill.Descending the hill to walk along the sea at very low tide.Another view of our walk downA hotel or housing complex near the waterCrossing the street to get onto the waterfront trail after the petite train tour went byA much larger amount of beach visible than the first time we walked on the trailA waterside restaurant next to the parish hallThe marina at low tidePart of the small artisan market in the parish hall. We bought some baked goods.Looking down the street from the plaza in front of the parish hallA lovely landscaped pocket park along the waterfront as we started back towards St HelierA marker along the waterfront wall noting the demarcation between St Helier and St Laurens parishesPer the sign, not actually the first, but one of over 20 defensive towers remaining on JerseyElizabeth Castle. We saw an amphibious vehicle take visitors out to the castle while we were walking. A business building in St HelierA WWII mine being used as a collection box for charitiesThe bus station where we caught a bus back to the house
Today, Bob and I walked 1.9 miles into the center of St Helier, the capital of Jersey and most populous town on the island. We wanted to take advantage of what may be the latest sunny day for a while, if the weather forecast is correct.
Millennium ParkJersey Library Right inside the library An attractively painted building right next to the library The fish marketOne of two stalls selling fresh fish. There was a cafe and a couple of other small shops in the market building.The Central MarketThe market sold produce, lots of fresh flowers, locally made products, specialty foods, and hot foodIt was also decorated for Halloween. Lots of Halloween packaged goods (candy, etc) in the grocery stores here as well.A pedestrian only streetA pub with an amusing (to us) name, Cock and BottleThe Jersey government building Fun facts on walls of buildings. For our American readers, the surrender date is January 6, 1781 not June 1, 1781.A hotel across from Liberation SquareAnother hotel near Liberation Square A fountain and statue in Liberation Square in front of Liberty Wharf shopping/dining complex
Jersey was liberated from almost five years of German occupation on this site on May 9, 1945. The statue by Philip Jackson was unveiled on the 50th anniversary in 1995.
Inside the Liberty Wharf shopping/dining centerA number of island tours leave from Liberation Square, Including various bus tours, bike tours, and a small train tour“Jersey Girl,” Rowan Gillespie, 2010A statue in front of a building with an art gallery, Jersey museum, and a Visitor Center A sculpture in the courtyard of the building
There are 12 parishes on the island of Jersey — 10 of them named for saints. “Our” house is located in St Saviour, which is the second most populous parish after St Helier (home to the largest city on the island). St Saviour is a virtually landlocked parish (only 100 meters of coastline) in the eastern third of the island.
It is the only parish with 5 other parishes as immediate neighbors. Other fun facts about the parish — it is the birth and burial place of Lillie Langtry, a British socialite, stage actress, and producer. It is home to La Hogue Bie, one of the most important Neolithic sites in Europe, and the Lieutenant Governor, who represents the Crown on the island, also live in St Saviour.
Our homeowners have a booklet of different parish walks, so we decided to walk the parish walk for St Saviour, which highlights undiscovered lanes, to get a better sense of the larger neighborhood.
We did the 5 mile walk in late afternoon when the cleaner was scheduled to be at the house. Some photos from our walk…
The gate to the St Saviour of the Thorn Church St Saviour Church, the 2nd largest church on JerseyA quick peek inside the church The St Saviour Church Cemetery The burial place of Lillie Langtry in the cemetery The Old Rectory, the birthplace of Lillie Langtry Swan FarmLooking across to a neighborhood as we cross a field on a footpathMost of our walk was down lightly traveled roadsAnother oneThe Grands Vaux Reservoir, completed in 1952The St Saviour Millennium Stone given to the parish by the Jersey Society in 2000A pretty house along the routeDittoSome Jersey cowsA creek along the routeThe entrance to La Hougue Bie
As per usual, our first day at a new house finds us doing errands like grocery shopping and laundry. Check and check, but the more interesting parts of our day are getting into our new routine with our new pets. Currently, Bella and Lu are letting us be their humans. They are indoor and outdoor cats going through an open kitchen window into the garden. Bella hangs out in the garden when she goes out and then prefers to have you let her in the back door. Lu goes further afield and tends to come back in through the window as well. They both stay inside over night.
Bella in her bed near the sliding glass door to the garden. She’s 4.Being a purr monster on Bob’s lapLu heading towards Bob as well. Apparently, Bob’s wearing his catnip cologne.Another photo of Lu (short for Luciole, the French word for firefly). He’s a rescue cat from France.
We are back in the Channel Islands, located in the English Channel between England and France. In June, we were on the island of Guernsey. We are on Jersey now, the largest of the islands, and much closer to France, within 14 miles at the closest point. Jersey has a population of just over 103,000 people. In addition to their regular residents, pets, tourists, and housesitters, they also have these.
Jersey cows near the bus stop near the house
The island is 5 miles long and 9 miles wide. Interestingly, the island almost doubles in size at low tide.
As with all of the Chanel Islands, it is a British Crown Dependency, so it is self-governing but its defence and international relations are handled by the UK. Like Guernsey, it was also occupied by the Germans during WWII.
We’re looking forward to exploring more beginning tomorrow.
Peckish Travels 