Entrance to La Hougue Bie
That Was Jersey |
Local history for everyone |
CHANNEL ISLANDS |
The Island has a large number of ancient sites, with at least one in each parish. Many of these ancient stones are in the care of the Société Jersiaise. Some sites are passage graves, a narrow access corridor leading into a larger chamber, sometimes with other chambers at the side. Other sites are incomplete and it is impossible to be certain of their original form. These sites have all been investigated and many are recorded in the Bulletins of the Société Jersiaise. There are also menhirs, or standing stones, sometimes referred to locally as "pouquelayes" or "pouclées". These are not to be confused with the Millennium standing stones, erected in each parish to celebrate the year 2000!
La Hougue Bie is a most impressive monument, and the site is managed by the Jersey Heritage Trust, who have built helpful displays about the island’s archaeological heritage. The passage grave lies under a large earth mound, on which two chapels were constructed, the first in medieval times and the second in 1520.
The earliest evidence of human occupation in Jersey is found at La Cotte de St Brelade. Many stone tools and animal remains have been found here, along with human bones. There is a passage grave at La Sergenté, just off the cliff walk from La Pulente, near Le Parcq de L’Oeillière, and menhirs are located in the area known as Les Blanches Banques. Near the former railway station at Corbière lies La Table des Marthes but there is some uncertainty about its origins. It has been recorded that up until the mid nineteenth century contracts signed on this table were considered to have particular force.
Mont Ubé is a passage grave, but it has suffered destruction and disturbance. This is accessed from La Blinerie by path (not along the private driveway). Green Island still retains its ancient mystery. The site is known as La Motte and has yielded evidence of human occupation. La Motte was still a peninsula as late as the seventeenth century. There are also menhirs in the parish.
Ville-ès-Nouaux can be found in the park near St Andrews Church at First Tower. Most of the stones used here are of Elizabeth Castle granite, with some diorite from Westmount and porphyry from Vallée des Vaux.
A passage grave was discovered in 1785 on Le Mont de la Ville, where Fort Regent now stands. It was given to Marshal Conway, then Governor of the Island, as a souvenir of his stay and was removed by boat to his property at Henley on Thames.
To the north of St John’s Manor, along La Rue des Buttes can be found La Hougue Boëte. This is a closed chamber covered by an earth mound, and more recently covered with trees.
Two menhirs were recorded in the parish, although neither can be identified now. La Blanche Pierre gave its name to the road where it once stood, near the Elmdale Hotel. The other stone was located in or near Meadowbank.
On the hill behind Anneport, along a footpath off La Rue des Marettes, lies an impressive passage grave known as La Pouquelaye de Faldouet. The great capstone weighs about 24 tonnes and comes from a nearby source. Other stones come from Mont Orgueil granite, and their journey to the site would have included some significant hills.
The gallery grave at Le Couperon is on a much smaller scale, and is situated above Saie (or Scez) harbour. The original mound covering has been removed.
The round barrow of La Hougue Mauger was excavated in 1914, and some interesting implements were found. The mound was subsequently destroyed by the erection of a house on the site. The nearby road is named for the mound.
There are various ancient sites in the parish. Les Monts Grantez is a passage grave, surrounded by a drystone wall, and accessible from Le Chemin des Monts. When excavated, the bones of six adults and a child were found, along with the more usual finds of pottery and shells.
The area around Le Pinacle (the Pinnacle) yielded a wide range of artefacts including decorated pottery, axe hammers and the bones of domestic animals.
Located below La Val de la Mare Reservoir are various standing stones. Three are grouped together and are known as Les Trois Rocques. A further stone, the White Menhir is nearby.
Now visible only from the road as a low mound under cultivation, La Tête de la Fief de la Houguette was 18 metres in diameter and over 4 metres high, when excavated in 1915. It can be found just north of Five Oaks off the Grande Route de St Martin, in a field to the west of the road.
A menhir called La Blanche Pierre has been built into the front garden wall of La Blanche Pierre farm, on the road named for the stone. La Hougue des Platons, off the Rue d’Egypt, was a "cist in circle", but the cist has now been removed to the museum at la Hougue Bie.
