Parish location map
That Was Jersey |
Local history for everyone |
CHANNEL ISLANDS |
Population (2001 census) 4,702
Area (in vergees) 4,587
Grouville is in the south-east of the Island. It has a long coast along the Royal Bay of Grouville, and it includes La Rocque, site of the French landing which led to the Battle of Jersey in 1781.
Queen Victoria was so impressed with the beauty of the bay when she visited the Island in 1846, that she asked that it should be known as the "Royal" Bay of Grouville.
The Eastern Railway ran from Snow Hill in town to Gorey. Some of the route of the track can still be seen through Fauvic. The former Grouville Station and its water tower, have both been converted into houses. They are situated just inside the Grouville border, and would have given access for travellers to the horse racing course (then on Grouville Common), the golf links (now known as the Royal Jersey Golf Club), and the rifle range.
This aerial view shows the coast road going north to Gorey across the bottom of the photo. Part of the cemetery at La Croix can be seen on the right edge, and the entrance to the Royal Jersey Golf Club is along the bottom. Grouville school is in the centre of the picture. The Railway would have cut across the bottom left corner of this view, on its way along to Grouville Station.
Le Clos de Roncier is the housing estate in the centre of this aerial view. It is partly in Grouville, but mostly across the boundary in St Clement. The road up Grouville hill can be seen coming in top right, passing the old St Joseph's Roman Catholic church (an L-shaped building) top centre, and continuing across the picture towards Longueville, top left.
Houses have been built on the site of the Grouville Arsenal on the north side of the main road, making the corner with La Rue du Boulivot.
The church in Grouville is dedicated to St Martin, and thus the emblem is very similar to that of the parish of St Martin. Grouville shows eight alternate bands of silver and red, including four red bands. The patron saint of Grouville is believed to be St Martin, Bishop of Tours, whose diocese included Brittany.
Here the emblem is seen on a well-head at Fauvic, and also on a street name by the Parish Hall.
Grouville Church is one of two in the Island with a white spire. It was rendered with cement in 1788.
In the churchyard is a memorial to those who died in the French invasion at la Rocque in 1781.The monument was renovated in 1981, the 200th anniversary of the French invasion.
The building which is now the Parish Hall was originally built as the parish school. The new school was built much nearer the coast road.
The Cross is situated at the top of Grouville Hill. It stands across the main road from the stone which serves as a memorial in "la Jardin de la Croix de la Bataille".
The Stone was placed on the dunes backing the beach at Gorey Common. It is near the old Gorey station.