The Channel Islands, etc. (Second edition.)

Front matter

. -Alfred .Ailki.i-.j-. Sculj THE OF SERK, HE3FIM & JETHOIT, WW I_Œ.lD)._E3-f ©-ILIS _ ITAXTTÆ COKSTET. FOURTH EDITIOH Louxtoir mHITTAKKR & C"? AV£ 3ÆA-RJA lAlTE THE CHANNEL ISLANDS: JERSEY, GUERNSEY, ALDERNEY, etc. [THE RESULT OF A TWO YEARS' RESIDENCE.] FOURTH EDITION. BY HENRY D. INGLIS^ Author of " Spain," " The Tyrol," " Ireland," &c. &e. LONDON: WHITTAKER AND CO., AVE-MARIA LANE. 1838. LONDON: PRINTED BY MANNING AND SMI'I HSO-N, IVY LANE, PATERNOSTER ROW. TO COLONEL LE COUTEUR, JERSEY, AND SAMUEL ELLIOT HOSKINS, M.D. GUERNSEY, THIS VOLUME IS INSCRIBED, BV THE AUTHOR, AS A SLIGHT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE VALUABLE ASSISTANCE, AND FRIENDLY AIDS, FOR WHICH HE IS SO LARGELY THEIR DEBTOR. ti

Preface

TO THE SECOND EDITION. Gratified by the very favourable reception of the first edition of this work, which has been some time entirely exhausted, the Author endeavours to repay his obligation to the Public, by presenting to it, the present edition, in an improved form, carefully revised, embellished by Pictorial Illustrations, and at little more than one half the cost of the former edition. London, March Ath, 1835. Page CONTENTS. JERSEY.

Chapter I

The Channel Islands little known in England, and their claims to be known — Approach to Jersey — Coast Scenery — First Impressions — St. Helier and its Environs — Causes of Prosperity — The Market Place and its Attractions — The Square, and its Coteries and Loungers — Streets and Shops — Churches — Fort Regent — Charming Views 1 II. General aspect of Jersey — Valleys, and Streams — Ivy — View over the Island — Character of the Valleys — Dells, Orchards, Cattle — The New Roads, and the Old Lanes — Military Objections to the New Roads 17 III. The Town of St. Aubin, Situation, Inhabitants — Grouville, and its Church — The Island Churches — The Town of Gorey — Mont Orgueil Castle — Magnificent Prospect — The Oyster Fishery of Gorey — Traditions — Prynne, and his Poetry — The Island Hamlets — Farm Houses — Manor Houses — Villas, and Gardens — Flowers — A few words on Climate CONTENTS. Page 43

CHAPTER IV.

The Sea Coast— Bays, Coves, and Creeks— Plan of a Journey— Druidical Remains— Rozel Bay, and its attractions — Boulay Bay — its aptitude for a Naval Station — Greve de Lecq— Charming Scenery— St. Brelade's Bay— The Church and Chapel— Rose d'Amour — Natural Defences of Jersey — Rocks, and Rock Scenery — Tides and Currents — Traditions V. THE INHABITANTS OF JERSEY- The Condition of the Country People— Their Character- Independence — Penuriousness — Industry — Saving Habits —Facts and Illustrations— The " Quid Pro Quo"— Mode of Life — A Jersey Farm House — Cooking — Peculiarities of Life — Dress — Holidays, and Amusements — Personal Appearance— Reputation for Honesty — Vraic Gathering, and its Accompaniments — Ancient Usages 50 VI. The Upper Classes in Jersey — Condition, and Character — The Influence of Party Spirit, and its Bitterness — Society — Distinctions — Language — Religious Differences — Formation of the Upper Class — The Liberal Professions. ... 66 VII.

Composition of the Resident Society — Position of the Native, and the Resident Society — Mode of Life of the Residents — Jersey as a Place of Residence — Markets, and Prices of Provisions — House Rent — Incidental Expenditure — Enumeration of other Advantages, as a Residence — Disadvantages — Comparison of Jersey, as a Residence, with the principal Continental resorts CONTENTS. IX Page

CHAPTER VIII.

Civil Government — The Court of Judicature and its Constitution — Election of Judges — Party Spirit and its Results — The States, or Legislative Body, and its Constitution — The Governor and his Emoluments — The Lieutenant- Governor — The Island Militia — Value of Jersey — Finance — The Clergy — Education and Public Institutions — The State of the Public Press in Jersey 91 IX. AGRICULTURE IN JERSEY. Backward State of Agriculture, and its Causes — High Rent in Jersey — Value of Land — Advance of Tillage — General Husbandry — Wheat Harvest — The Reaping Field — Return from Land — Odd Customs — Multifarious Uses of Parsnips — PotatoLand — Joint-stock Labour, and Stock — Orchards, and Manufacture of Cider — Vraic, or Sea-weed, as Manure — Wages of Labour — Cattle of Jersey — The Jersey Cow, and her Privileges — The Dairy — Sheep, and Horses — The Agricultural Society 117 X. Commerce or Jersey 133 XI.

On Health and Disease in Jersey in relation to the influences of Climate, &c. By Matthew Scholefield, M.D. and M.B. Jersey, late President of the Royal Medical Society, Edinburgh • - CONTENTS. X Page 177 190 211 GUERNSEY.

CHAPTER I.

Approach — Town of St. Peter's Port — Streets and Buildings — Villas— The Fish Market and other Markets — Prices of Provisions — Elizabeth College, and its Advantages — The Hospital and Poor-House— The Harbour— Castle Cornet. II. The Environs of St. Peter's Port — Gardens and Floriculture III. General Description of the Interior — Aspect and Scenery — Bays — Druidical Remains — The Country People and their Character, and Mode of Life — Small Proprietors and Cottagers — Singular Usage — Dress, and Personal Appearance — Dialect — Laws affecting Property : . 201 IV. The Upper Classes in Guernsey — State of Society — Reasons of its superior Tone — Exclusiveness — Fine Arts — The Drama — Puritanism — The Spirit and Influence of the Press. . . V. Agriculture in Guernsey 220 VI. The Trade of Guernsey CONTENTS. XI Page 231 286

CHAPTER VII.

Civil, Military, and Ecclesiastical Government — Taxation VIII. Historical Sketch 239 ALDERNEY.

CHAPTER I.

Difficult Access to Alderney — Narrative of the Voyage — Terrors of the Race, and the Swinge 265 II. The Harbour — Proposed Naval Station — Early Habits in Alderney — The Town of St. Anne, and its Population — Ride into the Country — General Aspect of Alderney — Small Properties — Husbandry — The Common — Vraic Gathering, and the Solemnities attending it — The Alderney Cow — Other Animals ■ .270 III. The People of Alderney — their Character and Habits — Improvidence and Feasting — Fishing — Expenditure, and Mode of Life — How Time is passed — Party Spirit, and Litigiousness — The Climate of Alderney — Health and Disease, and Rate of Mortality 279 IV. Trade and Smuggling — Civil Government of the Island — Small Economy— The Militia— Views— The Caskets— The Island of Berhou— The Petrel — The Burrowing Bee . . CONTENTS. SERK.

CHAPTER I.

Page Singular Access to Serk— General Aspect of the Island — Dells and Valleys — Birds and Flowers— Little Serk, and its Singularities — Anecdote — Rock Scenery of Serk — The "Boutiques" 297 II. Inhabitants of Serk — State of Property, and Laws — Farm-houses — Occupations — Agriculture, and Fishing — Mode of Life — Amusements — Morality in Serk 306 III. The Agriculture of Serk — Live Stock — Civil Government — Manorial Rights — Island Militia — The Harbour — Scenery — The Isle of Brechnou — Historical Sketch — Singidar Tradition — Geological Notices 311 HERM 321 JETHOU 327

Appendix

-flu it.il,,,-.. indictit. rf,.- li, i.thi .ih.u'i /A. level or' tht tea. Bonne-Nuit Harbour. THE CHANNEL ISLANDS JERSEY.

CHAPTER I.

The Channel Islands little known in England, and their claims to be known — Approach to Jersey — Coast Scenery — First Impressions — St. Helier and its Environs — Causes of Prosperity The Market Place and its Attractions — Tbe Square, and its Coteries and Loungers— Streets and Shops — Churches — Fort Regent — Charming Views. It cannot, I think, be doubted, that less is known in Enp-land, ofthe Channel Islands, than of any other O ' **•' colony or dependency of the British crown, of equal size and importance. The Channel Islands have a population exceeding sixty-five thousand, and Jersey B alone has a shipping, reaching twenty-one thousand tons. And yet, I will venture to assert, that more is actually known, and more accurate information is to be gathered from authentic sources, respecting the smallest of the colonies that lie in the Atlantic or Indian oceans, than respecting Jersey or Guernsey.

And this is the more extraordinary, when we con sider, that there are certain points of interest attached to the Channel Islands, peculiarly their own; and which essentially distinguish them from the other colonies and dependencies of Great Britain. Among these may be enumerated, their connexion with the Norman Conquest and long dependence upon the British crown; their separate and independent con stitution, — and the peculiar laws by which they are governed ; their singular privileges ; their native civilized inhabitants ; their vicinity to the coast of France, and the general use of the French language. Let me not be supposed to speak disparagingly, of the works which have already been written, respecting these Islands. In these works, the history and political constitution of Jersey and Guernsey have been well elucidated : but we cannot refer to their pages, for information respecting their present con dition, — as little, for those sketches of their moral and natural aspect, which in these days, usually re sult from the observations of an intelligent traveller.

Something therefore seemed to be wanting : and with the view (among others) of attempting to supply the deficiency, I left England in the end of April 183 — , with the intention of residing a year or two in the Channel Islands. JERSEY. The features of the scene, as the traveller ap proaches Jersey, vary with the state of the tide. Enormous ridges, and extensive beds of rock, lie along the whole of the southern coast of the island : and the rise of the tide being no less than forty-five feet, the shore at low water, to one approaching it from England, presents a most rugged and uninviting aspect. 1 1 was my good fortune, however, to arrive at high water; and I believe no one so favoured, can sail round Noirmont-point, and stretch across the mouth of St. Aubin's bay towards the harbour of St. Helier, without the most lively admiration of the scene.

There is, indeed, all that constitutes the beautiful and the picturesque: there is the noble brim-full bay, stretching in a fine curve of many miles, — its sloping shores charmingly diversified with wood and cultivated fields, and thickly dotted with villas and cottages: there is, on the left, close to the vessel as she sails by, the grey, and imposing fortress, called Elizabeth Castle, built on a huge sea-girt rock; while in front, is seen the town, commanded by its lofty stronghold, — and backed by a fine range of wooded and cultivated heights. Little is seen of the town, in entering the harbour, or in making one's way to any of the hotels ; and that little is the worst part of it. At Jersey, as at other ports, whether of England or of foreign countries, the traveller is annoyed by the importunities of porters ; but there is one annoyance from which he is happily free, — he may take his carpet-bag in his hand if he please, without asking leave of a custom-house officer ; and he may have the satisfaction of seeing his trunks carried before him to the hotel, without the tedious delays incident to revenue regulations.

This puts one in too good a humour to find fault with porters. Of the town of St. Helier and its neighbourhood, I should say, that first impressions are favourable. These do not arise from the excellence of streets ; the beauty of pnblic edifices ; or the splendour of private houses : they have a higher source, — and arise from those indications of general prosperity which are everywhere visible. Everywhere the stranger will perceive the hand of improvement: he will see public works in progress; he will see shops and houses tenanted; he will see neither beggars nor rags; and will recognize in the general aspect of the population, that look of independence and aisance, which can exist only in those favoured spots where pauperism has not reached. Nor are these favourable impressions to be gathered only in the town of St. Helier.

They will be strengthened tenfold, by a walk in the environs. The town, I have said, lies fronting the sea, and is backed by a range of heights : but betwixt these heights and the town, there is a level, varying from a quarter of a mile, to a mile and a half in breadth. This level forms a semicircular suburb, the arch of which is not less than three miles ; and the whole of this space is occupied by villas and cottage residences, with their gardens and orchards, — the property chiefly of the native inhabitants of Jersey ; and occupied, either by themselves, or by the English residents to whom they are let. These residences are not confined to the level ground : they encroach upon the heights also, — JERSEY. 5 adorning the slopes, and crowning the eminences; and the general neatness of the exterior of these villas, with the substantial garden walls, the luxuriant foliage, and frequent vineries, strongly confirm the impres sions which have been awakened in walking' through the town.

Let it be recollected too, that some chief causes of the prosperity of this island, are independent of the dicta of fashion. The caprice of a monarch may elevate or depress Brighton, according as the whim of a season carries him there, or keeps him away : and the prosperity of a Cheltenham or a Bath, is at all times subject to fashion, the laws of which, are so capricious as to be inscrutable. But Jersey possesses those solid advantages, both to its native inhabitants and to residents, which prove an overmatch for the caprices of fashion. These advantages will be enume rated by and by. The general aspect of St. Helier and its environs, is altogether un-English. A regular and extensive for tress overlooking an English town, is nowhere to be seen ; and to any one who has travelled in Switzer land, and who walks in the environs of St. Helier, recollections of Swiss towns cannot fail to be awakened.

Baden, Basle, Berne, Zurich, — around which, houses, gardens, parterres, orchards, meadows, groves, and rocks are so charmingly intermingled, are instantly recalled ; and in the glimpses which are occasionally caught of the bay, the resemblance is heightened by the alchemy of imagination, which easily pictures the lakes of Geneva, Zurich, or Lucern. Of the town itself, I should say, that in point of externals, it is much upon a level with English country towns of the same size : the streets are perhaps upon the whole somewhat narrower ; and there is a greater paucity of public edifices : but like them, it has its better and its worse quarters ; its rows of modern houses, and its old filthy alleys; its churches and its chapels; its square and its market place. But the two latter deserve more particular mention.

Let every one who visits St. Helier, hie him to the market place on a Saturday morning. There, one may judge not only of the produce of the island but of its population. I have seldom seen in any market — save and except Thoulouse, which I look upon as the ne plus ultra for garden produce — a finer display of vegetables, fruits, and flowers, than in the market of St. Helier. It is a very general custom for the heads of families to make their own markets; and therefore a pretty fair sample of the resident population may be always seen there in fine weather. Nor is market-going in St. Helier altogether a matter of business : it is true that at the earlier hours, both ladies and gentlemen may be seen intent on supply ing the larder ; and it startles one at first, to see gentlemen walking about with an armful of cauli flowers or artichokes — or with a couple of mullet or mackerel, dangling from a string passed through the gills : but somewhat later in the day, the market changes its character, and becomes a promenade; abundance of nodding feathers and smart ribbons are to be seen; and talk and gossip, succeed to inquiry and cheapening.

I shall speak afterwards, of the quality and prices of provisions ; at present, I shall JERSEY. merely say, that to a stranger, the display of edibles is very satisfactory. It must be admitted however, that the market place is not sufficiently roomy ; and that in order to gratify oneself with the display of country produce, and of the faces of the country girls who bring their butter and eggs to market, one must submit to be elbowed and jostled more than is al together agreeable. By and by I shall speak more in detail, of the market place and its contents. The Square, or Royal Square, as it is called, deserves a page to itself. In Spain, the square would be an Alameda; but in Jersey, it is the resort only of the male lounger. Here, at most hours of the day, may be seen, groups of threes and fours, posted here and there, discussing Island politics : others, single, or in pairs, are seen strolling leisurely to and fro, perfect examples of the " far'niente :" others again, in twos and threes, more intent on health and exercise than conversation, may be observed for hours together, walking from end to end, at the top of their walking speed ; while a few gossips are seen seated on benches at the door of an eminent pastry-cook's shop, whiling away the too tedious hours.

But this is not all. The Court House is in this square ; and before and after its sittings, a promiscuous crowd, composed of clients, lawyers, judges, and lookers-on, is congregated about the door, intent upon what is about to be, — or busily occupied with that which has been ; for I have nowhere so much as in Jersey, seen individual causes, and private disputes, occupy public attention. In this same square too, are all the booksellers' shops, and the reading rooms, and newspaper offices : the town church too, stands close by : it boasts also, one of the princi pal hotels ; and as all the chief thoroughfares of the town communicate with it, the reader may easily guess what sort of a place is the Royal Square of Jersey. I ought to mention, that this square is not what in England is understood by a square : it is an open space flagged with smooth stones, and resembles rather a French place, or a Spanish paseo, than an English square.

In walking through the streets of St. Helier, one is not struck either by the meanness or the magnificence of shops, or of houses. The former are in general greatly superior to those which are seen in a small continental town, — but much upon a par with those we find in a flourishing English country town. There is perhaps less window display, — which is often the symbol of poverty within ; but many of the shops in Jersey are extensive establishments, and contain large and varied stocks of the goods in which they deal. As for the houses in the older and central parts of the town, they are chiefly the residences of the shop keepers. The houses of those who are unconnected with trade, and of many of the most opulent merchants also, are to be found in the outskirts, and in those newer streets which form the outlets, — where also, the English residents principally reside.

Some of these streets are pretty, regular, and well built, and have open space, and ornamented garden ground in front of them. Two of these streets, the Terrace, and the Crescent, are inhabited chiefly by the English ; and the latter of these, is considerably improved in its appearance by the theatre, which forms the centre JERSEY. of the arch, and whose pretty Greek portico is an agreeable relief to the plainness of the buildings that flank it. It is fortunate for the traveller, that Jersey possesses other attractions than those offered by its public build ings ; for these are devoid of either beauty or interest : indeed, with the exception of the old church, two of the chapels, the theatre and the gaol, there are none deserving the name : and of these, one of the chapels, and the portico of the theatre, have alone any claim to architectural design.

For my own part, I am no admirer of little white gothic churches set down in the outskirts of towns. This has been long a prevailing fashion in England ; but it seems to me, that the gothic style needs something more than pointed arches, and a pinnacled tower, to make it acceptable. Our first knowledge of these relics of other days, was obtained either from those fabrics which addressed themselves to the imagination by their gigantic pro portions, and which excited wonder by the perfection of their workmanship, — or from those smaller remains, which, with equal perfection of workmanship, shewed us how much the interest of a building is enhanced by beauty of situation. But the modern gothic churches have none of those attributes which are naturally associated in our minds with gothic architecture, — neither size, nor elaborate sculpture, nor situation.

As for the parish church of St. Helier, it is old and grey, and venerable enough, — built, so far back, they say, as 1341 : and will attract little beyond a passingglance from the traveller. Inside however, b2 there is a monument connected with Jersey history, — a tablet to the memory of Major Pierson, who was killed in action when the French attacked the island in 1781. All the other chapels are plain bam-like edifices, no way ornamental to the town ; and by the by, it is certainly to be lamented that, — since the expense of erecting a building upon a correct archi tectural design is not necessarily greater than that of raising a shapeless pile, and since the word of God is not less efficacious preached in a Greek temple than in a barn — absurd puritanism should have covered England and her colonies with deformity.

One of the objects that chiefly attracts the notice of a traveller, is the extensive fortification, — Fort Re gent, — which, from almost every part of the town and its neighbourhood, is seen overtopping the buildings. I was extremely pleased by my first walk to Fort Re gent ; for the view from the road, as it ascends the hill, lays open one of the most striking prospects which it has been my good fortune to see. The magnificent bay of St. Aubin, about four miles across its mouth, and at least two in depth, is seen stretching in a fine curve, to the opposite village which gives to it its name, and which is seen half hid among the wooded heights among which it lies. It was a calm and beautiful May day; the sea all the way across the bay, had scarcely a ripple on it ; it was high tide too ; and several small vessels were trying ineffectu ally, to catch air enough to waft them in and out of the harbour.

I was strikingly reminded of the view from Gibraltar, looking across the bay towards the little town of Algesiras ; only I missed the perfume of geranium and the acacia, and the jabbering of the monkeys among the rocks. But Fort Regent, in which one sees nearly a million of the national debt, deserves a more parti cular notice. The foundation of this fortress was laid in 1806; and although I have not been able to obtain access to the documents setting forth the precise ex penditure, I have reason to know, that from first to last, it has cost the British nation not less than 800,000/. sterling. I have no intention of describing the fortress. Although the form of the rock upon which it is con structed, has necessarily made it an irregular fortress, it is nevertheless constructed on the best principles.

It possesses all the usual defences. It has its bastions, and half bastions, and outworks, and glacis, — and, excepting on the side which faces the sea, a ditch, with a counterscarp and covertway, is carried all round. The whole of the magazines and barracks are in the bastions, and under the ramparts, and are bomb proof. The powder magazines are capable of con taining five thousand barrels. This extensive and expensive fortress (the utility of which is altogether questionable) affords accommodation for only thirty-one officers, and four hundred and forty-eight non-commissioned officers and privates ; a number, utterly inadequate to its defence against a regular siege. There is no doubt, that in such an event, the fortress would be made to contain a greater number than there is accommodation for; but crowding men in the bomb proofs, would engen der disease ; part of the barracks would be necessary for the purposes of an hospital; room would also be required for the spare materiel of a siege ; work -shops for artificers ; store-rooms for provisions, &c. ; and besides, the casemates under the bastions, which could alone be converted to these purposes, would require to be kept clear of all that might impede the working of the guns which enfilade the bottom of the ditches.

Fort Regent is commanded by two eminences, which, although at least a thousand yards distant, are sufficiently near to have been considered dangerous by the engineer; for traversers have been raised on the bastions, and across the curtains, with the view apparently, of counteracting the effects of an enemy's fire. The fortress is abundantly supplied with excel lent water, from a well, two hundred and thirty-four feet deep, and ten feet in diameter, bored through the solid rock. It is doubtful, whether all this labour, and money has not been after all, injudiciously expended; and whether Fort Regent be in reality, any compensation to England, for the 30, or 40,000/. per annum with which it has saddled her; and it is also the opinion of many, that if a fortress of this nature were to have been erected, it would have been placed more advantageously at Noirmont-point, on the opposite side of the bay.

It is evident, that in case of a descent upon Jersey by a force superior to any that could be op posed to it, the only use of a stronghold is, to afford the means of succour from England. This is no better secured by erecting the citadel close to the town, than if it had been raised on the other side of the bay, — and in case of a siege, the former involves destruction of the town, not only by an enemy, but by its defenders also ; since in such an event, it would be necessary to clear away all that part of the town which lies under the fort, as opportunities would otherwise be afforded for making lodgments, and for undermining. This new and expensive defence of the island of Jersey, reduces to insignificance, the ancient, and more picturesque fortress called Elizabeth Castle, which I have already mentioned as so striking an object in approaching the island.

Striking, however, as this castle is, whether seen from sea, or from shore, and interesting as it is, from some historical details connected with it, I was some time in Jersey before I visited it, the access to it being by no means inviting. It is not more than three quarters of a mile, from the pier of St. Helier, to Elizabeth Castle ; but in order to reach it on foot, or on horseback, at low water, one must make a long circuit, and traverse a natural cause way little less than a mile long, which the confluence of the tides has formed between the castle and the shore. The whole of the sands indeed, on each side of the causeway, are left by the ebbing tide ; but being too wet and soft to be passable, one is obliged to keep on the rough narrow elevation. The situation of Elizabeth Castle will be tolerably well seen and understood from the map.

Before visiting Elizabeth Castle, one has no idea of its extent. The rock, however, on which it stands, is not less than a mile in circumference, and I was sur prised on passing through the gateway, to find a wide grassy level, terminated by extensive barracks and their appurtenances. As may easily be believed, the views from the higher parts of the castle over the bay, and embracing the town, and Fort Regent, are equally striking and beautiful. In war time, this fortress was an important place, and no doubt presented to the eyes and the ears of the visitors, a very different aspect from that which it now presents. Decay appears now to be creeping over it : and although a solitary sentinel is still to be seen, pacingto and fro; and although pyramids of shot, still occupy their accustomed places, grass and weeds have forced their way through the interstices ; and the rows of dismounted cannon shew that the stirring days of war are gone by.

May the weeds long grow, and the rust continue to creep over the engines of death ! But Elizabeth Castle has its story, which I must not altogether pass over. It was in the year 1551, that it was first contemplated to raise a fortress on this rock; and a few years afterwards (so the legend tells) the bells of the churches and other sacred things, were taken, to be converted into funds ; and being sent for sale to St. Malo, the ship was of course lost, as a judgment upon this sacrilegious act. This delayed the erection of the fortress, which however was begun during the reign of Elizabeth, and was honoured by her name. Many additions were made to this fortress in the reign of Charles the First ; and it was not till the year 16"65, that the fortifications were completed. I am not good at describing fortifications, and shall therefore not attempt any description of this.