A Day at Sea and St. Helier (Jersey), United Kingdom - May 20-21, 2025

Tuesday, May 20th was a day at sea and I used the time to relax and work on this blog.  Sightseeing on a daily basis is very tiring.

On Wednesday, we anchored off the island of Jersey and tendered into the port of St. Helier.  

Our tour guide/driver painted a vivid picture of Jersey. One of the Channel Islands, Jersey is a compact island measuring just 9 by 5 miles (45 square miles) with over 103,000 residents but an astonishing 150,000 cars! We learned about the island's diverse population: 30% native Jersey residents, 40% from the UK, 12% from Portugal (including our enthusiastic guide from Madeira), 5% from France, and 3% from Poland.

The island is divided into 12 parishes, with Saint Helier being the largest, housing 33% of the population as both the capital and most populated parish.

The island is charming and picturesque with lots of lush greenery.

The island is in a unique position.  it's 100 miles from England's south coast but only 20 miles from France. Crucially, it's not part of the British Isles but maintains a special relationship with Britain. The island has its own government with a Chief Minister in charge, and interestingly, court proceedings can still be conducted in French when required.

While Jersey uses British pound sterling, they mint their own money. The coins and notes are identical to English currency except they say "States of Jersey" instead of "Bank of England," maintaining the same value with no difference in exchange.

The island has 420 miles of roads (700 kilometers) with a unique speed limit system:

• Villages: 20 mph maximum
• Main roads: 40 mph maximum
• Special "Green Lanes": Only 15 mph, with priority given to walkers, cyclists, and horse riders

Despite these modest speed limits, our guide noted with amusement that Jersey residents own some of the world's fastest cars - Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Maseratis, and Aston Martins!

We even stopped for the ducks crossing the road.

The tour was rich with history, particularly the captivating story of Prince Charles (later Charles II) who found refuge in Jersey during his exile. At just 18 years old, he stayed at Elizabeth Castle while his father faced execution. In gratitude for Jersey's loyalty, Charles later granted land in North America to Sir George Carteret, the island's governor - land that would become New Jersey, named after this very island we were exploring!

Jersey features 24 Martello defense towers built around the island's perimeter, originally constructed to defend against French invasions when Britain was frequently at war with France. Six towers were destroyed during German occupation, but 24 remain standing today, each uniquely designed.

The guide explained Jersey's sustainable farming practices - fields are used for grazing the famous Jersey cows, then converted to grow crops, then returned to cattle grazing in a continuous cycle. This rotation system helps maintain the famous Jersey Royal potatoes and supports the island's renowned dairy industry.

Jersey has an impressive water management system with five major valleys, the largest being Queen's Valley. They also have a desalination plant that converts seawater to drinking water, though this is only used during peak summer demand.

Jersey endured German occupation during WWII. The guide mentioned underground tunnels that were built during this period, including areas that served as bunkers and storage facilities. After liberation, most German soldiers returned to Germany, though a few remained and integrated into the local community.

The destination for our tour was Hamptonne Country Life Museum, a living history museum that dates back to the 15th century and represents a traditional house and farm complex that tells the story of Jersey's rural life across the centuries.

The farm complex comprises three houses, a colombier (dovecote), several outbuildings and an orchard, with each house dating from a different century and reflecting the changing architectural styles of Jersey over time.  The square colombier is one of only two square examples in the island, with the first record dating to 1145 when it was erected by Richard Langlois, by permission of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, Lord of the Isles. It was rebuilt in 1674 following permission granted by Charles II in 1649.

The Langlois Building (15th-16th century) features typical medieval Britton architecture where animals and stores were kept downstairs while people lived in the rooms upstairs, accessed by an outside staircase 

The Hamptonne family period (17th-18th century represents the most historically significant era of the estate. Laurens Hamptonne served as Vicomte of Jersey and was a close friend of Charles II In 1549, Edouard Hamptonne, son of Laurens, received a Patent granting him the reversion of the office of Viscount on his father's death or retirement, a position which he took up in April 1651 on his father's election as Jurat. 

The Syvret house dates from the 1830s and features rooms that are unusually tall and grand for a Jersey farmhouse, typical of the townhouses built in St. Helier at that time.

On the left is the room devoted to cider making.  Fran and I both tasted it and one sip was enough!

We saw two Jersey calves, piglets and hens with their baby chicks.

Liberation Square

After our visit, we had a leisurely drive back to town where our guide showed us a bit of St. Helier, including a drive by the Liberation Square and the old Parish Church.

Elizabeth Castle is a historic fortress located on a small tidal island in St. Aubin's Bay, just off the coast of St. Helier in Jersey. Built in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, it was named after Queen Elizabeth I and served as Jersey's primary defensive fortification for over 300 years. 

The castle is accessible by foot during low tide via a causeway, or by an amphibious vehicle called the Castle Ferry during high tide. It played significant roles in various conflicts, including the English Civil War when it was one of the last Royalist strongholds to surrender to Parliamentary forces in 1651.

Today, Elizabeth Castle operates as a museum and popular tourist attraction, offering guided tours, historical reenactments, and exhibitions about Jersey's military history. The site includes the original medieval abbey ruins upon which the castle was built, as well as later additions like the Georgian barracks and various gun emplacements from different periods.

And that concludes our day in Jersey!