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Powerpoint on the history of Elizabeth Castle

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Powerpoint on the history of Elizabeth Castle

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What was it like to be stationed at Elizabeth Castle in the 18th century? Find out from 21-year-old Ensign Davis, an officer in His Majesty’s Royal Regiment of Artillery, as he talks about life at the fortress, his first posting…

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Reminder:

All sessions (both in-school and on-site) offered by the Education Team are free of charge to Jersey Schools.

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Jersey Heritage: Discover Our Island Story

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Caring for and providing access to the deep history of Jersey, Channel Islands. Use our extensive Jersey archive, visit our historical sites and more.

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Love Your Castle - A tour of the Hospital Block | TAKE A TOUR OF THE HOSPITAL

The Hospital Block at Elizabeth Castle is closed to the public until it can be restored and presented as a Victorian... | By Jersey Heritage | Facebook

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63 views, 0 likes, 1 loves, 0 comments, 1 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Jersey Heritage: TAKE A TOUR OF THE HOSPITAL

The Hospital Block at Elizabeth Castle is closed to the public until it can...

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One of our Education Officers can accompany your group around Elizabeth Castle to study:

Civil War Era and Charles II

Changes to an area over time

Castles

Geography (rocks and views of coastline)

To book please email education@jerseyheritage.org for booking and more information.

We recommend that all schools visit the Castle walking over the causeway rather than using the Castle Ferry. Please email us for dates when the tides are favourable. Please note - there is no charge for site entry or for an educational group tour for local schools - however there is a charge for school groups who use the Castle Ferry.

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Between 1642 and 1651 the Channel Islands were involved in an eleven-year-long, wide-scale armed conflict known as the English Civil War, between the Parliamentarians (nicknamed pejoratively as the Roundheads) and Royalists (nicknamed the Cavaliers) over, principally, the manner of England's government and the amount of power the monarch should be able to wield.

For the most part, Jersey remained loyal to the Crown (even sheltering the future Charles II of England on two separate occasions in 1646 and 1649), whereas Guernsey, with the exception of Castle Cornet, was under Parliamentarian control. By 1651, Parliament gained control of both the islands and held them during the Interregnum even imprisoning Leveller dissident John Lilburne in Mount Orgueil Castle on 16 March 1654, due to Jersey having no habeas corpus laws. After the restoration of monarchy in 1660, the Parliamentarian general John Lambert was imprisoned on Guernsey.

From 1642 to 1651, England was torn apart by a series of internal conflicts known as the English Civil War between the Charles I of England (and later Charles II of England) and those who supported Parliament. The nature of the engagement was primarily based on whether the monarchy wielded absolute power over its subjects or was a constitutional monarchy and had to rule alongside a legislative body (e.g. English Parliament). As the war became more protracted, hostilities eventually spread to other parts of the British Isles (notably Scotland and Ireland) yet the Channel Islands were gradually embroiled in the conflict as well. While there was some support for Parliament amongst the island's inhabitants, Jersey under the de Carterets (see Sir George Carteret and Sir Philippe de Carteret II) were able to secure the island for the King throughout much of the civil war period. Guernsey, on the other hand, sided with the Parliamentarian cause, though Castle Cornet was held by Royalist sympathiser, governor Sir Peter Osborne, until 1651.

On 26 March 1642 a petition was presented to the Long Parliament calling for the arrest of the then Governor and Bailiff Sir Philippe de Carteret on charges of mis-government. The petitions authors were a committee of several jurats notably Mr De La Hague, Mr Sammares, Mr Maufant, Mr Bisson, and Mr Hérault. They were joined by an unlikely ally, the Dean of Jersey, David Bandinel. The chief charges were those of mis-governance, nepotism and cronyism displayed by Sir Philippe.

One aspect noticeably absent from petition are religious differences which came to dominate similar protests in England, this is due in part to Sir Philippe's own faith which in England would have been seen as favourable to Parliament. The dean, on the other hand, had been an enemy of Parliament, being arrested in 1641 for imposing episcopal governance on the island during the 1620s and then jumping bail to return to Jersey. Another key figure Pierre d'Assigny was a Huguenot, given shelter by de Carteret on the island and became minister of the Town Church, against the Dean's wishes who was opposed to d'Assigny and de Carteret's Calvinist views. In spite of this early friendship d'Assigny would become an enemy of de Carteret.

Following the petition, and with the de Carteret name becoming known in Whitehall thanks to the privateering actions of George Carteret (Sir Philippe's nephew) Parliament issued an arrest warrant for Sir Philippe:

"By Vertue of an Order of the Lords and Commons in Parliament, Wee doe hereby authorise and require Mr La Hague, Mr Sammares, Mr Maphant, Mr Bisson, and Mr Herault, Justices of the Peace of the Isle of Jersey, them and every of them joinctly, and severally, by the Counsell and helpe of those of the said Island, who stand well affected to the King and Parliament; to the maintenance of the Protestant Religion, the lawes and liberties of the Kingdome, and priviledges of Parliament, to apprehend the person of Sir Philip Carteret, Knight, Lieftenant Governor of the Island."

However, he refused to be arrested in the name of Parliament, declaring in March 1643 that "This Island has nothing to doe with Parliament but only to the King in Council". From a constitutional perspective this was correct, but de Carteret had made many enemies and they had been pushed towards Parliament by the king's steadfast support for Sir Philippe. Much of the island rebelled lead in part by a committee of jurats which had formed a bloc in the States against de Carteret, the Dean of Jersey and also the firebrand Huguenot preacher Pierre d'Assigny then Minister of the Town Church. Sir Philippe faced with the militia marching on the town had to flee to Elizabeth Castle while his wife and a son managed to successfully seize the fortress of Mont Orgueil located at the east of the island.

The Parliamentarian faction began the construction of works with which to bombard Elizabeth Castle, the yard of the Town Church was converted into an artillery battery. Under the instructions of Pierre d'Assigny (Minister of the Town Church) further batteries were constructed on the Town Hill, however the population was becoming increasingly reluctant to cooperate with the Parliamentarian leadership. Works were also constructed with which to bombard Mont Orgueil Castle. Modern cannon were received from England, however these were deployed only at the last minute, and also poorly and had little or no effect on breaking the deadlock. The Royalists mounted several skirmishes towards St. Helier and the batteries, however there was very little direct combat in the period most of the fighting being gunnery exchanges at long range with only minimal effect.

With the capture of Jersey's only two fortresses, the island fell to the royalist cause within the year and, following the death of Sir Philippe in 1643, his nephew George Carteret, took over operations for the royalists. In order to fund the military presence in the island, Carteret took to privateering. Along with his privateering exploits, George Carteret also sought to imprisoning Parliamentarian supporters and confiscating their property in order to fund the royalist expenses. However this alone was not enough, the Royalist cause by 1645 becoming increasingly desperate was in urgent need of revenues, this meant more unpopular taxation. A new Court House in the Royal Square was also constructed as a symbol of royal power prominently displaying the arms of both Carteret and the king.

The Prince of Wales, the future Charles II, was given sanctuary on the island of Jersey in 1646 and again in October 1649. Charles II was publicly proclaimed king after his father's death (following the first public proclamation in Edinburgh on 5 February 1649) in the Royal Square in St. Helier on 17 February 1649. Charles' visits also led to unwelcome changes in the nature of the island's religion; with the initial rebellion the Church had reverted to its Presbyterian/Calvinist state, but with the Royalists regaining control this was reversed. These changes were branded by contemporary critics as "papist", the Jersey church was brought closer to that of the Caroline one which "greatly scandalised the people". Combined with the large numbers of Catholic soldiers also on the island, the population was becoming disgruntled and Carteret's regime was becoming more autocratic and oppressive. Even Royalists who criticised Carteret's methods were not safe from persecution, as is the case with the Reverened le Cloche of St Ouen and his wife who disagreed with piracy and accused Carteret of being Godless. Similar views are shared by a fellow if moderate Royalist, Jean Chevalier in his journal.

With Jersey being the last royalist stronghold in the British Isles (as well as the effects of George Carteret's raids on shipping), a Parliamentarian force of 84 ships carrying c. 3,000 men including 700-800 cavalry, under Colonel James Heane and naval commander Robert Blake, was commissioned in 1651 to retake the island.

The Parliamentarians landed on 20 October 1651 to the west of the island at St Ouen's Bay and managed defeat the royalist force assembled to meet them in a short confrontation. The Royalist forces were heavily demoralised, having been forced to march up and down the bay under fire from Parliamentary ships who were sailing around to disguise the point of their landing. Support for Royalism on the island was also far lower than it had been in 1643 when the Parliamentarian faction was ousted from power. Many were unwilling to fight and the majority of the island was apathetic to the Royalist cause. Contemporary chroniclers point to Carteret's dictatorship, changes to the religion and war weariness as a primary cause. Many of the Royalist forces routed before any heavy fighting could take place, the majority of casualties were sustained by the cavalry who stayed longer, though even these were light. The Royalist forces were forced to retreat to their strongholds on the island. Morale amongst the Royalist garrison at Mont Orgueil was low, and they surrendered on amiable terms to Col. Heane, faced with the prospect of modern artillery being deployed on Mont St. Nichols, and with no prospect for relief the Old Castle would not have held for long, and the struggle would have largely been futile.

Elizabeth Castle, a modern fortress, surrendered seven weeks later after a protracted siege on 15 December 1651. The Parliamentarian forces were forced to deploy heavy mortars in order to bomb the fortress into submission, several batteries were constructed, the Town Church was converted into a guardhouse. The Parliamentarian bombardment of the castle destroyed the medieval abbey church in the heart of the castle which was being used as a storehouse for ammunition and provisions. Having lost many of his supplies, and powder and with no hope of relief due to Parliamentarian naval presence there was no hope of repelling an enemy attack. Sir George Carteret surrendered to Col. Heane of the Parliamentarian forces on the similar terms to that of Mont Orgueil. He and the other Royalist defenders were granted permission to withdraw to the continent. It is said that Carteret and Heane departed amicably.

In recognition for all the help given to him during his exile, Charles II gave George Carteret, bailiff and governor, a large grant of land in the American colonies, which he promptly named New Jersey, now part of the United States of America. In 1663 The States of Jersey were awarded a gilded Royal Mace in recognition of the island's support during Charles II's time in exile.

Guernsey sided with the Parliamentarians. Guernsey's decision was mainly related to the higher proportion of Calvinists and other Reformed churches, as well as Charles I's refusal to take up the case of some Guernsey seamen who had been captured by the Barbary corsairs.[citation needed ] The allegiance was not unanimous, however; there were a few Royalist uprisings in the south-west of the island and Castle Cornet was held by the royalist governor, Sir Peter Osborne. From Castle Cornet, Osbourne was able to bombard the town of St. Peter Port unopposed, making sections of the town inhabitable. Throughout the period Castle Cornet was kept supplied by George Carteret.

In 1651, Jersey, which had been under royalist control since 1643, was seized by parliamentarian forces under Colonel James Heane. The Parliamentarians then captured the Crown of England that had belonged to Charles I which had been resident in the Court House in Jersey and brought it back to Guernsey, delivering it to the Governor of Castle Cornet as proof of Jersey's surrender.

The castle surrendered on about 9 December 1651, with the garrison permitted to march out bearing arms and to leave the island, effectively ending all royalist resistance to The Protectorate in the British Isles.

After the restoration of monarchy in 1660 the Parliamentary general John Lambert was imprisoned in on Guernsey.

Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911), "Lambert, John (general)" , Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 16 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, pp. 108-109

Cochrane, Willard W. (1993), The Development of American Agriculture, University of Minnesota Press, p. 18, ISBN 0-8166-2283-3

Jansso, Maija (2015), Art and Diplomacy: Seventeenth-Century English Decorated Royal Letters to Russia and the Far East, BRILL, p. 204, ISBN 9789004300453

McLoughlin, Roy (1997), The Sea was their Fortune, Seaflower books, ISBN 0-948578-86-6

Manganiello, Stephen C. (2004), "Guernsey", The Concise Encyclopedia of the Revolutions and Wars of England, Scotland, and Ireland, 1639-1660, Scarecrow Press, p. 234, ISBN 978-0-8108-5100-9

Weeks, Daniel J. (2001), Not for Filthy Lucre's Sake, Lehigh University Press, p. 45, ISBN 0-934223-66-1

Wood, Norman (26 February 2009), Royal Jersey Militia Regimental History

Plant, David (17 January 2010), Jersey & the Channel Isles, BCW Project[better source needed ]

Firth, Charles Harding (1893), "Lilburne, John" , in Lee, Sidney (ed.), Dictionary of National Biography, vol. 33, London: Smith, Elder & Co, pp. 243-250

"4 January 1641", Journal of the House of Commons, London: His Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO), 2 (1640-1643): 62-63, 1802

Ellis, F H (1937), "The Great Rebellion - Parliamentary invasion", Annual Bulletin of the Société Jersiaise - Republished "This is the eighth part of a 54-page article". The Great Rebellion - Parliamentary invasion. 15 September 2014.

Lemprière, Raoul (1970), Portrait of the Channel Islands, London: Hale, ISBN 0-7091-1541-5

Moore, David W. (2005), The Other British Isles: A History of Shetland, Orkney, the Hebrides, Isle of Man, Anglesey, Scilly, Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands, McFarland, p. 226, ISBN 9780786489244

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Channel Islands in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms - Wikipedia

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Between 1642 and 1651 the Channel Islands were involved in an eleven-year-long, wide-scale armed conflict known as the English Civil War, between the Parliamentarians (nicknamed pejoratively as the Roundheads) and Royalists (nicknamed the Cavaliers) over, principally, the manner of England's government and the amount of power the monarch should be able to wield.

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Saint Helier - Saint Hélyi - Saint Hélier

How saintly was St. Helier?

Legends are stories which are usually based on a truth, but as the years pass the stories change, with an embellishment added here, and a small fact removed there, until the accepted legend bears little or no relation to the facts.

One such legend is that of the patron saint of Jersey, St Helier, who was credited with converting the inhabitants to Christianity, and being responsible for colonising the Island.

The story is that he was a Belgian who came to Jersey and lived as a hermit, eventually being martyred by marauding pirates who beheaded him with an axe - hence the crossed axes on the parish crest.

However, some facts have come to light which suggest that Helier or Helerius may not have been quite such a driving force in the Island's history.

That he was Belgian appears true, his father was Sigebert, a nobleman from Tongres and his mother was Lusigard, both pagans.

They consulted Cunebert, a missionary credited with supernatural powers, who told them that when they had a child they must hand him over to God, and that he, Cunebert, would bring him up. They agreed, but when the boy was born they changed their minds - shades of Rumpelstiltskin.

When the boy was seven, he became seriously ill. Cunebert cured him, and the parents duly handed their child over, as originally agreed.

The child was renamed Helerius and studied the Christian teachings with Cunebert. It is said that Helerius' religious fervour astounded everyone, as did the miracles he performed, but neither impressed his father who, displeased with the saint, had Cunebert murdered.

Horrified at what had happened to his mentor, Helerius left the area and moved to Morins, where he lived alone for seven years in an abandoned chapel.

The miracles he continued to perform brought people flocking to see him and, uncomfortable with his fame, he left, and went to Nanteuil where he was baptised by St Marcoulf.

Marcoulf then suggested that Helerius should go to Jersey to continue his devotions, accompanied by St Romard, which seems to dilute the hermit image a bit.

There they found a population of a couple of dozen terrified people who lived in fear of the murderous pirates who regularly landed on the Island to murder and pillage. Romard went back to Nanteuil while Helerius made himself a shelter oh a rocky outcrop, and returned to his solitary life.

Romard returned some months later with St Marcoulf who wanted to found a monastery in Jersey. L'Amy's Jersey Folklore states: 'They found St. Helerius attenuated by countless privations, and kept alive mainly by his blazing fanaticism.'

There appears no record of the saint doing good deeds and helping the locals. One day, as Helerius, Romard and Marcoulf were walking along the beach, 'surrounded by a group of miserable natives', they saw several Scandinavian warships heading for shore. Having had to deal with numerous similar invasions, it is hardly surprising that the natives weren't exactly jumping for joy.

When pirates arrived, the usual sequence of events was for the natives to run like the clappers or risk being hacked to death, while the invaders helped themselves to whatever it was they thought was valuable.

This time St Marcoulf made the sign of the cross, and the Jerseymen ran at the invaders who, gobsmacked by such uncharacteristic behaviour, promptly turned tail and fled.

St Marcoulf returned to France to recruit workmen to build his monastery. When he came back he discovered that the pirates had returned to wreak their revenge, St Romard had gone inland to look after the islanders, while St. Helerius had returned to his cave - and been murdered.

St Marcoulf sent Helerius' remains to be buried in France, and started to build the monastery near the hermit's cave, where Elizabeth Castle now stands.

Priests and teachers from France were brought to the monastery, later a school was set up add students and scholars began arriving. Thus was Jersey colonised.

Jersey Evening Post 29/1/2000

R'tou à la page d'siez-mé | Back to home page

E-mail: geraint@societe-jersiaise.org

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Saint Helier - Saint Hélyi - Saint Hélier

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Saint Helier - Saint Hélyi - Saint Hélier How saintly was St. Helier? Legends are stories which are usually based on a truth, but as the years pass the stories change, with an embellishment added here, and a small fact removed there, until the accepted legend bears little or no relation to the facts.

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On 16 July, the Parish of St Helier and the Town Church hold a procession from the Church to the Hermitage on the Feast Day of St Helier

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Map of Elizabeth Castle in 1593

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A chronology of the activities related to the English Civil War in Jersey

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Details of Jersey during the English Civil War

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Life in Jersey during the English Civil War

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Life in Jersey during the English Civil War

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Details of life in Jersey during the English Civil War

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Meet Mary Grimsha – a cleaner to a king, she tells the story of when Charles II sought refuge in Jersey

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Timeline of Elizabeth Castle worksheet - blank and with answers

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The year is 1596 and Governor Sir Anthony Paulet is fed up that in 44 years, no progress has been made with building Elizabeth Castle! He has a strong word with Her Majesty’s military engineer Paul Ivy…

Discover more stories about this iconic fortress at www.jerseyheritage.org/love-your-castle