• Castle Features

• Stories of the people over the ages at Mont Orgueil

• History of Normandy and Jersey

• Handling replica artefacts

Please email: education@jerseyheritage.org for booking

• Sensory backpack (with timers, fidget toys and ear defenders)

• Visual / Sensory Story if required

• Photo tour - guided tour information with photos of the site and brief info

• Teachers information / lesson plan

• Free Pre-visit for teacher if needed

Please email education@jerseyheritage.org for more information or to book a pre-visit

Please email education@jerseyheritage.org to book a free pre-planning visit.

Painting by N Rybot, a Jersey historian and author in early 1900s.

In 1373 du Guesclin, accompanied by the Duke of Bourbon, led a large invasion force to Jersey of around 2,000 men. Bertrand, known as The Black Dog of Brittany – or, more accurately, La Dogue Noir de Brocéliande, overran the Island, capturing Grosnez Castle in the process. His forces also burned property and killed Islanders.

With no water supply and limited defences, Grosnez was no real obstacle.

Le Château de Gorey, later known as Mont Orgueil Castle was different. Du Guesclin's troops tunnelled under the outer walls but the inner walls were built on the cliff rock and they could make no further progress. Inside the Castle were around 20 archers and 20 men at arms along with the Warden of the Isles, Sir William Asthorpe and Bailiff Jean de St Martin. Despite the difference in size of troops, the men inside the Castle knew that they could withstand a siege of up to six months and negotiated with du Guesclin, saying that the castle would surrender if reinforcements did not arrive. Hostages were given, as was common in such agreements in medieval warfare.

After around four months, an English fleet arrived to lift the siege, but for two more years the island was constantly attacked by the French until an arrangement was arrived at that they would pay a ransom for du Guesclin to cease hostilities.