Discover Lost Jersey - Part 7

I came across an edition of "Discover Jersey" , a guide book written in 1993 by Terry Palmer - that's 28 years ago. While the basic history remains the same, the tourism sites have seen a massive fall, and I thought it would be interesting to explore this guide - and my memories of those places, if I visited them, over the next weeks. The latter are in italics. How much we've lost!

Grosnez Castle

North of L‘Etacquerel. Les Landes is an area of windswept heath beyond which are the ruins of Grosnez Castle, now little more than a stone archway and the hint of a moat.

This is one of Jersey‘s enigmas. as nobody knows who built it, why, or when It’s probably early 14th cent. a defence against repeats of a raid in 1294 when the French killed more than 1,000 islanders; and Bertrand du Guecclin probably destroyed it in another raid in 1373 - or did the English Parliamentarians sack it while besieging Sir George Carteret in Elizabeth Castle? It was certainly destroyed before 1524. as a map drawn that year marks it as a ruin. The name means ”big headland‘ and is pronounced gro-nay.

This of course is still here, but it was needed to see the instructions to get to Plémont Candlecraft!

Plémont Candlecraft

The B35 swings east to Portinfer hamlet and Plémont Candlecraft. the island‘s only specialist candlemaker. Candles nowadays are for looking at rather than burning: animal-shaped candles are made by pouring suitably-coloured hot wax into a mould and letting it set. But there‘s more skill in producing carved candles. Take a cold split mould. pour in hot red wax. then pour it out; pour in orange. and tip the spare out: follow with other colours until you have filled the mould. While the wax is still warm. open the mould. slice down the candle‘s ribs with a sharp cold knife. and you reveal the rainbow colours. You can try it for yourself here. any day between 0930 and 1730.

Nearby Portinfer Farm has tea rooms where John Wesley‘s early Methodists used to meet.

The company Plemont Candle Craft Limited was dissolved on 23 February 2000

Plémont Holiday Village

And now head north on 0105 for Plémont Holiday Village, which was originally a Pontins Holiday Camp. built on a 250tt (75m) clifftop. It‘s breezy, but on perfect days there are splendid views to Guernsey. Sark, Herm and even Alderney, as well as miles of the French coast. A path leads steeply down to the often-deserted beach at Greve an Lanchon, or Lancon.

A timeline is given below. It should be noted that the "return to nature" is in fact a "managed nature", with paths kept clear around the site, and an artificial pond added. I have no issues with these, but it is a myth that it is restored to a "natural condition". 

1934: Built in the grounds of the old Plemont Hotel the camp first opened as The Jubilee Holiday Camp.
1946: Following the Occupation, the camp reopens as Parkin's Luxury Holiday Camp.
1961: The camp is sold and remodelled, becoming Pontin's Holiday Village and later Plémont Holiday Village, providing amenities for up to 400 holidaymakers.
2001: The site closes its doors as a tourist resort for good.
2014: The National Trust for Jersey reveals it has reached a deal with the developer to buy the land for £7.15 million.
Summer 2014: The States approve Senator Sir Philip Bailhache's proposition to pay half of the agreed sale price, with the trust paying the rest.
September 2014: Demolition begins at the site.