Looking around Guernsey 1972 – Part 4
Gateways to Guernsey
WITH over 3,000 private yachts visiting St. Peter Port each year, not to mention thousands of tons of commercial shipping, today's islanders have reason to be grateful to their ancestors who laid plans for the harbour over 100 years ago.
Today it represents a mixture of the old and the very new. Deep water berths for cargo ships have been provided — this means they no longer have to wait in the roadsteads for convenient aides — and container handling facilities have been built.
Work on the two great breakwaters — the southern one ended Castle Cornet's long history as an island — began in 1853. Ever since much of the prosperity of Guernsey has depended on the smooth functioning of the harbour.
At the White Rock, a signal station is manned at all times by trained staff who keep in radio contact with most in-going and out-going vessels.
Moored in the harbour are two boats of constant interest to visitors — the R.N.L.I. lifeboat and "Flying Christine II" St. John Ambulance's fast rescue and ambulance launch.
St. Peter Port harbour, apart from its spectacular day and night views — when Castle Cornet is floodlit —holds other attractions.
The Castle Breakwater lighthouse is a good spot for fishermen while placed at strategic points are seats for those who just want to sit and watch the never ceasing activity.
Launches ply in and out from Herm, small sailing craft bob about near the Guernsey Yacht Club, inshore trawlers mingle with larger vessels which carry over 50,000 tons of tomatoes to the UK each year.
St. Sampson's harbour, although smaller is also full of interest. It deals with private boats, gas and fuel tankers and "timber" boats. Its outer Ladies' Breakwater is another favoured angling spot.
Farther north, in a former quarry, a private company has established a yacht marina with restaurant, clubhouse and re-fuelling facilities.
On the highest part of Guernsey — some 350 ft. above sea level — the island's only airport, one of the busiest in the British Isles, has been sited. There are observation facilities on the roof of the terminal buildings which themselves contain bar and snack-catering sections.
Gateways to Guernsey
WITH over 3,000 private yachts visiting St. Peter Port each year, not to mention thousands of tons of commercial shipping, today's islanders have reason to be grateful to their ancestors who laid plans for the harbour over 100 years ago.
Today it represents a mixture of the old and the very new. Deep water berths for cargo ships have been provided — this means they no longer have to wait in the roadsteads for convenient aides — and container handling facilities have been built.
Work on the two great breakwaters — the southern one ended Castle Cornet's long history as an island — began in 1853. Ever since much of the prosperity of Guernsey has depended on the smooth functioning of the harbour.
At the White Rock, a signal station is manned at all times by trained staff who keep in radio contact with most in-going and out-going vessels.
Moored in the harbour are two boats of constant interest to visitors — the R.N.L.I. lifeboat and "Flying Christine II" St. John Ambulance's fast rescue and ambulance launch.
St. Peter Port harbour, apart from its spectacular day and night views — when Castle Cornet is floodlit —holds other attractions.
The Castle Breakwater lighthouse is a good spot for fishermen while placed at strategic points are seats for those who just want to sit and watch the never ceasing activity.
Launches ply in and out from Herm, small sailing craft bob about near the Guernsey Yacht Club, inshore trawlers mingle with larger vessels which carry over 50,000 tons of tomatoes to the UK each year.
St. Sampson's harbour, although smaller is also full of interest. It deals with private boats, gas and fuel tankers and "timber" boats. Its outer Ladies' Breakwater is another favoured angling spot.
Farther north, in a former quarry, a private company has established a yacht marina with restaurant, clubhouse and re-fuelling facilities.
On the highest part of Guernsey — some 350 ft. above sea level — the island's only airport, one of the busiest in the British Isles, has been sited. There are observation facilities on the roof of the terminal buildings which themselves contain bar and snack-catering sections.
Town on the hill
St Peter Port is the most attractive harbour capital in Europe. The houses rise tier upon tier up the hillside on which the town is built so that fine sea-views can be glimpsed from nearly every building, reached by narrow winding steps or quaint, cobbled streets.
Behind the blue waters of the harbour, bobbing with yachts and small craft of every kind, there are no proms or piers to spoil for visitors the unselfconscious charm of St. Peter Port, which still keeps something of its earlier character of a fishing village.
St. Peter Port is quite a small town, although it has — like most capitals — outgrown its original boundaries. These used to be marked by a series of barrier stones, all dated 1700. You can see one of these barrier stones outside the Post Office in Smith Street, and there's an explanatory tablet to tell visitors what it's all about.
Nowadays, the legal boundaries of the town extend outwards to include the residential belt that has grown up during the last century-and-a-half. This belt touches on the parishes of St. Sampson's, St. Andrew's, Castel and St. Martin's.
If you want to get a really good bird's eye-view of St. Peter Port, you must climb up Cornet Street and Hauteville. At the top of Hauteville, the road forking to the left leads to Fort George, and then on to St. Martin's. On the right, between two pillars is the carriageway of the Montville estate, now public property. From the carriageway, a splendid panorama of the town unfolds beneath you.
Now you can see that St. Peter Port has developed in a valley. The sides of the valley are very steep in places, and nowhere is the valley very wide. It narrows considerably towards the sea, and at the very mouth stands the Town Church, parish church of St. Peter Port.
It is the finest church in Guernsey, and, indeed, in the whole of the Channel Islands. The chancel is 12th-century, the portion to the east of this is 13th-century, and the south chapel is 15th-century. The present interior arrangement of the church is as recent as 1886. Look out for the memorial screen to one of Guernsey's illustrious sons, Sir Isaac Brock, who fell in the battle of Queenstown Heights, in Canada,
St. Peter Port shops and scenes
SHOPPING in the main streets of St. Peter Port is a special delight to visitors not only from the UK, but also from Belgium, France and other European countries — because the shops are filled with goods of every kind that often cost much less than in their own country.
This is because there is no purchase tax in Guernsey, and the duty on tobacco, spirits and other luxury goods is much lower than in the VK and many other countries. Guernsey, for instance, is said to be the cheapest place in the world for reputable makes of clocks and watches.
For shopping of a rather different kind, pay a visit to the markets, where all sorts of local produce is on display. In the fish market, many kinds of local fish — including live lobsters and crabs — are on sale.
You will probably notice the peculiar shells with a mother-of-pearl appearance which are offered for sale on some stalls for a few pence. This is the shell of the ormer (oreille-de-mer, or sea-ear, because it is shaped like a human ear). Channel Islands waters are the only part of the British Isles where it is to be found. It is looked upon as a delicacy and is protected by law, it being illegal to take ormers except during certain periods from December to April. It is also illegal to take any less than three inches in diameter.
The oldest of the covered markets is the French Halles, built as a private venture in 1780. Originally used as a meat market, it was purchased by the States in 1817. When the present meat market was built in 1822, the French Halles was turned over to the sale of eggs, butter, poultry and fruit from Brittany — hence the name of the market.
Later on, the present vegetable market was built as part of a scheme to widen and improve the adjacent Fountain Street. The States of Guernsey Dairy is also in the market, where you can buy the thick cream, rich butter and milk for which the golden breed of Guernsey cattle is famous.
Just above the French Halles, you will find the Guille-Alles Library and Museum, and in Cornet Street, the Island and Lukis Museum — which contains many interesting local exhibits
St Peter Port is the most attractive harbour capital in Europe. The houses rise tier upon tier up the hillside on which the town is built so that fine sea-views can be glimpsed from nearly every building, reached by narrow winding steps or quaint, cobbled streets.
Behind the blue waters of the harbour, bobbing with yachts and small craft of every kind, there are no proms or piers to spoil for visitors the unselfconscious charm of St. Peter Port, which still keeps something of its earlier character of a fishing village.
St. Peter Port is quite a small town, although it has — like most capitals — outgrown its original boundaries. These used to be marked by a series of barrier stones, all dated 1700. You can see one of these barrier stones outside the Post Office in Smith Street, and there's an explanatory tablet to tell visitors what it's all about.
Nowadays, the legal boundaries of the town extend outwards to include the residential belt that has grown up during the last century-and-a-half. This belt touches on the parishes of St. Sampson's, St. Andrew's, Castel and St. Martin's.
If you want to get a really good bird's eye-view of St. Peter Port, you must climb up Cornet Street and Hauteville. At the top of Hauteville, the road forking to the left leads to Fort George, and then on to St. Martin's. On the right, between two pillars is the carriageway of the Montville estate, now public property. From the carriageway, a splendid panorama of the town unfolds beneath you.
Now you can see that St. Peter Port has developed in a valley. The sides of the valley are very steep in places, and nowhere is the valley very wide. It narrows considerably towards the sea, and at the very mouth stands the Town Church, parish church of St. Peter Port.
It is the finest church in Guernsey, and, indeed, in the whole of the Channel Islands. The chancel is 12th-century, the portion to the east of this is 13th-century, and the south chapel is 15th-century. The present interior arrangement of the church is as recent as 1886. Look out for the memorial screen to one of Guernsey's illustrious sons, Sir Isaac Brock, who fell in the battle of Queenstown Heights, in Canada,
St. Peter Port shops and scenes
SHOPPING in the main streets of St. Peter Port is a special delight to visitors not only from the UK, but also from Belgium, France and other European countries — because the shops are filled with goods of every kind that often cost much less than in their own country.
This is because there is no purchase tax in Guernsey, and the duty on tobacco, spirits and other luxury goods is much lower than in the VK and many other countries. Guernsey, for instance, is said to be the cheapest place in the world for reputable makes of clocks and watches.
For shopping of a rather different kind, pay a visit to the markets, where all sorts of local produce is on display. In the fish market, many kinds of local fish — including live lobsters and crabs — are on sale.
You will probably notice the peculiar shells with a mother-of-pearl appearance which are offered for sale on some stalls for a few pence. This is the shell of the ormer (oreille-de-mer, or sea-ear, because it is shaped like a human ear). Channel Islands waters are the only part of the British Isles where it is to be found. It is looked upon as a delicacy and is protected by law, it being illegal to take ormers except during certain periods from December to April. It is also illegal to take any less than three inches in diameter.
The oldest of the covered markets is the French Halles, built as a private venture in 1780. Originally used as a meat market, it was purchased by the States in 1817. When the present meat market was built in 1822, the French Halles was turned over to the sale of eggs, butter, poultry and fruit from Brittany — hence the name of the market.
Later on, the present vegetable market was built as part of a scheme to widen and improve the adjacent Fountain Street. The States of Guernsey Dairy is also in the market, where you can buy the thick cream, rich butter and milk for which the golden breed of Guernsey cattle is famous.
Just above the French Halles, you will find the Guille-Alles Library and Museum, and in Cornet Street, the Island and Lukis Museum — which contains many interesting local exhibits
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