News
New Knowledge Centre paper on Jersey's heritage
The Policy Centre has published a new Knowledge Centre paper - Jersey's heritage. The summary on the paper is set out below
The Island's heritage is shaped by its geography and history.
Jersey has its own distinctive political and legal systems which have their origins over 1,000 years ago when Jersey was part of the Duchy of Normandy. The key features, which are interconnected, are the Bailiff, the States Assembly, the 12 parishes and a legal system based on Norman customary law.
Jersey has one of the most important Ice Age and Neanderthal archaeological sites, La Cotte de St Brelade, and 11 dolmens and passage graves, the most prominent of which is Hougue Bie.
England and France were in a state of war or tension for much of the second millennium. England treated Jersey as a “fortress town” and continued to support it by military expenditure and preferential treatment for Jersey people and goods. Mont Orgueil Castle, Elizabeth Castle, St Aubin’s Fort, Conway and Martello towers and St Catherine’s breakwater are the most visible reminders of this factor. They also contribute to the Island’s physical attractiveness as a place in which to live and to visit.
Four agriculture-related industries – knitting, cider, cattle and new potatoes - are distinctive parts of the Island’s heritage.
In the 18th and 19th centuries Jersey was a strong maritime nation with cod fishing, shipping and shipbuilding industries contributing to huge economic growth. The industry is commemorated by a museum and some artwork and plaques, but generally is little reflected in the Island today.
The occupation of Jersey by German forces between 1940 and 1945 left its mark on the Island in many ways, including physically with fortifications being a visible part of the landscape.
Jèrriais is the traditional language of Jersey. It is a romance language of Norman origin and reflects Jersey’s history as part of the Duchy of Normandy. Use of Jèrriais has been declining steadily, but in recent years the language has been revived.
A number of prominent artists had strong Jersey connections, particularly in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Three artists stand out for their depictions of Jersey: Jean Le Capelain, Philip Ouless and Edmund Blampied.
Locally quarried granite is a significant feature of many Jersey buildings including fortifications, public buildings, farms and walls.
Prominent people who have contributed significantly to Jersey’s heritage include Sir George Carteret, who ensured that Jersey was royalist in the Civil War for which he was rewarded with land in America that he named New Jersey, the French writer, Victor Hugo, who spent three eventful years in Jersey in the 1860s, and Lillie Langtry, the actress and socialite.
Jersey’s main heritage organisations are Jersey Heritage, the Société Jersiaise, the National Trust for Jersey and Jerripedia. Museums include the Jersey Museum and Art Gallery, the Jersey Maritime Museum, Hamptonne Country Life Museum and Jersey War Tunnels.
Jersey’s heritage is well documented in publications and other media.
