Saint Martin (Jerriais: St Martîn) is Jersey's north-east parish. Historically it was called "Saint Martin le Vieux" to distinguish it from the present day parish of Grouville (historically "Saint Martin de Grouville").
Public Hall
St Martin is the only parish in Jersey not to conduct its municipal business from a Parish Hall. St Martin has Public Hall instead, having accepted money from the States of Jersey to provide an assembly room.
The dolmen at Le Couperon and La Pouquelaye de Faldouet are among the prehistoric remains in the parish. La Pouquelaye de Faldouet features on the reverse of the Jersey 10p coin and was the inspiration for the poem Nomen, numen, lumen written by Victor Hugo in 1855 during his exile in Jersey.
The rock known as Le Saut Geffroy, or Geoffroy's Leap, is reputed to be an ancient place of execution where criminals were thrown into the sea.
The ancient castle of Mont Orgueil dominates the small harbour and village of Gorey. The castle served as the island's prison until another was constructed in St Helier in the 17th century. Until the construction of Elizabeth Castle off Saint Helier at the beginning of the 17th century, Mont Orgueil was generally the residence of the Governor of Jersey.
The immense breakwater at St Catherine is all that remains of a grandiose harbour project started, but then abandoned, by the British government in the 19th century. It is now a popular site for sea anglers.
St Martin is one of the remaining strongholds of Jèrriais with a distinctive accent. The area around Faldouet formerly possessed a dialect of its own, known as Faldouais. Although the Faldouais dialect is extinct, it has left notable amounts of writings in Jèrriais.
Subdivisions
St Martin is divided into vingtaines as follows:
- Vingtaine de Rozel
- Vingtaine de Faldouet
- Vingtaine de la Quéruée
- Vingtaine de l'Église
- Vingtaine du Fief de la Reine
Les Ecréhous are part of the parish of St Martin.
Saint Martin forms one electoral district and elects one Deputy.
Twin town
St Martin is twinned with Montmartin-sur-Mer in Normandy
Other St Martin articles
References
- Jersey Folk Lore, John H. L'Amy, Jersey 1927
External links
- Saint Martin, Official Parish website
- St Martîn at Les Pages Jèrriaises
- St. Catherines Sailing Club, St. Martin - Jersey's largest dinghy sailing club, and the most southerly sailing club in the British Isles.
Art
The parish has a small collection of oil paintings on display in the Parish Hall, featured in the Your Paintings project.
Click on any image to see a full-size version
Rozel Harbour; LP
Mont Orgueil; LP
Les Ecrehous; Norman Pallot
Gallery
Click on any image to see a full-size version
A map showing the parish
A parish issue banknote
A parish assembly record
A rate assessment record for St Martin
St Martin welcomes the Prince of Wales in 1935
Le Saie
Lovers' lane in St Martin
The Public Hall
Cotils at St Catherine
St Catherine's Hill
Parish secretary Cliff Robbins with a display of batons de justice at the Public Hall in the 1970s
Inside the Public Hall in the 1970s
