Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sarke are all of them remnants
of the ancient Duchy of Normandy, which country, under the Romans, was called
Augia, and was their second Provincia Lugdunensis, and under the kings of
the Franks constituted a part of the kingdom of Neusiria. In nine hundred
and twelve, Charles the Simple, ceded it to the piratical Normans, as a
fief of France, and Rollo - their leader was married to a daughter of the
same king, William, the sixth Duke of Normandy, became king of England,
and (with the rest of his dominions) annexed these islands to the sovereignty
of England, the only parts now in our possesion. They belong to Hampshire,
and are in the diocese of Winchester.
Engraved by W. Hooper
The first of these, Jersey, lies about fifteen miles west of the
coast of France, or the Cape of La Hogue, and eighty four miles south of
Portland, in Dorsetshire. It was anciently called Caesaria, and here many
Roman coins have been dug up, together with other antiquities; and there
are yet the vestiges of a Roman camp, near the Manor of Dilamant.
It is about twelve miles in length, and not above six broad, containing
about thirty-six square miles. The number of its inhabitants are twenty
thousand, having a division of twelve parishes, with only eight churches.
The chief towns are St. Helier, and St. Aubin; the former of which contains
about four hundred houses, and near two thousand inhabitants. The latter
has a fort and harbour well defended. The Chateau de I'Islet, or Queen Elizabeth's
Castle here, is reckoned the best fortifications belonging to Great Britain.
French is the language of the pulpit and bar, and it is generally spoken
both here and in the neighbouring islands. Exclusive of the Roman antiquities
here are many remains of Druidical temples still visible.
It is finely watered, abounds with fish, fruit, and cattle; makes excellent
cyder, has great variety of sea-fowl, the best of honey, fine wool, remarkably
fine butter, but labours under a scarcity of corn and fuel, for the latter
of which they substitute vraic. Here are manufactured a pecular kind of
worsted stockings much esteemed; nor are they without mineral springs of
a purgative quality. Its intercourse with France, supplies it with wines,
brandy, etc. very easily, so that it has but little malt liquor. The partridges
here are remarkable for having red feet, and among its fish is a remarkable
sort called Ormer. They are governed by the Norman laws, the courts of judicature
in England having no jurisdiction over any of these Islands.
Engraved by W. Hooper
Guernsey, the Sarina of Antoninus, is 6o miles s. w. of Weymouth, about 26 W. of Normandy, 21 from Jersey, 5 from Alderney, an six from Sarke. It is about 12 miles long, nine broad, and 30 in circumference, containing 50 square rniles or 32,000 square acres. It has 10 parishes. The air is healthy, and its soil, like Crete and Ireland, is said to admit no noxious animal. It abounds with fish, particularly a fine sort of carp; and its rock produces a kind of emeral, very hard. The island is plentifully supplied with corn and cattle. Nature has defended it with a ledge of rocks, and art with an old castle, and a pier constructed of vast stones, thrown together with great art in the days of Edw. II. Here is a great scarcity of wood for fueling, which is supplied by the sea vraic.
Vale Castle - Engraved by W. Hooper and dated 1776
More at: Old Maps of the Channel Islands
There are always Channel Islands maps on display at the Selective
Eye Gallery site
Exart: Island Heritage Maps
and Prints: a commercial site promoting reproduction maps and prints
of Jersey.
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