Wednesday 30 January 2013

Command Bunker at Noirmont Point


Here we see the top of an underground German Command Bunker which extends to a depth of 40ft on two floors. It was the Command Post (Leitstand) for the naval coastal artillery battery Lothringen located here.

One of four built to a similar design in the Channel Islands, the bunker was surmounted by a range-finder and two periscopes to determine the direction and speed of sea targets. Sealed up for safety reasons shortly after the war, the bunker escaped the scrap-drive of the early 1950s, with the result that it is the only example of its type in the Islands to retain the impressive 7 inch-thick armoured cupolas. The bunker has been restored to a very high standard and provides a unique insight into the sheer scale and thoroughness of German military engineering.

See the Channel Islands Occupation Society website for more details.

For ABC Wednesday

Monday 28 January 2013

Entrance to Lewis's Tower


Lewis's Tower stands on the site where, during the Prince of Nassau's attempeted invasion in 1779, Rector du Parq had placed his cannon to attack the French forces as they tried to land. In 1787 a more permanent structure was built to house three 24-pounder cannon. It was replaced in 1835 by a true Mortello tower named in honour of Col. G G Lewis, the commanding officer of the Royal Engineers. During the Occupation the Germans built a concrete extension at its base to house a searchlight.

The tower is available as a holiday let. Split over three levels, it provides basic stone hut accommodation with electricity and lighting but is not connected to any other utilities. It can accommodate up to ten people overnight in sleeping bags although only three day beds are provided.

A contribution to Whimsical Windows, Delirious Doors.

Wednesday 23 January 2013

Brook Street


A short street in St Helier leading from King Street to Library Place.

For ABC Wednesday

Tuesday 15 January 2013

The Jersey Experience


Entrance to the "Jersey Experience", a multi-dimensional insight into Jersey's heritage and history.

A contribution to Our World Tuesday.

Saturday 12 January 2013

Wednesday 9 January 2013

Friday 4 January 2013

Observation Tower


On the headland at La Corbiére is an observation tower, one of three built during the German Occupation of Jersey in the Second World War. Their purpose was to direct artillery fire against targets out to sea. The tower was used until 2004 by Jersey Radio as marine radio for shipping. Now it is has three bedrooms and is available as a holiday let.

Skywatch Friday.

Tuesday 1 January 2013

Gorey Methodist Church


Gorey Methodist Church was opened on 5th January 1840. It was built in the then "new town" of Gorey to accommodate a congregation of oyster fishermen - around 250 to 300 people worshipped there regularly during the boom years of the oyster fisheries.

The last service took place on 6 January 2006, with a sermon preached by the Methodist Superintendent, the Rev David Coote, and a lesson read by the former St Brelade Constable, Enid Quénault.

Read more in the Jersey Evening Post report.

According to the "That Was Jersey" website (last updated 2008), Gorey used to have three Methodist churches. Salem built in 1832 for the French speaking congregation was in Daisy Hill. The church was closed in 1921. That building has had varied uses since then, but is now boarded up. The third was built for the Bible Christians group of Methodists and was in use by them from 1864-1916. Since then it has been used as a cinema, and for badminton, and it is now the home of the Catholic church in Gorey village.

In 2009 Gorey Methodist Church was converted into a dwelling-house. The interior had been sectioned off into smaller spaces with a covered ceiling at eaves level. This was completely stripped out leaving only the trusses and roof in position. A four bedroom house was built in about two thirds of the building leaving a full height atrium at one end. This rises to 14 metres at its apex, making the house within a church a highly insulated eco-friendly high spec dwelling.

For Our World Tuesday.