Government House, Jersey
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States of Jersey | |
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Government House is the
History of Government House
Previous Government Houses
The current building is at least the fifth official residence of governors and lieutenant governors of Jersey. Early governors or their lieutenants resided at
The current Government House
In 1803, the rector of St Saviour's Church, Rev. Philip Le Breton, bought the land on which the current Government House is situated and built a family home. This was bought by the ship owner François Janvrin in 1814 who demolished the house and built a small two-storey villa, naming the house Belmont. He brought mahogany from South America in his ships which enabled the use of this wood throughout the interior, including the main staircase, which remains a notable feature of the house. In 1822, Major-General Sir Colin Halkett,
Major-General (later promoted Lt.-General) Halkett had written that the lieutenant governor "would at Belmont possess the desirable opportunity of seeing together, without apparent partiality, such of the inhabitants, and strangers, as naturally expected to be invited to Government House". But his ADC John Le Couteur criticised the property and wrote that "the masonry... is shamefully done". The guardhouse was built at this time at a cost of £215, but the house was regarded as unprepossessing.[3]
Projects to add a third storey were entertained, but not carried out until the second half of the 19th century. Further improvements were carried out, including the addition of a porte-cochère.
The drive was formerly part of La Ruette du Sacrement, leading to Saint Saviour's Church. This lane was purchased in 1810, and replaced as a thoroughfare by the new military road (St Saviour's Hill – Jèrriais: Lé Mont du Gouvèrneux, the Governor's hill[4]). From the formal lawns next to the house, the 12-acre grounds descend from the house in a valley setting, and include an ornamental lake and fountain created in 2009 that can be seen from the road. Commemorative trees and monuments are situated around the grounds.[5] The lieutenant-governor's flag is flown from a flagpole in the grounds when he is in the Island.
During the German occupation of the Channel Islands during World War II, the house was used as the residence of General Rudolf Graf von Schmettow, the German commandant of the Channel Islands.
The 1989 issue of a £50 Jersey banknote showed an image of Government House on the reverse.
See also
- Government House – elsewhere in the Commonwealth or British Overseas Territories
- Government Houses of the British Empire and Commonwealth
References
- ^ A Picture of Jersey, Stead, Jersey 1809
- ^ An Account of the Island of Jersey, Plees, Jersey 1817
- ^ ISBN 0-85033-269-9.
- ISBN 1-904210-09-0.
- ^ "Commemorative trees and features in the grounds of Government House" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
External links
