Fortifications of Guernsey


The island of Guernsey has been fortified for several thousand years, the number of defence locations and complexity of the defence increasing with time, manpower and the improvements in weapons and tactics.
Being in the front line of many wars, invasion was almost always a threat and the best locations for defence were being constantly rebuilt with older constructions being re-used and improved.

Early defences

The first form of defences comprised safe locations for the islanders to flee to in the event of an invasion. The headland at Jerbourg, the Castel fortress, the Chateau des Marais and the Vale Castle were probably the earliest.

Castle Cornet was started in the late 13th Century on an islet accessible at low tide, outside Saint Peter Port. It would serve as the main base for the Governor of Guernsey, the commander of the Island's military forces, for many centuries.
The Guernsey militia was formed in 1337 and would continue until disbanded in 1946. It was compulsory for all men to belong to the militia. They trained weekly and for six centuries provided the main defensive force for the island.
A French invasion in 1338 captured the whole island including Castle Cornet, which dates back to at least 1256. Two years later the island was recaptured by English forces after the French navy was crippled at the Battle of Sluys and in August 1345 Castle Cornet was also recaptured. 13 years later the castle was again captured by the French before being evicted the following year.
In 1350 the King Edward ordered walls to be constructed around the town. The order was repeated when the work was not undertaken, but no evidence has been found of their existence. They would have linked the Tour Gand to the north with the Beauregard tower in the south.
In May 1372 Owain Lawgoch a claimant to the Welsh throne, at the head of a free company, on behalf of France, attacked Guernsey, popularly called "La Descente des Aragousais". Owain Lawgoch withdrew after killing 400 of the Island militia, The poem of the same name refers to the Vale Castle as the Château de l'Archange, the location of the last ditch stand against the insurgents.
With the advent of cannon and gunpowder, defences, now based mainly around Castle Cornet were remodelled between 1545 and 1548.
During the Third English Civil War, Castle Cornet, the main fortification in the island, supported the King whilst the island supported Parliament, this resulted in a siege of the castle that lasted nine years, ending in 1651. The castle had been improved over the centuries with added walls, gates and batteries.
The King's Survey of the Channel Islands was commissioned by Charles II in 1679. The report produced by Colonel Legge a year later was a comprehensive account of the state of defence, harbours and civil jurisdiction of the Islands. In Guernsey, defences had been poorly maintained, Castle cornet having suffered a major explosion after a lightning strike in 1672.
Main early defences, starting from St Peter Port and moving in a clockwise direction.
ParishPlace/NameNotesCoordinates
St Peter PortCastle Cornet ‡ £Main defence, built on islet and constructed of granite
St Peter PortTown Wallspossibly built around 1350
St Peter PortGand towerexisted in the Pollet area, La Tourgand
St Peter PortBeauregard towerbuilt in 1357 on Mignot Plateau, now demolished
St MartinJerbourg headland ʘearthen ditches and banks to protect headland
TortevalPezeries ‡ ʘFort first mentioned in 1680
CastelHommet headland – Fort Hommet ʘfortification recorded in 1680 with one gun
CastelInland fortress pre 600 A.D.possible earth and wood construction now demolished
ValeLe Marchant headland – Fort L’Angle ‡ ʘsmall fort mentioned in 1680, renamed in 1805 Le Marchant
ValeVale Castle ‡ ʘbuilt on top of a rock outcrop, protected by 15C granite walls
St Peter PortChateau des Marais ‡ ʘbuilt in a swamp, a standard Motte and Bailey fort

Key ‡ Protected Monument £ Accessible with fee ʘ Accessible

18th and early 19th Century

18th Century threats from France

Having lived with constant threats during the Seven Years' War, threats of an invasion from France during the Anglo-French War resulted in additional artillery being brought to the Island and the construction of several forts, numerous batteries covering possible landing sites and fifteen Guernsey loophole towers built between 1778 and 1779, The threat was real as an invasion of nearby Jersey resulted in the Battle of Jersey in Saint Helier in January 1781. Work started in 1782 on the massive Fort George, on the hill south of Town, it would take over three decades to complete. Guernsey granite was used for the majority of the gun platforms, forts and walls with embrasures often lined with brick.
A map was produced in 1787 for the Duke of Richmond as Master-General of the Ordnance to show all existing roads and military positions.

French Revolution and Napoleonic era defences

The French Revolution in 1789 added to the concerns in the Channel Islands and resulted in additional constructions and an increase in manpower.
The island militia of around 3,000 men provided both infantry and coastal artillery units. They were supplemented with regular British infantry battalions who rotated and were increased or reduced depending on the current threat to the island. Before the barracks were built in Fort George, islanders were required to provide accommodation for soldiers that could not be accommodated in Castle Cornet. Each Parish had its quota and if they were quartered in public houses or private dwellings, the parish authorities were liable for the cost. Non British units, which were not allowed on the UK mainland, were sometimes based in Guernsey, including from 1793 to 1796 French Royalists and in 1799, 6,000 Russian troops, who were quartered at Delancey. In 1796 Peter de Havilland, a Jurat was appointed superintendent of thirteen signal masts around the island, installed to give warning of approaching ships.
Lieutenant-General John Doyle was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey in 1803. After declaring a "state of emergency" in 1804, he undertook many works to improve the defence of the Island, including the draining of the Braye du Valle, improving some roads to military standard and building forts and batteries around the coast, including completing Fort George. Major-General Sir John Doyle was supported from 1810 by the new Bailiff, Peter de Havilland. The "emergency" lasted until 1815.
Doyle was instrumental in getting three Martello towers built in 1804–1805, as well as the reclaiming of Braye du Valle 1806–1808, the improved military roads with mile markers, for which he argued eloquently, against much opposition, and barracks which together gave the militia and regular units improved facilities to repel any invasion.
The Royal Navy provided the first line of defence, Captain Sausmarez, in command of a Guernsey-based squadron consisting of three frigates, HMS Crescent, HMS Druid and HMS Eurydice, a lugger, and cutter frustrated a planned invasion by 20,000 French soldiers of the Channel Islands scheduled for February 1794, due to his vigilant eye Admiral James Saumarez was again put in charge of a squadron based in Guernsey from 1803 to 1808.

Defences

Land based defences, starting from St Peter Port and moving in a clockwise direction.
ParishPlace/NameNotesCoordinates
St Peter PortCastle Cornet ‡ £harbour defence, now a museum
St Peter PortHavelet – Half Moon battery ʘbattery covering Havelet bay
St Peter PortFort Georgelarge fortress with barracks, built between 1782 and 1814, now a housing estate
St Peter PortFort George – Clarence battery ‡ ʘon headland, named Clarence Battery in honour of George III's son
St Peter PortFort George – Adolphus battery
St Peter PortFort George – Kent battery
St Peter PortFermain Bay – Becquet battery ‡¤63+64+65 Linked with magazine and watch house
St Peter PortFermain Bay – North battery ‡¤62
St MartinFermain Bay – Tower 15 Guernsey loophole towers ‡ ʘPlans to convert to holiday accommodation
St MartinFermain Bay – South battery¤60
St MartinBec du Nez battery and magazine ‡ ʘ¤59 One gun
St MartinJerbourg battery ‡¤57+58 built over by later German defences
St MartinJerbourg – La Moye battery ‡¤56 La Tas de Pois d'Ament battery
St MartinMoulin Huet – Left and Right batteries ‡ ʘ¤54+55
St MartinSaints Bay – Tower 14 ‡
St MartinSaints Bay – Left and Right batteries¤52+53 With two 24-pounder guns
St MartinIcart Point – battery¤51 destroyed
St MartinPetit Bôt – Tower 13 ‡ ʘ
ForestPetit Bôt – St Claire battery and magazine ‡ ʘ¤50 Two 24-pounder guns and magazine
ForestMoye watch house
St PeterPrevote watch house ‡¤48 Built over with German tower, granite stones and steps have been reused
TortevalLes Tielles – Battery and watch house ‡¤47 Three gun emplacements
St PeterMont Herault watch house ‡¤46 manned by militia overnight
TortevalPleinmont watch house ‡ ʘ¤45 mentioned in Victor Hugo's book 'The Toilers of the Sea'
house destroyed by German troops
TortevalNarron or Narrow Point Battery ‡ ʘ¤44 One 9-pounder gun position, suffering erosion from the sea
TortevalPleinmont or Petit Portes Battery ‡ ʘ¤43 Granite battery for one 18-pounder gun
TortevalPezeries fort and battery ‡ ʘ¤42 Three gun battery and magazine in star fort
St PeterChâteau de Rocquaine – Fort Grey ‡ £Martello tower built 1804 now a museum
St PeterRocquaine Bay – Brock battery¤41 Built over by Germans in WW2
St PeterL’Eree Point – Battery ‡ ʘ¤40 Two guns on granite battery site, magazine
St PeterL’Eree Point – Fort SaumarezMartello tower now used as foundation for German observation tower
St SaviourLe Catioroc – Mont Chinchon battery, magazine ‡ ʘ and watch house¤38+39 Two gun battery with magazine and ¤39 watch house behind on hill
St SaviourPerelle – battery ‡ ʘ¤37 Two gun battery, magazine
St SaviourPerelle – Fort Richmond ‡Fort and barracks, now a private house
CastelVazon – Mouillin or Left battery and magazine ‡¤34 Destroyed by German WW2 defences, magazine intact
CastelVazon – Tower 12 and Right battery ‡ ʘ¤31 Magazine
CastelHougue battery ‡ ʘtwo 24-pounder guns
CastelHommet headland – Fort Hommet ʘ¤30 Martello tower built 1804 with batteries for six guns
CastelAlbecq – Burton battery ‡ ʘ¤29 Two gun battery with alternate positions and magazine
CastelLe Guet –Rocque de Guet watch house ‡ ʘ¤28 Built in 1780
CastelCobo – South battery and magazine ‡¤26+27 Battery destroyed when road built, but magazine remains intact ʘ
CastelGrandes Rocque – fort and battery ‡ ʘ¤23 Battery held three 24-pounder guns and magazine
ValePortinfer – battery ‡ ʘ¤22 One 20-pounder gun position
ValeRousse – Tower 11 and battery ‡ ʘ¤21 Museum
ValeChouet – Tower 10 ‡ ʘ
ValeLa Lochande Battery ‡
ValePembroke – Pembroke fort ‡ ʘ and Platon battery¤18 One 20-pounder gun
ValePembroke – star fort ‡built 1811, some evidence of earthworks
ValePembroke – Tower 9 ‡ ʘ
ValeL'Ancresse – Tower 8demolished
ValeL’Ancresse – Half Moon and centre batteries¤15+16 demolished
ValeL’Ancresse – Tower 7 ‡ ʘ
ValeL’Ancresse – Tower 6 ‡ ʘ
ValeL’Ancresse – Tower 5 ‡ ʘ
ValeL’Ancresse – Nid de L’Herbe battery ‡ ʘ¤14 Three gun battery with magazine
ValeLe Marchant headland – Fort le Marchant ‡ ʘ¤13 small fort expanded in 1805
ValeLe Marchant headland – Tower 4 ‡ ʘ
ValeFort Doyle ‡ ʘSmall fort and battery built 1805
ValeBeaucette battery¤12 Two 18-pounders upgraded to 20-pounder guns, magazine demolished by quarrying
ValeBordeaux old batterydemolished by quarrying
ValeVale Castle ‡ ʘOld walled fort on small hill
St SampsonMont Crevelt – Tower 3 and battery ‡¤9 small fort with tower and battery protecting harbour
St SampsonBelle Greve Bay – Spur point, and Kempt batteriesSpur point on private land, Kemp has been destroyed
St SampsonBelle Greve Bay – Tower No 2demolished in 1958
St SampsonBelle Greve Bay – Belle Greve battery¤5 demolished
St Peter PortChateau des Marais ‡ ʘmagazine built inside castle
St SampsonHougue-a-la-Pere – Tower No 1 and battery ‡¤4 tower demolished in 1905, battery intact
St Peter PortSalerie battery ʘ¤1 now a car park

Key ‡ Protected Monument £ Accessible with fee ʘ Accessible ¤1850 list and battery number

Post Napoleonic

In 1819 a Picquet House was constructed near the Town Church, its purpose being to provide a harbour side military presence and a lockup for unruly persons.

Victorian era

In 1850 a letter was presented to Queen Victoria listing the defences on the island. During the Victorian era, defence improvements mainly consisted of replacing the Napoleonic cannon with breach loading heavier artillery in the 1870s and modifying forts to take a smaller number of the larger calibre guns. Many of the older batteries were decommissioned. A number of new military buildings were also built.
The militia received updated breach loading rifles in 1870. Drab khaki service dress was issued in 1902 when the militia size was reduced to 1,000 men during times of peace.
Some defensive positions were improved with a small glacis, whilst making the gun positions less obvious to an attacker.
Building works in the Victorian period starting from St Peter Port and moving in a clockwise direction.
ParishPlace/NameNotesCoordinates
St Peter PortCastle Cornet ‡ £improved artillery
St Peter PortArsenalstore for mobile artillery built in 1850 and the Militia
headquarters, now the Island fire station
St Peter PortClarence battery ‡ ʘimproved artillery
CastelFort Hommet ʘimproved artillery and barracks built 1856
ValeL’Ancresse Bay – Pembroke Fort ‡ ʘimproved artillery
ValeFort Le Marchant ‡ ʘimproved artillery and barracks built 1854
ValeFort Doyle ‡ ʘupgrade for improved artillery
St Peter PortBréhon Towersea fort built by 1856
VariousFour militia arsenals built in 1882Le Bordage, St. George,
Les Naftiaux and St. Peter-in-the-Wood

Key ‡ Protected Monument £ Accessible with fee ʘ Accessible

World War I

defences saw just one innovation, the establishment of a French seaplane base, on the pier close to Castle Cornet, in St Peter Port. The pilots flew on constant watch for German submarines.
The rules regarding the militia were changed to suspend the force, the volunteering men were partly scattered amongst British units, the main force was converted into the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry. The island's men went off to war, most to fight in France.
War trophies of four German 13.5 cm K 09 artillery guns were displayed next to Victoria Tower until two were scrapped in 1938 and in 1940 the remaining two were buried in case enemy aircraft suspected they were "live". Forgotten about, they were uncovered in 1978 and are again on display.

World War II

The island was demilitarised in June 1940 including suspending the militia again. During the German occupation which ran from June 1940 to May 1945 a massive building programme was instigated by Germany which saw the construction of tunnels, anti-tank sea walls, coastal casemates, artillery positions, artillery observation towers, radar units and a mass of trenches, minefields and barbed wire entanglements.
Up to 7,000 Organisation Todt workers in Guernsey built mainly in two years, between 1941 and 1943, the bulk of the fortifications. The German Festung Guernsey book recorded 616,000m³ of concrete used in Guernsey, almost 10% of the concrete used in the Atlantic Wall.
Of the eleven artillery batteries on Guernsey, the largest was located in Batterie Mirus, comprising four 30.5 cm guns which had a range of.
Camouflage was used in defensive works by German engineers, as were burying or part burying structures to escape aerial observation and attack. Many guns were designed to fire at an angle across a potential danger area rather than facing the sea, where they would be susceptible to direct fire from ships. The thickness of the concrete walls and roofs of the German structures providing adequate protection for weapons developed by 1944.
Many constructions are on private land and not accessible to the public, others may be looked at, clambered over and a few can be entered with care. Those that can be visited include:
ParishPlace/NameNotesCoordinates
St Peter PortCastle Cornet ‡ £Hafenschloss now a museum
St Peter PortSt Jacques ‡ £Naval Signals HQ, now a museum
St Peter PortLa Vallette tunnels £Tunnels used to store fuel, now a museum
St Andrew"Ho.7/40" tunnels £Large tunnel complex, now the underground hospital museum
ForestGerman Occupation Museum £Main island museum relating to the occupation period
Torteval"Battery Dollmann" ʘRestored German 22 cm battery
Torteval"Observation Tower MP3" £Artillery observation tower now a museum
St PeterL’Eree headland trenches ʘre-excavated trench system
CastelFort Hommet 10.5cm Casement ‡ £Renovated beach defence area now a museum
ValeL’Ancresse ʘAssorted bunkers on the common and nearby anti tank wall
ValeVale Castle ‡ ʘGerman modifications to older castle

Key ‡ Protected Monument £ Accessible with fee ʘ Accessible

Cold War

Castle Cornet provided an underground control bunker, using the WW2 German concrete construction, which would, in the event of war, control shipping in the western end of the English Channel.

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