Vale Castle, Guernsey
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Vale Castle, is a protected building located in the
Vale, Guernsey Vale (Guernésiais: ''Lé Vale''; French language, French: ''Le Valle'') is one of the ten parishes of Guernsey in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, Channel Islands. In 933 the islands, formerly under the control of William I, Duke of Normandy, William ...
. The original name was "Le Château St Michel", later it became "Château de Val" or "Château de Valle" and is over 1,000 years old. It defends both St. Sampson's harbour at the eastern end of the
Braye du Valle, Guernsey The Braye du Valle is the area between the main Island of Guernsey and Le Clos du Valle, which was a tidal island to the north. Origins The original reason for the separation of the north of the Island of Guernsey may relate to seismic distur ...
, and Bordeaux Harbour.


History

A tidal passage separated the north of Guernsey from the rest of Guernsey. Earthworks dating from 500 to 600 BC, comprising a double ditch and bank, indicate that an Iron Age fort existed on the hill where Vale Castle now sits.


Middle ages

Around A.D. 968, monks from the Benedictine monastery of
Mont Saint-Michel Mont-Saint-Michel (; Norman: ''Mont Saint Miché''; ) is a tidal island and mainland commune in Normandy, France. The island lies approximately off France's north-western coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches and is i ...
, came to Guernsey to establish the Abbey of St Michael, a community in the north of the island. According to tradition,
Robert II, Duke of Normandy Robert Curthose ( – February 1134, ), the eldest son of William the Conqueror, was Duke of Normandy as Robert II from 1087 to 1106. Robert was also an unsuccessful pretender to the throne of the Kingdom of England. The epithet "Curthose" ...
(the father of
William the Conqueror William the Conqueror (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), sometimes called William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England (as William I), reigning from 1066 until his death. A descendant of Rollo, he was D ...
), was journeying to England in 1032 to help Edward the Confessor. He was obliged to take shelter in Guernsey and gave land, now known as the Clos du Valle, to the monks. In 1061, when pirates attacked and pillaged the island, a complaint was made to Duke William. He sent over Sampson D'Anneville, who succeeded, with the aid of the monks, in driving the pirates out. For this service, Sampson D'Anneville and the monks were rewarded with a grant of half the island between them. The portion going to the monastery, known as ''Le Fief St Michel'', included the land where the castle is located. The castle of Saint Michael (now Vale Castle), was constructed to protect the population against pirates by providing a safe refuge. It is not possible to identify when the medieval works were started, possibly in the late 10th century. During the
English Channel naval campaign (1338–1339) English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...
, the French captured the island and then the castle, where they put its defenders to death. The occupying forces withdrew in 1340 after the
Battle of Sluys The Battle of Sluys ( , ), also called the Battle of l'Écluse, was a naval battle fought on 24 June 1340 between Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France. It took place in the roadstead of the port of Sluis, Sluys (French ''É ...
crippled the French navy. In 1372
Owain Lawgoch Owain ap Thomas ap Rhodri (, July 1378), commonly known as Owain Lawgoch (, ), was a Welsh soldier who served in Lombardy, France, Alsace, and Switzerland. He led a Free Company fighting for the French against the English in the Hundred Year ...
, a claimant to the Welsh throne, led a free company on behalf of France in an attack on Guernsey. The assault was 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 castle as the ''Château de l'Archange'', the location of the last ditch stand against the insurgents.


Early modern period

Granite curtain walls and a gatehouse were added in the 15th century, with other repairs and improvements to walls and installing buttresses being made over the next century. A powder house, guardroom, and houses for the garrison were added around this time. The castle has a well. In 1615 it was the requirement of the island to maintain the Vale castle, as against the Crown which maintained
Castle Cornet Castle Cornet is a large island castle in Guernsey, and former tidal island, also known as Cornet Rock or Castle Rock. Its importance was as a defence not only of the island, but of the roadstead. In 1859, it became part of one of the breakwat ...
. During the nine years of the English Civil War, Parliamentarian troops may have been stationed in Vale Castle as
Castle Cornet Castle Cornet is a large island castle in Guernsey, and former tidal island, also known as Cornet Rock or Castle Rock. Its importance was as a defence not only of the island, but of the roadstead. In 1859, it became part of one of the breakwat ...
supported the
Royalist A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of gove ...
cause whilst the Island of Guernsey supported the Parliamentarian cause. Extensive repairs were recommended in 1680.


Late modern period

The
American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
, which made France an enemy, resulted in barracks and other improvements being added. The French Revolution was also a threat to the island and the castle received one 24-pounder and two 9-pounder cannons. The Castle was fitted with a signal mast to alert the island to the approach of any vessel, with a fire beacon to give alarm at night. In 1799, 6,000 Russian troops were quartered at nearby Delancey. Hundreds died of disease and graves of Russian soldiers are located at the Vale Castle. During the
Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...
the reclaiming of Braye du Valle in 1806-8 saw the end of the separation of Le Clos du Valle, previously a
tidal island A tidal island is a raised area of land within a waterbody, which is connected to the larger mainland by a natural isthmus or man-made causeway that is exposed at low tide and submerged at high tide, causing the land to switch between being ...
, which improved the ability to move troops and better protect the island. The nearby port of St Sampson was expanded with additional trade through the harbor. During World War I the local militia had a small garrison in the castle and between the wars the barracks were used by the States as homes. The last modifications to the castle were the work of
Organisation Todt Organisation Todt (OT; ) was a Civil engineering, civil and military engineering organisation in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945, named for its founder, Fritz Todt, an engineer and senior member of the Nazi Party. The organisation was responsible ...
workers in 1942–4 on behalf of the German occupiers. They demolished the barracks and built four concrete machine-gun positions, three 5 cm mortar positions, trenches, four tobruk pits, and personnel shelters. The defences in ''Stützpunktgruppe Talfeste'' also featured flame throwers, two 60 cm searchlight positions, and two 10.5cm K331(f) field guns.


Design

The Castle is of irregular plan on a hill. It is roughly built with six rounded towers connected with curtain walls and a square gatehouse. The coast is on the south and east and to the west was low lying marsh.


Archaeology

Under the medieval outer bank was a small turf bank which contained pottery dating to 500-600 BC with similar pottery found in a second bank under the 14th Century military buildings inside the walls. This hillfort, with its double-bank, is unique in Guernsey. Large excavations took place in 1980. These indicated that the original construction date for the late medieval works was around 1370–1400.


Protection

The whole of the Chateau de Marais was listed as a Protected Monument on 26 March 1938, reference PM124.


The arts

*
Francis Grose Francis Grose (before 11June 173112May 1791) was an England, English antiquary, drawing, draughtsman, and lexicographer. He produced ''A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue'' (1785) and ''A Provincial Glossary, with a Collection of Local ...
(1731-1791) created a copper engraved print ''St.Michael's, or the Vale Castle, 1786'' and ''St. Sampson's Church 1777'' with the Vale Castle in the background *
Robert Mudie Robert Mudie (28 June 1777– 29 April 1842) was a British newspaper editor, journalist, and author. He wrote books on a wide range of subjects including mathematics and astronomy, English history, geography and life. He was also a keen naturali ...
(1777-1842) Print published in ''Historical and Topographical Description of the Channel Islands 1840'' * Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851) sketched the Castle. *
Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo, vicomte Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romanticism, Romantic author, poet, essayist, playwright, journalist, human rights activist and politician. His most famous works are the novels ''The Hunchbac ...
(1802-1885) mentions the Vale Castle in his 1866 book ''
Toilers of the Sea ''Toilers of the Sea'' () is a novel by Victor Hugo published in 1866. The book is dedicated to the island of Guernsey, where Hugo spent 15 years in exile. Hugo uses the setting of a small island community to transmute seemingly mundane events i ...
'' * Edwin Hayes, R.H.A., R.I., R.O.I. (1819-1904), painted ''Vale Castle/Guernsey E Hayes Buscoe House/Stedes Rd''


Access and current use

Vale Castle is open to the public. It accessible on foot with entry free of charge except on days when private events are staged. Free parking is available at Bordeaux or off Castle Road. The castle is becoming popular for music festivals and private parties. The Vale Earth Fair has been held in the Castle for over 40 years. The public can walk through the German era trenches and view Tobruk pits, MG positions and a personnel shelter.


Gallery

File:Guernsey July 2010 burial ground Vale Castle.jpg, Burial ground Vale Castle File:A Guide to the Island of Guernsey 1826 Mount Crevet and Vale Castle.jpg, 1826 Mont Crevelt with the Vale Castle in the background File:Guernsey July 2010 Vale Castle 06.jpg, German searchlight passage File:Guernsey July 2010 Vale Castle 10.jpg, German field gun position File:Guernsey July 2010 Vale Castle 02.jpg, German heavy machine gun position


See also

* Fortifications of Guernsey


References

{{Castles in Guernsey Coastal fortifications Fortifications in Guernsey Castles in Guernsey Tourist attractions in Guernsey