The “Other” Guernsey – Guernsey County : Guernsey Pioneers in The New World
Most people will be familiar with our sister island’s namesake in the US – New Jersey, but less well known is that there’s also a Guernsey in the US , or to be precise a Guernsey County in Ohio. Guernsey County is almost as old as the United States itself. It was formed on the 10th March 1810 when the US was only 24 years old. The County is located in the State of Ohio and rests in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
Guernsey and the French Revolution
The years following the French Revolution in 1789 were dramatic in the history of the island. Many emigres found refuge in Guernsey and the island even ended up as a centre for a spy network operating against the newly formed republic. In this article we look at this pivotal period in Guernsey history.
Columbanus – The Monk Who Saved Europe
You may never have heard of Columbanus, but this radical-thinking monk can be credited with helping to save Europe in crisis after the fall of the Roman Empire.
Basiel Sarniensis – The First Channel Islander Recorded in History?
Baslel Turbeli filius Gallinaria, Sarniensis – a name that emerged from the ground in the town of Algaiola in northern Corsica one day in 1916. A long dead name that had not seen the light of day for over 1000 years. The name of a Roman Marine or sailor serving in the fleet of Miseniense and quite possibly the first Channel Islander’s name ever recorded in History.
How Has The Bayeux Tapestry Survived for So Long ?
The Bayeux Tapestry tells one of the most famous stories in British history. It has survived revolution, war, clumsy restorations and even ‘kidnapping’ and has been threatened with destruction at every turn of these events. So how has it survived for nearly 1,000 years?
Ice Age Guernsey – What was it Like ?
Guernsey and the other Channel Islands have not always been islands. In fact Guernsey has been an island and not an island several times over the millennia with the waxing and waning of various ice ages. But what was it like ?
What would have happened if the gunpowder plot had succeeded?
Any answer to this question will be, of course , pure speculation. However, exploring the possible outcomes of a successful Gunpowder plot is useful in highlighting the underlying tensions at play in what was a very charged historical context. What Actually Happened A Catholic Plot The 1605 gunpowder plot to assassinate King James I and destroy the English parliament was a relatively small conspiracy – the action of...
How Were the Battlefields of WWI Cleared up After the War Ended ?
Whilst the First World War was a truly global conflict the area of devastation on the Western Front was, compared to WWII, more restricted in size. The devastation though was much more concentrated. So, once the killing had stopped how were the bloody, churned up, gas drenched battlefields cleaned up ?
Monks on Herm
Christianity arrived in the Channel Islands during the 6th Century AD. It was brought largely by Welsh refugees escaping the tyranny of the Anglo Saxon invaders in their home areas. In this article we look at one of the smallest Channel Islands – Herm – and how monks came to the island
Why Are British Elections Always Held on Thursdays?
It’s a time-honoured tradition that Brits choose their MPs on a Thursday, which was last broken in 1978, where voters in Hamilton, Scotland, cast their ballots on Wednesday, May 31. The reason? The opening match of the 1978 World Cup was on Thursday, June 1. But why are British elections always held on Thursdays?
Mysteries of History : Troy – Was it Real? Did it Exist?
HISTORY RECORDS ACTUAL EVENTS whereas myths spin tales that help explain a culture’s worldview. It’s where history and myth intersect that we find some of the most enduring legends. In this particular article we look at Troy.
Why Did the Normans have such Odd Haircuts?
Maybe you didn’t even know they had “odd” haircuts – but even by today’s liberal standards they were decidedly “odd”. In this article we look at the (probable) reasons why.
The Day the Gateway to the East was Renamed : When Constantinople became Istanbul
On the 28th March 1930 – after 1,599 years, 10 months and 17 days – Constantinople, named after the Roman Emperor Constantine, became Istanbul.
Mysteries of History : Camelot – Was it Real? Did it Exist?
HISTORY RECORDS ACTUAL EVENTS whereas myths spin tales that help explain a culture’s worldview. It’s where history and myth intersect that we find some of the most enduring legends. In this particular article we look at Camelot.
What’s in a Name – L’Ancresse Bay
L’Ancresse – The Anchorage. (place name) Corruption of Norman French ‘ancre’ – anchor
So, no surprise then that this flat sandy bay in the north of the island should be named as an “anchorage”. What is surprising though is one of the stories associated with how it was given this name. That is the story of when Robert “the devil” Duke of Normandy met the Abbot of St Michel du Valle
