The Black Death in the Channel Islands
Not the most pleasant of subjects but when the ‘great mortality’ as it was called struck the Channel Islands it left in its’ wake a scarred population, decimated in numbers and traumatised in the minds and bodies of all islanders.
The Normans – A Timeline
Guernsey and the Channel Islands were very much at the heart of the old Duchy of Normandy and then in 1066 we were propelled into the wider world when our Duke, William the Bastard defeated the English King Harold at Hastings. In this artilcle we outline some of the defining moments in the history of the Norman dynasty.
Was King John really that bad?
If there’s one English Monarch who’s consistently had a ‘bad wrap’ it’s King John I. He’s the ultimate in abuse of absolute power, an archetypal villan – portrayed as the cruel King oppressing his people with taxes and arbitrary justice. But is this true ? Was his rule really as bad as folklore seems to say ?
Secrets of The Bayeux Tapestry : Hidden Meanings & Gestures
The Bayeux Tapestry is an historical artifact that never fails to impress depicting as it does such a pivotal moment in British and Channel Island history, that of the invasion & conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066. But look closely and you will come across oddities that are hard to explain, mysterious characters, some named, some not, appear in the main body and borders. Add to that some of the cuirious rather theatrical gestures they appear to be making and there emerges a sense of mystery.
Recipes of Bygone Days – Stewed Ormers; Pickled Ormers & Dressed Ormers
Ormers are ‘quintessentially Guensey’ and have been eaten by the natives of these islands for centuries. Naturally enough therefore there are many ways to prepare and eat them. In this article we’ve resurrected a few of the more ancient recipes from bygone days.
The Day King John Commited Murder and the Channel Islands lost a potential Duke
History can often turn on the actions of a single individual. April the 3rd 1203 was such a day when King John committed murder. If he hadn’t committed this heinous crime then the whole history of Guernsey and the Channels Island could have been radically different.
1066 and all that … the day the Channel Islands became part of England
On Sunday the 14th October 1066 ‘William the Bastard’, Duke of Normandy (andthe Channel Islands), invaded and defeated the Anglo Saxon king of England, so that henceforth the Bastard was to be forever known as William the Conqueror. In this article we look how at how he won at Hastings.
Wordsmith – Test your Guernsey French
Guernsey French is theoretically the mother tongue of our island home, Guernsey. However it is dying out rapidly. So how many of these Guernsey French words do you know (or can guess)? Improve and test your Patois wordpower by matching each of the words below to one of the multiple possible definitions.
St Magloire – Patron Saint of Sark
October 24th is the feast day of a local Saint you may never have heard of, Saint Magloire. He’s credited with introducing Christianity to Sark and as such has been adopted as the patron saint of the island.
The Bayeux Tapestry – The Missing Ending
The Bayeux Tapestry is a beautiful historical artefact that never fails to impress. However this thousand years old embroidery, has a secret. It’s ending is missing! That is until the residents of Alderney crafted a new ending for this iconic artefact.
Guernsey Icons – The Guernsey Milk-Can
Today the Guernsey milk-can has almost disappeared. We still see them of course, but we see little silver ones in jewellers’ shops and bigger ones in copper in old houses and in antique shops. However there are still some people who make them in the old way.
Guernsey Patois – A Language Apart
Guernsey Patois is a very ancient tongue indeed. A descecdant of old Norman French and developed in splendid isolation within the island it has become a true ‘language apart’.
Guernsey Legends – Duke Richard of Normandy and the Devil
It is said that some of the strange imprints on some of the rocks and granite boulders in Guernsey were made by the Devil’s cloven feet as he has prowled around our island home. This legend is one such tale about how Duke Richard of Normandy actually met and fought the Devil
Sark – A Potted History
In this article we have a whirlwind look at the history of one of the most enigmatic of the Channel Islands, Sark.
Power to the People – The Clameur de Haro
The ordinary Guernseyman, and indeed all Channel Islanders, have an extra-ordinary legal power at their fingertips, available no whereelse in the world. The “Clameur de Haro”.
GUERN 8 DVD – Now on Sale
The Guern 8 DVD Quiz is the eighth in the popular series of quiz games based around the island of Guernsey.
Buy it on-line today at the special offer price of £4.99. You can also back order issues of the previous Guern DVDs for £9.99 each.
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