Guernsey Flying high: birdwatching in Guernsey PAGE 36 PARADISE FOUND The house and gardens at Sausmarez Manor SUMMER 2022 Away with the fairies: folklore traditions PAGE 28 Seven propertiesmagnificentforsalePAGE 38 LtdImagesBirkby/AWLRobert CLI369.guernsey_cover.indd 25 11/08/2022 15:11
Guernsey Masterpiece Castel, Guernsey Guernsey Airport: 3 miles, St Peter Port: 3 miles One of Guernsey’s foremost homes and perhaps the finest country estate in the Channel Islands. Centrally located to enjoy all the island has to offer, with convenient access to both the West coast beaches and Guernsey’s vibrant town centre. Interior designed principal house, 3 family guest cottages and 2 further staff properties, tennis court, squash court, swimming pool, health suite and beautifully landscaped garden Freehold | TRP = 6022 About 35 acres | Guide £25 million
savills savills.gg Lindsay Cuthill Savills London Country Department 020 4579 6108 lcuthill@savills.com Richard Fox Savills Guernsey 01481 713 463 richard.fox@savills.com Nick Paluch Savills Guernsey 01481 713 463 nick.paluch@savills.com
Stylish Cliff Edge Home St Peter Port, Guernsey St Peter Port: 1.5 miles Beautifully finished Arts & Crafts style mansion, sitting within bluebell carpeted pine woods above Fermain Bay and enjoying panoramic sea views. 3 reception rooms, 5 en suite bedrooms, study, snooker room, home cinema, cellarage, cloisters, triple garage with apartment above and attractive gardens. Freehold | TRP = 1346 About 2 acres | Guide £10.65 million
savills savills.gg Richard Fox Savills Guernsey 01481 713 463 richard.fox@savills.com Nick Paluch Savills Guernsey 01481 713 463 nick.paluch@savills.com
St Peter Port, Guernsey One of Guernsey’s foremost town houses with views over St Peter Port and out to sea. 6 reception rooms, 3 kitchens, breakfast room, 6 bedrooms (5 en suite), 1 further bathroom, 3 cloakrooms, dressing room, study, utility room, double garage, further parking, garden stores, manicured gardens and courtyard. Freehold | TRP = 947 Guide £7.95 million savills savills.gg Outstanding Georgian Residence Richard Fox Savills Guernsey 01481 713 463 richard.fox@savills.com Nick Paluch Savills Guernsey 01481 713 463 nick.paluch@savills.com
Castel, Guernsey St Peter Port: 3.6 miles A rare opportunity to acquire one of Guernsey’s most beautiful historic properties dating back to the 1500s, situated in picturesque valley surroundings with mature woodland and walled gardens. 5 reception rooms, 10 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, barn, fronted courtyard, car port and agricultural land Freehold | TRP = 1873 About 14.4 acres | Guide £4.25 million savills savills.gg Victorian Manor Estate Richard Fox Savills Guernsey 01481 713 463 richard.fox@savills.com Nick Paluch Savills Guernsey 01481 713 463 nick.paluch@savills.com
Castel, Guernsey St Peter Port: 2.7 miles A striking double bay fronted manor house in an elevated and central location with extensive grounds and a detached cottage annexe. 6 reception rooms, 2 kitchens, 6 bedrooms (3 en suite), 2 further bathrooms, 2 cloakrooms, snug, laundry room, triple garage, stable block, mature grounds and paddock Freehold | TRP = 1169 About 6 acres | Guide £4.45 million savills savills.gg Characterful Country Home Richard Fox Savills Guernsey 01481 713 463 richard.fox@savills.com Nick Paluch Savills Guernsey 01481 713 463 nick.paluch@savills.com
St Peter Port, Guernsey Regency architecture combining immaculate style with contemporary finishes, located in a peaceful residential area 3 reception rooms, 6 bedrooms (3 en suite), breakfast room, media room, home office/library, utility room, garden pavilion, garage and walled garden Freehold | TRP = 614 Guide £5.45 million savills savills.gg Superb Georgian Townhouse Richard Fox Savills Guernsey 01481 713 463 richard.fox@savills.com Nick Paluch Savills Guernsey 01481 713 463 nick.paluch@savills.com
26 | Country Life | August 17, 2022 Country Life International GuernseyDespres/VisitNick
Saving lives for 100 years
Don’t miss West Show and Guernsey North Show/Battle of Flowers
OttoPLUS Recently opened, this restaurant brings traditional Italian food to St Peter Port (www.otto8.gg)
Puffin & Oyster This new pub in Le Grand Havre enjoys magnificent views of the coast (www.liberationgroup.com) La Vallette Bathing Pools Fresh facilities have rejuvenated these 150-year-old sea-swimming pools (www.thebathingpools.com)
Lawnmower races Sark may have no cars, but it doesn’t miss out on racing, with lawnmowers doing battle to win a hill climb and a race on August 26 and 27 (07781 426115) Cobo balcony gigs Music bands play on the balcony of the Cobo Bay Hotel on select dates. The last event, on August 28, will feature a tribute to Queen (www.visitguernsey.com) Autumn walking festival Panoramic, historic and literary walks revealsthe island’s beautiful corners. September 17–October 2 (www.visitguernsey.com/)
Guernsey’s Beau Sejour Leisure Centre will host sporting prowess during the 2023 Island Games Can you help bring Bob the pigeonhominghome? Mr
Ready for action
flightTransatlantic
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‘We’re looking forward to hosting everyone for the return of competition next summer,’ adds Brian Allen, chairman of the Guernsey Island Games Association. ‘An Island Games is always special, but nothing beats a home one.’ The competition will take place from July 8–14, 2023. Visit www.iiga.org for more information. It happened in the Bailiwick Royal seal of approval
The Prince of Wales has granted a Royal Warrant to the Guernsey Clematis Nursery. The business, which produces more than three million clematis a year, is the first Royal Warrant holder on the island Egg-ceptional weather In some of Guernsey’s highestever temperatures in late July, catering manager Stuart Anderson fried an egg on his car bonnet for the second time. The first egg was fried in 1994 Licence to sail From June 25 to July 2, Guernsey hosted the inaugural Spirit Yachts Regatta. The handmade boats, featured in ‘James Bond’ films, competed in six races. Spirit 52 Flight of Ufford was crowned the winner The word is murder Alderney stars in Anthony Horowitz’s latest book, A Line to Kill, in which a murder takes place amid a literary festival attended, among others, by one Mr Horowitz
The Guernsey Fire and Rescue service celebrates its centenary this year, having been formally launched on July 1, 1922 (there had been firefighters on the island since the 18th century). A series of events will mark the anniversary, including an open day at the town arsenal fire station and a gala dinner in June 2023
PERHAPs it was the Atlantic winds or the promise of shelter aboard a boat, but a westward turn must have seemed like a good idea to Bob, a homing pigeon flying from Guernsey to Gateshead in Tyneside. Unfortunately, it took the bird on a 4,000-mile detour that eventually saw him alight at a home in Monroeville in Alabama, US. But all’s well that ends well: Bob was taken to the Monroe County Animal Shelter, where staff made contact with his owner, Tyneside resident Alan Todd. ‘I think he landed on a boat in the Channel in a thunderstorm,’ explains Mr Todd. ‘I’m flying out to get him.’ Mr Todd has launched a fundraiser to help bring Bob home and support the shelter that housed bob-home-from-alabama).(www.gofundme.com/f/get-a-him
I T may still be 11 months away, but excitement for the upcoming Guernsey 2023 NatWest International Island Games is already building on the island. The competition—which sees sportsmen as far afield as the Falklands, Greenland and new-entry Gozo battle it out in everything from athletics to badminton and judo—will be the first held since Covid hit in 2020 and representatives from participating islands visited Guernsey last month to tour the facilities. ‘Important friendships have been made,’ says Dame Mary Perkins, chair of the Guernsey 2023 organising committee, who explains that volunteer attachés gave visitors ‘a good Guernsey welcome and set the tone for 2023’.
The island’s biggest agricultural shows take place on August 17–18 and 24–25 (www.visitguernsey.com)respectively
01481 729100 You’ve seen thepaintings, nowexperience theinspiration. With our warmer climate, breathtaking coastline, awardwinning beaches and idylliccountryside, it’s easy to see why Renoir chosetolivehere. Pierre-Auguste Renior,View at Guernsey.Image courtesy Clark ArtInstitute.clarkart.edu To startyour journey, call theLocateGuernseyteamon +44(0)1481 220011,email enquiries@locateguernsey.com, or visit locateguernsey.com Follow us.Search: LocateGuernsey Abetterlife foryou
Alamy CLI369.guernsey_folklore.indd 28 10/08/2022 11:34
Once on this island
28 | Country Life | August 17, 2022 Country Life International
Many stories are linked to the island’s prehistoric sites—its dolmens and ancient stones supposedly concealing all manners of treasure at their feet. One, in particular, tells of a man who looked for treasure under a dolmen near Rocquaine Bay. Late into the night, after he’d dug many holes, he found what he sought— only for the coins to turn into shells, as a giant, black conger eel emerged from the burrow. Frightened, the man ran away and the dolmen’s treasure remained untouched. Nor is the conger eel the only guardian of t he island’s dolmens. Ruthless spirits play their part, too. Once, a Guernsey man, a Mr Hocart of Belval, on the borders of L’Ancresse, was so keen to build himself a new house that, disregarding received wisdom, he broke up the Singing Rock—a dolmen so named because it made a ringing sound when struck—to shape it into doorposts and lintels. Soon afterwards, a mysterious fire burned his new home to the ground, killing two of his servants. But Mr Hocart’s misfortunes were far from over. Pa rts
THE devil once lived in Guernsey, or so story has it. It came in the early Middle Ages, but didn’t remain for long. A saint, perhaps St Sampson, journeyed to the island to drive it out. The battle between the two stretched across Guernsey, until the devil was eventually beaten by Fontenelle Bay. As it fled, however, it slammed one hoofed leg down before leaping away into the air. The stone that bears the devil’s hoof print may still be seen today, although the deep mark of a cloven hoof has earned it the rather more prosaic nickname of Le Pid du Boeuf (the ox’s foot). Myths and legends are as integral to Guernsey as its sunny skies, sinuous coastline and pleasant meadows—so much so that, over the centuries, books have collected and preserved the tales (not least Guernsey Folk Lore by Victorian bailiff Sir Edgar MacCulloch) and, today, the Guernsey Museum at Candie has a dedicated Folklore Gallery (www.museums. gov.gg).Someof the traditions, explains Matt Harvey, curator of the Folklore Gallery, are very similar to English ones: Guernsey’s Lé Faëu Boulanger—mysterious nightlights dancing above the ground—can clearly be likened to the descriptions of Will-o’-the Wisp or Ghost Lights. Others, however, are specific to the i sland, from La Biche, ‘a giant, spectral nanny goat that was said to haunt a particular corner of La Rue des Grons in St Martins parish’ to Lé Haptalaön, a hobgoblin that lurked in the long grass of the oldest orchards. ‘It would creep up on unwary children, grab them by the ankle and drag them away.’
From conger eels to witches with creaky joints, Carla Passino and Nicco Bargioni explore Guernsey’s rich folkloric heritage
I encourage people to share their supernatural experiences, in confidence, to become part of the historical record.’
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The Guernsey Museum has re-created many ancient tales in its Folklore Gallery, but not every story is steeped in the past. Despite not having ever experienced a supernatural encounter himself, Mr Harvey— a self-confessed ‘open-minded sceptic’—has had reports of occurrences from ‘perfectly ordinary, down-to-earth’ people and urges everyone to share their own: ‘The worst thing would be to dismiss people’s experiences out of hand and not record them,’ he notes. ‘Because, when we are more enlightened in the future, we’ll have nothing to reinterpret and no history of these events to look back on, analyse and learn from.
August 17, 2022 | Country Life | 29 Supernatural of the dolmen had been made into paving stones and loaded onto two ships for England, in which he had invested—but both sunk under mysterious circumstances. His new home in Alderney was also lost in a blaze and, later, he himself was killed when, having boarded a ship to return to Guernsey, he was struck by the rigging during the journey. Dolmens may have the strongest connection with the supernatural, but, in 1921, research by Lt-Col Thomas De Guerin showed that dozens of different places across the island were thought to be home to spirit guardians, g hosts, spectral dogs (le Tchico) and Guernsey’s very own fairies, the pouques. One such place was the Table des Pions, a stone circle at the south-west corner of the island: pions (footmen) congregated there for picnics during the d ay, but elves and fairies would dance around it at night. Legend has it that, if a human were to walk around the ring three times, then make a wish, the fairies would grant it.
The worst thing would be to dismiss everyone’s experience out of hand
Another gathering place for pouques was a stream called le Douit d’Israel, near the church of St Pierre du Bois. A local family, the De Garis, lived nearby and was on such good terms with the fairies that, at night, they would call out to the man of the house, asking him to lend them his cart and horses so that they may fetch rocks and pebbles, promising to repair any damage they might cause. Harness jingling and wheels turning, the cart would then vanish, to be returned the following morning with all damage fixed—in silver. A rich collection of tales often goes hand in hand with superstition and Guernsey is no exception. In the past, local families would keep their bees apprised of any important news, going as far as tying a black ribbon to the hives in case of death, and fishermen would always go ‘on their boats’ rather than ‘fishing’, in case any pesky sea creature overheard them and decided to deny them their catch. They’d also take their hats off to the Le Petit Bon-Homme Andriou, a vaguely man-shaped rock off Jerbourg Point, to secure good luck at sea. On land, it was La Gràn’ Mère du Chimquière—an ancient sculpture outside the St. Martin churchyard—that brought good luck if dutifully homaged with food, coins or flowers. An especially zealous Victorian church warden, worried about the souls of the local people, tried to break it into pieces, but he faced such a backlash that he had to put it back together (although La Gràn’ Mère still bears a ‘scar’ across the middle). Not all superstition was benign—Guernsey, like elsewhere, had its spate of witchcraft trials in the 16th and the 17th centuries, with t he last sorceress, Margueritte Preud’homme, banished from the island in July 1649.
The Table des Pions in south-west Guernsey. Walk around the circle three times, make a wish and, perhaps, the island’s resident fairies may grant it
However, in a light-hearted take on local sorcery, a story written by the Guernsey Museum has an old woman complain about her reputation as a broomstick-riding witch —when her creaky joints barely allow her to walk to the door in the morning.
un
un www.livingroomproperty.com GUERNSEY T (0) 1481 715555 JERSEY T (0) 1534 717100 The ‘One and Only’ Channel Island estate agent Livingroom is an internationally recognised award-winning agency born and bred in the Channel Islands We proudly represent the finest properties in both Guernsey and Jersey and are so passionate about the islands; in 2022 our Jersey office was named as the best single office estate agent in the world. With unparalleled local knowledge, our team are here for you.
Alamy who had carved the marble monument to Philip in Westminster Abbey, was commis sioned to make a unicorn and greyhound for the Sausmarez Manor gate piers. Heralding the main entrance on the St Martin’s to St Peter Port road, these splendid armorial beasts trumpet the family’s reconnection with its Guernsey roots. For the previous two centuries, however, the property had belonged to the Andros family, John Andros having inherited from his mother, Judith de Sausmarez, in 1557.
SCION of diplomats, admirals, generals, politicians, colonial governors and adventurers, sportsman and inventor Peter de Sausmarez is the latest in his illustrious line to leave a mark on Guernsey’s most ancient manorial seat, Sausmarez Manor. The de Sausmarezs first came here as Seigneurs of the Fief de Sausmarez in the 13th century, but their connection with the place might have died out had Philip de Sausmarez (1710–47) not been serving on HMS Centurion when it seized the Nuestra S ē nora de Covadonga off the Philippines in 1743. Philip, who played a lead ing role in the capture, was put in command of the highly prized Spanish galleon and sailed it to Canton, where it was sold. The cargo—36 cartloads of gold, silver and other treasures plundered in Acapulco—was divided up among the key participants and so great was its value that the de Sausmarez fortunes were transformed. When Philip was killed at the second Battle of Cape Finisterre, he left his money to his brother, on condition that he buy back Sausmarez Manor, which had passed out of the male line in the 16th century. Thus, in 1748, this younger branch of the family regained its ancestral home. Some years later, the leading sculptor Sir Henry Cheere, Mary Miers retraces the history of Sausmarez Manor and marvels at the beauty of the house and its subtropical gardens
A joy to behold
One of the most distinguished Andros descendants was John’s grandson Sir Edmund, who was not only the first governor of New Sculpture has been synonymous with Sausmarez Manor since 1998
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The compact plan of only one room either side of the oak staircase on each of the main floors survives, with rooms that retain original panelling and powder closets, one lined with 17th-century Mortlake tapestries. In about 1820, Thomas de Sausmarez, who had 28 children, doubled the depth of the house.
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August 17, 2022 | Country Life | 33 Gardens Alamy York, but also held governorships of New Plymouth, Guernsey and five other American states. When he died in 1714, he left his fortune to his nephew John, provided he ‘build within five years of my death a good suitable house on or at the manor of Sasmares in Guernsey’.
The new rear range, which included the draw ing and dining rooms and was remodelled to its present form in 1873, overlooks a yard sloping down to a fish pond. Barns of vary ing ages stand on either side, the (altered) In recent years, current owner Peter de Sausmarez has moved away from sculpture to subtropical planting and even poetry
The result, built of ashlar blocks of local granite, was a house of an elegance and Classical proportion not seen before in the Channel Islands. Although no architect is recorded—it was possibly drawn up from a pattern book—and its William-and-Mary style would have seemed old fashioned in England when it was built in 1714–18, it had a revolutionary influence on the buildings of Guernsey and Jersey. No other farm or manor house had yet acquired such perfect symmetry or fine internal woodwork. The steps leading up to the segmental-pedimented front door, the diminutive pediment atop the oversailing eaves cornice and the belvedere on the roof ridge provide a satisfying central emphasis to the three-storey, five-bay façade, the alternating dormer heads a subtle play on the contrasting triangular and segmental pediments below. Not only do we see here the earliest surviving hipped roof in the Channel Islands, but also their first fanlight and sliding sash windows, the latter glittering with a remarkable 24 panes of glass each.
Korea and Tasmania, marvel at angels’ trum pets in winter bloom and admire a handkerchief tree and 200 camellias. Palm trees, Japanese and African banana trees and giant stands of bamboo add height— Phyllostachys viridiglaucescens reaches 30ft; rewilded areas are spangled with snowdrops and bluebells. There are ginger, arum and canna lilies; giant geraniums, echiums and agapanthus; yams and lily-of-the-valley trees. Visitors can follow a poetry path and stumble upon works such as Tim Fortune’s syruplike Drop in stainless steel or Tomas Horvath’s sweeping granite head The Messenger. Many of the plants would not grow easily on the mainland, which is what makes the setting of Sausmarez Manor so exceptional. It’s a subtropical paradise that owes much to the creative energy of the current seigneur —and it deserves to be a winner.
‘Tudor barn’ on the left incorporating part of John Andros’s house, a surviving lintel of which is inscribed ‘I A 1585’, and some stonework from its medieval predecessor. The Victorian work was carried out by Gen George de Sausmarez with the help of a local engineer and surveyor, James Duquemin Jnr. The set piece was the baro nial hall positioned to the right of the entrance front, which was ‘contrived by the general himself with monstrous amateur brio,’ as Alistair Rowan wrote in his article on Sausmarez Manor (C OUNTRY L IFE , November 25, 1971). It featured ‘a sprawling staircase, twice the size of anything else in the house’, with Breton church sculptures, caryatid figures and Burmese wood carvings lending ‘vigorous eccentricities’. Having escaped requisition during the German Occupation in the 1940s because it had no electric light, the house was modern ised in the 1950s by Cecil de Sausmarez, from whom Peter de Sausmarez acquired the manor in 1982. It came with one of the titles traditionally held by the seigneur— Echanson heredetaire du Roy d’Angleterre. Another title— Chatelaine de Jerbourg, charged with keeping the fort in good order —was relinquished in 1940.
Sausmarez Manor, St Martin, Guernsey, is open for guided historic and ghost tours. The Wild Subtropical Gardens ArtParK is open all year (01481 235571; www.sausmarez manor.co.uk; www.artparks.co.uk).
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Sausmarez Manor is also the headquarters for Art Parks International, a comprehen sive website devoted to sculpture for sale (www.artparks.co.uk) The
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tofromtobringschemescurrentandareSausmarezpristineheadsthatpastsculptures,andpresent,reartheironthelawnsofManorascolourfuljoyfulastheplantingthatlushinterestthegardens,bananatreesgiantgeraniums
Sausmarez Manor opened to the public in the 1960s and, since then, Mr de Sausmarez has initiated many visitor attractions in and around the house, from ghost tours and an annual sculpture festival to a coffee roastery and artisan copper workshop in the barns. But his outstanding legacy is the transformation of the woodland gardens into one of the UK’s first country-house sculpture parks, opened in 1998, and a pioneering subtropical garden that has been shortlisted for two prestigious awards this year. The Wild Subtropical Gardens ArtParK, as it’s now known, is one of only eight in the run ning for the Historic Houses Association’s Garden of the Year award (you can vote online until September 30); it has also been selected for the RHS’s 2022 regional Partner Garden of the Year competition. The four-acre garden, with two lakes, still provides a lush backdrop for some 60 works of abstract and figurative sculpture, all of which are for sale. However, when the craze took off in the early 2000s and commercial country-house sculpture parks became two a penny, Mr de Sausmarez decided to shift his focus to redeveloping the subtropical gardens. Today, you can wind through surging waves of ferns brought from as far away as
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Country Life International CLI369.guernsey_birdwatching.indd 36 10/08/2022 11:38
Above: Peregrine falcons are celebrated on the bailiwick’s stamps. Below: A griffon vulture, a rare visitor Much to the chagrin of Jersey birders, the royal tern never visited
David Tomlinson enjoys birdwatching on Guernsey, as he takes in a bewitching array of migratory species
The island has a long history of unlikely birds turning up. Perhaps the most remarkable is the griffon vulture that spent four days on Guernsey in August 2000 (it was also seen on Sark). Previously, the last record of a griffon from mainland Britain had been in 1927. Because of its more westerly position, there’s far more chance of finding a vagrant American wader on Guernsey than Jersey. Buff-breasted sandpipers, for example, are almost annual, yet exceedingly rare on the larger island. The most intriguing among the many migrants that occur regularly on Guernsey, but not Jersey, is Pallas’s warbler, a tiny bird from Asia that is now recorded almost annually, but has only once been found on the neighbouring island. Historic records reveal birds that are unlikely to ever be found again, such as an Icelandic gyr falcon in 1876, two little bustards shot in 1865 and 1874 and a Pallas’s sandgrouse shot in May 1888. There also are nine pre-war records of whitetailed eagles, but most were shot or poisoned. The reintroduction project on the Isle of Wight may well lead to future sightings of this impressive raptor. Perhaps the most celebrated of Guernsey’s rarities, however, was a royal tern that was first found in February 2017 on the north-east tip of the island. Royal terns are big, elegant birds with a strikingly large orange beak; they are principally an American species and are exceedingly rare vagrants to British waters. Guernsey’s individual remained around its coast for more than a year, eventually departing north for a short tour of the south coast of England, where it drew crowds of twitchers. Much to the chagrin of Jersey birders, it never notpairing,areandSeabirdsvisited.islandsanaturalsoit’ssurprising to learn that Guernsey has nesting guillemots, razorbills and even puffins, together with fulmars and shags. The numbers may be modest, especially compared with the colonies of Shetland or Orkney, but these are among the most southerly breeding auks anywhere in the world. Unlike in the northern isles, where good weather is often in short supply, visitors to Guernsey are more likely to enjoy watching these birds in the sunshine, as the Channel Islands are officially the sunniest location in the British Isles. A short distance off Guernsey’s eastern coast are the tiny islands of Herm and Jethou, and they, together with nine rocky islets, including Grande Fauconnière, Crevichon and Bréhon Tower, plus six sandbanks (The Humps) and surrounding shallow tidal waters, make up a Ramsar site, a wetland of international importance. No fewer than nine species of seabirds breed, as do grey seals, and bottlenose dolphins can be seen throughout the year. There can be few prettier places to watch birds than Herm, the smallest publicly accessible Channel Island. Both cars and bicycles are banned and it takes 10 minutes to walk from one side of the island to the other. One of the many joys of Guernsey is its pretty countryside, which, thanks to small-scale agriculture, has apparently changed little for many decades, although local residents complain that the never-ending demand for more houses has inevitably reduced the habitat
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ountry Life | August 17, 2022 All in a flap
T HERE’S a rule in birdwatching: the smaller the island, the fewer the number of breeding birds. That’s certainly true of Guernsey, with only 80 species that nest regularly. However, it’s also true that small islands have a happy knack of attracting interesting and often rare migrants, which is also the case with Guernsey. Among the rarities that arrive regularly are honey buzzards, rosecoloured starlings, short-toed larks and both melodious and yellow-browed warblers.
Clockwise from top left: Peregrine falcons; gannets nesting on Alderney; a European honey buzzard; an Atlantic puffin in breeding plumage
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AlamyGetty; available for wildlife. It is, of course, dairy country and the island’s 1,400 gold and white Guernsey cows help explain the abundance of swallows. The pastures grazed by the cows are hunted by barn owls. These owls’ principal prey is the Guernsey vole, a species that, although widespread on the Continent, on these shores is restricted to Guernsey andGuernsey’sOrkney. barn owls do not have to compete with tawny owls, for the latter are absent from the Channel Islands. This leaves a niche for long-eared owls—a few pairs nest annually on Guernsey and there’s usually a pair on Herm, too. They are easiest to find in the spring, when the chicks’ persistent and far-carrying food-begging calls reveal their presence. There’s only one species of bird that breeds on Guernsey, but has never bred on mainland Britain: the short-toed treecreeper. On the Channel island, it’s a widespread breeding bird in parks, large gardens and woods. There’s now far more woodland on the island than there was 70 years ago—most of it had been cleared during the German occupation—so this easily overlooked species is benefiting from the changing landscape. Nature every spring, suggesting that Birdwatchers searching for migrants have the best chance of mont, Jerbourg, Icart and Fort Doyle. There are hides at Claire Mare, Grand Pré and Rue des Bergers nature reserves, where a variety of waders and water birds can be seen, depending on the time of the year. For woodland birds, check out the valleys of Fauxquets, Talbot and Petit Bot. For the serious birder, late summer and early autumn are the most exciting times, when flocks of endangered Balearic shearwaters can be seen in their hundreds from the northern headlands, with the chance, too, of spotting a variety of skuas, terns, gulls and shearwaters. If you discover a rare breeding species that you think might be vulnerable, contact La Société Guernesiaise, a local charity that researches the island’s history and natural history (01481 725093; www.societe.org.gg) and has considerable experience in protecting rare breeding birds. If you are lucky enough to find a rare migrant, do let the La Société know, for it has an active bird section. Like elsewhere, Guernsey has lost a number of breeding birds during the past 100 years. Choughs last bred in 1929, although a reintroduction programme on Jersey may well lead to these attractive red-beaked crows establishing themselves on Guernsey’s cliffs—this spring, a pair of birds has been present on the cliffs at Pleinmont. Both corncrakes and wrynecks disappeared in the 1930s; more recent losses included skylarks, mistle thrushes and yellowhammers, none of which are now regular breeders. However, there have been gains, too. Until recently, buzzards were regarded as passage migrants, but they first nested in 2011 and are now firmly established. Great spotted woodpeckers are another former rarity that has now become an established breeding bird. Peregrines were lost as breeding birds in the 1950s, but started nesting again in 1997 and there are now at least three pairs. Fan-tailed warblers have nested a few times in recent years, and look likely to establish themselves, and Dartford warblers are to be found through the year in the gorse. In recent years, a colony of little egrets has become established near Herm and golden orioles are heard
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38 | Country Life | August 17, 2022 Country Life International Castel, £4.25 million Le Groignet is a magnificent estate nestling in one of the island’s most picturesque valleys, dating in part from 1581. The principal house is Victorian and retains many character features: accommodation is spread over three floors, offering well-proportioned rooms with good natural light. There are five entertaining and family rooms in the main house, with additional accommodation available in a selfcontained side wing and a cottage. The substantial holding includes magnificent landscaped gardens and 15 acres of woods and farm land, which offer total privacy, as well as beautiful outlooks in every direction. Savills (01481 713463, www.savills.com)
St Peter Port, price on application Mont Bleu is a handsome 9,000sq ft townhouse in an elevated position in St Peter Port, offering amazing panoramic views out over the busy harbour, Castle Cornet and the offshore islands. The main accommodation is arranged over four floors: downstairs, the 50ft integrated kitchen-living area flows seamlessly into the outdoor spaces. Upstairs are seven bedroom suites, many of which could easily work as a home office or as guest accommodation. Outside, the extensive terraces make the most of the far-reaching views. Livingroom (01481 715555; www.livingroom.gg)
The magnificent seven Holly Kirkwood discovers a selection of the most beautiful properties for sale across Guernsey St Saviour, £2.275 million Fleur De Lys is a charming four-bedroom country house with two acres of gardens within walking distance of Perelle Bay, on the island’s west coast. Accommodation comprises sitting room, dining room, kitchen and sun room, plus a further bedroom (or study) downstairs; the rest of the bedrooms, including the primary suite and a family bathroom, are upstairs. Outside, past the gardens, lie the tennis court and an agricultural field, which could make a fine wildflower meadow or paddock. Livingroom (01481 715555; www.livingroom. gg), Cooper Brouard (01481 236039; www.cooperbrouard.com), Swoffers (01481 711766; www.swoffers.co.uk)
With youevery step of the way OFFSHORE LAWSPECIALISTS BIGGER PICTURE BERMUDABRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS CAYMAN ISLANDS GUERNSEY JERSEY CAPE TOWN HONG KONG LONDON SINGAPORE careyolsen.com If youare considering relocating to Guernsey, we havethe localknowledge and experience to guide youand your family through all aspectsofyour move We canintroduce youtothe keypeople involved in the residencyapplicationprocess and provide specialist legal adviceinrelation to relocation; residential and commercial property; Guernseytax and the implications of becoming aGuernseytax resident; relocating your assets,investments and business interests; and helping your key employees move to the Island. RELATED SERVICES ⁄ Relocation ⁄ PrivateClient ⁄ Residential and Commercial Property ⁄ Manager Relocation ⁄ Trustsand EstatePlanning ⁄ Wills and Inheritance ⁄ CorporateLaw ⁄ Regulatory ⁄ Family Office ⁄ Foundations and Philanthropy ⁄ Employment, Pensions and Incentives To discussyour requirements in confidence, please contact: Jason Morgan Partner,Property D+44 (0)1481741563 Ejason.morgan@careyolsen.com Russell Clark Partner,Trustsand PrivateWealth D+44 (0)1481732049 Erussell.clark@careyolsen.com Davey Le Marquand Partner,Property D+44 (0)1481732009 Edavey.lemarquand@careyolsen.com Image courtesyofVisitGuernsey
St Andrew, £3.25 million Located in an idyllic rural spot in St Andrew, a few minutes’ drive from the airport, Les Blicqs is a traditional farmhouse with beautiful natural light throughout. The reception rooms on the lower floors are ideal for both entertaining and family life. Upstairs are three bedrooms, with a fourth in the selfcontained apartment. The charming gardens extend into a mature woodland; the land totals a little more than five acres.
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St Peter Port, £7.95 million One of the finest Georgian properties on the island, The Elms is a magnificent townhouse in a prime residential area of St Peter Port, offering terrific views out over Cambridge Park and flexible accommodation over four levels. It includes six bed rooms and the reception rooms all have pleasing proportions and large, elegant windows. The basement opens straight onto the exceptional walled gar dens, which have been carefully curated over many years and feature a succession of southfacing terraces, which fall away overlooking the gardens of Candie Museum.
Swoffers (01481 711766; www.swoffers.co.uk) St Saviour, £2.95 million La Grande Rue is a charming farm house located inland from the best beaches on Guernsey’s west coast. There are several reception rooms, including a family room, sitting room, dining room, study, snug and a large breakfast kitchen, plus five bed rooms and six bath/shower rooms. A converted barn, which could offer additional accommodation, lies out side, as do two local-market properties that provide an annual income. The gardens are immaculately land scaped: the far end of the pool house offers the perfect spot to while away sunny afternoons. Swoffers (01481 711766; www.swoffers.co.uk)
40 | Country Life | August 17, 2022 Country Life International
Savills (01481 713463, www.savills.com) St Martin, £5.45 million Highfield is an elegant period family home with a pretty village on its doorstep and access to clifftop walks along the southeast coast. A range of reception rooms downstairs provides ample space for relaxing and hosting company, as does the orangery in the extension and the cinema room on the lower ground floor. The five generous bedrooms are all upstairs. Outside, the mature gardens offer wonderful views out to sea. Cooper Brouard (01481 swoffers.co.uk)Swoffers715555;savills.com),Savillswww.cooperbrouard.com),236039;(01481713463;www.Livingroom,(01481www.livingroom.gg),(01481711766;www.
Switchboard: +4 4 (0)1481 755862 Email: taxenquiries@lts-tax .com or visit lts-tax .com Guernsey is quiet and unassuming Island, offering relocators a safe and secure lifest yle, a single fixe d rate of personal income t ax , no capital taxes and annual maximum income tax caps that range from £40,0 00 to £260,0 00 (dep ending upon individual circumst ances) For more information please call either; PROACTIVE, HIGH QUALIT Y SERVICES WITH A PERSONAL AND FLEXIBLE APPROACH Sarah Kenealy CTA Associate Director DD: +4 4 (0)1481 747744 E: sarah.kenealy@lts-tax.com Julian Turian AT T FMAAT Executive Director DD: +4 4 (0)1481 743045 E: julian.turian@lts-tax.com 10979-LTS TAX COUNTRY LIFE 142X220 JULY 2022.indd 1 21/07/2022 16:06 COUN TRYLIFEiswhere buyerssea rchfor theird ream Forpropert ya dver ti si ng in formationpleasecontactLuc yK hosla: lucy.k hosla@ futu renet.com–07583 106990 OU RP RO PE RT YP AG ES AR EW HE RE TH EF IN ES TH OU SE SA RE SH OW CA SE DT OA RE FI NE D, WE AL TH YR EA DE RS HI PI NB OT HT HE UK AN DO VE RS EA S THEHOMEOFPREMIUM PROPERTY CL WP.indd 1 09/08/2022 15:04
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