List of Sites of Special Interest
Jersey Manor Houses
This report has been prepared by Jersey Heritage as part of its responsibility under a Service Level Agreement to provide reports and recommendations to the Minister for Planning and Environment on the architectural, historical and archaeological significance of buildings and sites.
The assessment and recommendation are made in accordance with Article 51 of the Planning and Building (Jersey) Law, 2002; Policy G11 of the Jersey Island Plan, 2002; and criteria for the identification and designation of historic buildings in SPG Practice Note 9, 2008. The report includes the views and advice offered by the Ministerial Registration and Listing Advisory Group.
Author of report: Roger Hills BA(Hons) MA DipBldgCons (RICS) IHBC Head of Historic Buildings
Date of report: 25th June 2009
File ref: TR0066, LA0180, LA0112, PE0079, SA0202, HE1168, BR0253, BR0107, GR0008, MN0149, OU0132, CL0085, TR0198, OU0206 & OU0109
Current status
All sites are currently registered as proposed Sites of Special Interest.
Relevant interests of the site (see SSI schedules for details of each site)
The attached SSI schedules and reports set out in detail the significance and interest of each of the 15 manor house sites.
Manor houses have been of fundamental importance to the history and heritage of Jersey since the middle ages, and each of the sites is of undeniable historical interest. The manors are amongst the Island’s greatest architectural achievements - both in the vernacular tradition but principally as the result of polite conscious design. The manors (with the exception of Avranches Manor, Noirmont Manor and Vinchelez de Bas Manor, whose standing buildings are principally early 19th century) also have long and complex structural histories from various periods of rebuild and extension - resulting in an archaeological interest in the buildings.
Advice offered by MRLAG (and others if stated)
Each of the sites were visited and assessed (in consultation with Jersey Heritage and Mr Peter Bisson of the Société Jersiaise) by historic building architects at Conservation Architecture & Planning, who were commissioned by Jersey Heritage and the Planning and Environment Department at the beginning of 2008 to provide an appraisal of the historical, architectural and archaeological significance of each of the manor houses in the Island. The resulting site assessment reports are attached [the manor house project assessed a total of 34 sites - the remaining reports will be brought forward in due course].
MRLAG discussed the 15 manor houses at its meeting on 12th January 2009. Members unanimously agreed that each of the sites merits being listed as an SSI.
Jersey Heritage recommendation
Les Augrès Manor, Trinity; Avranches Manor, St Lawrence; Le Colombier Manor, St Lawrence; La Hague Manor, St Peter; Longueville Manor, St Saviour; Mont à l’Abbé Manor, St Helier; La Moye Manor, St Brelade; Noirmont Manor, St Brelade; Les Prés Manor, Grouville; Rozel Manor, St Martin; St Ouen’s Manor, St Ouen; Samarès Manor, St Clement; Trinity Manor, Trinity; Vinchelez de Bas Manor, St Ouen; and Vinchelez de Haut Manor, St Ouen are of public importance by reason of the special architectural, historical or archaeological interest that attaches to them, and should be listed as Sites of Special Interest as set out in the attached schedules.
There is also further below-ground archaeological potential at each of the sites, with documentary and cartographic evidence showing that most have been occupied from the medieval period, with many examples of demolished manor houses, chapels and subsidiary buildings. Recommendations for areas of archaeological potential will be brought forward separately.
Justification relating to criteria
The listing of these 15 manor houses is in accordance with the existing criteria for assessment and designation of historic buildings:
· The manors are of special interest for their architectural design, artistic decoration, craftsmanship, composition and use of materials and details - some buildings in the vernacular tradition and others as a result of polite conscious design. The architectural interest of each of the manors is enhanced by the contribution of its buildings to a larger group, by its contribution to a rural setting, and often by its role as a landmark. The manors are also of special interest for their internal arrangement, and the survival of significant elements of their historic interiors;
· The manors are of special historical interest as they illustrate significant aspects of Jersey’s social, economic and cultural history; and have documented historical associations with significant people;
· The manors are of special archaeological interest as the fabric of the buildings contains unique and valuable evidence about their development, and the culture which produced them, which can de understood through systematic investigation. The criteria states that this is an important consideration for any building originating before 1800, and therefore does not apply to Avranches Manor, Noirmont Manor or Vinchelez de Bas Manor, whose standing buildings are principally early 19th century in date.
Attachments
SSI schedules and plans; and Conservation Architecture & Planning reports for:
· Les Augrès Manor, Trinity
· Avranches Manor, St Lawrence
· Le Colombier Manor, St Lawrence
· La Hague Manor, St Peter
· Longueville Manor, St Saviour
· Mont à l’Abbé Manor, St Helier
· La Moye Manor, St Brelade
· Noirmont Manor, St Brelade
· Les Prés Manor, Grouville
· Rozel Manor, St Martin
· St Ouen’s Manor, St Ouen
· Samarès Manor, St Clement
· Trinity Manor, Trinity
· Vinchelez de Bas Manor, St Ouen
· Vinchelez de Haut Manor, St Ouen