Intent to Remove from the Register of Buildings and Sites of Architectural, Archaeological and Historical Importance in Jersey
Hotel La Tour, La Rue du Crocquet, St. Brelade.
This report has been prepared by the Jersey Heritage Trust as part of its responsibility under a Service Level Agreement to provide reports and recommendations to the Minister for Planning and Environment on the registration of historic buildings and sites.
The Planning and Environment Department requested on 4 March 2008 that the Jersey Heritage Trust assess the architectural, historical and other interests of Hotel La Tour ahead of discussions with the Ministerial Registration and Listing Advisory Group.
Author of report: Roger Hills BA(Hons) MA DipBldgCons (RICS) IHBC Curator of Historic Buildings
Date of report: 17 March 2008
File ref: BR0142
Relevant interests of the site (also see assessment form)
Currently registered as pSSI.
Hotel La Tour (originally La Maison Martel) comprises a pair of buildings - now amalgamated into a single hotel. The property began as a merchant’s premises belonging to the Martel family - a related branch of which established the Martell Cognac. The buildings were used as a school in the mid C19, when a belvedere tower was added, and then became a hotel in the 1920s.
The original buildings have been engulfed by C20 extensions and additions that have significantly eroded the interest of the site. Particularly damaging has been the removal of the original roofs and addition of extra floors, and the addition of a ground floor extension to the front of the property. The interiors of the buildings have been entirely remodelled and there is practically no historic layout, fabric or features evident.
The main façade retains a fragment of the original at first and second floor level with 4 Corinthian pilasters and moulded window openings. The C19 tower / belvedere survives but is subsumed within the later extensions. The building that is gable end to the High Street retains an historic porch and second floor windows but has also suffered through the raising of the roof and addition of an extra floor.
Advice received (MRLAG or others)
MRLAG discussed Hotel La Tour at its meeting on 17 March 2008. Members were unanimous that Hotel La Tour should be removed from the Register given the substantial physical alterations to the buildings.
JHT recommendation
Hotel La Tour should be removed from the Historic Buildings Register because its integrity and interest as an historic building has been eroded as a result of extensive internal and external alterations.
Justification relating to criteria
Hotel La Tour does not satisfy the essential criterion for designation as a Site of Special Interest as the building does not substantially retain its authentic fabric, plan form or interior features.
Hotel La Tour does not satisfy the basic criterion for registration as a BLI because the buildings no longer retain their external historic form and detail.
Attachments
Assessment form & photographs, March 2008
Photograph of hotel c.1930s
Board of Trustees
Chairman: Jurat John de Veulle OBE Vice-Chairman: Philip Le Brocq
Rowland Anthony, Geoffrey Crill, Connétable Simon Crowcroft, Blair Gould, Clive Jones, Deputy Carolyn Labey, Paul Nicolle, Jane Stubbs,
Jonathan Voak
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