Faerie Folk

Jersey's Faerie Folk 

  With it's abundance of beautiful flowers, Jersey is a perfect place for faeries. Legend says they inhabited the island long before humans. While some believe faeries are responsible for moving the St Brelade's Bay church away from their special place, that is not the only faerie story from the island. There are many references to faeries in Jersey. There is the Fairy Cave at Ouaisané, Witches rock at Rocqueberg has also been called The Fairies Rock and many prehistoric sites are widely believed to have been built by fairies,

The Dolmens and Menhir Stones

 

 

  The dolmen are believed to mark the passages to the faerie world and therefore dangerous to disturb. When the Société Jersiaise excavated the dolmen at Grantez in 1912 an elderly man from the parish challenged the workmen. He reportedly shouted (in French) "Such sacrilege! But if you have disturbed the faeries you'll have brought such trouble on the neighbourhood!"  

  While some faerie folk are benevolent some are not. It is said that goblins dance around these rocks and if they catch you, you will be forced to join the dance until you dance yourself to death.

Le Lavoir des Dames

  In Sorel Point there is a naturally formed rockpool called Le Lavoir des Dames. It translates to the ladies wash house. It is actually meant to be a place where faeries bathe. Many people visit and bathe in it themselves but it was said any man who saw the fairies bathing would instantly be struck blind. Women were okay of course, we look similar after all.

Fontaine des Mittes

 Near Belle Hougue Point in Trinity is a spring. Two nymphs called Arna and Aiuna live in the spring and the water can cure both blindness and dumbness. Another story is that the nymphs lived in a grotto at La Belle Hougue Point, at the end of their lives they cried and the tears were so pure they could not be absorbed by the ground and so became the spring.

Petit Port

  A bay in Jersey it is known for it's Autumn waves of up to three metres. As the summer is a quiet time for the sea it is not popular with surfers but is often part of a walk from Corbiere. Beneath a house on a small hill in the area is said to be a hidden passage to the underworld where a cursed treasure beyond imagining is hidden. This portal is guarded by a dog that sounds similar to the Black Dog of Bouley Bay. Legend says that those brave souls who have gone in search of the treasure never returned.

   

  Jersey, with it's abundance of flowers and beautiful scenery, is a refuge for faeries both benevolent and vicious. As long as they are respected, and perhaps feared, they don't seem to do too much harm and simply want to live their lives. Another supernatural lifeform the islanders share their home with.

Geoffrey's Leap

 

  On the North-East coast of the island is Anne Port Bay where there is a large rock known as Geoffrey's Leap overlooking the ocean. 

  According to folklore a man named Geoffrey was sentenced to death. His crime is unclear but some sources say it was against a woman. whether this was a sexual  assault or something different is unclear though it was not murder. His sentence would suggest rape. The method of execution was to throw him from the outcrop into the sea below.

  A large crowd, including the offended woman turned up to watch. Geoffrey was led to the outcrop and hurled over the edge by the executioner. Geoffrey was unharmed and swam to shore. The crowd were divided, half wished Geoffrey to be excused and freed, possibly seeing his survival as an act of God, while others simply wanted him to face consequences and be executed. To show how easy his survival was and possibly placate the crowd, Geoffrey offered to jump off the rock again.

  Whilst he made a lucky escape the first time, this time when Geoffrey fell, he hit his head on a rock and died. Since then, the outcrop has been known as le saut de Geoffrey.

  It is said that Geoffrey now haunts the scene of his death, perhaps regretting his choice to tempt fate.

The Well of Death

 

   At the base of Sorel Point, stretching off from the treacherous North coast cliffs, is a forgotten Venus pool of deep turquoise blue known as The Well of Death. While Sorel Point and Devil's Hole nearby have plenty written about them, the story of The Well of Death seems almost as forgotten as the well itself. Little more than a footnote in the islands ghost story collection, The Well of Death is reminiscent of the Witches of Roqueberg.

  Two eldrich, siren creatures, known as The Prince and Princess, would lure ships onto the rocks during storms. Sailors who survived and made it to the shore would be executed by the pair. The bodies would then be thrown into the well to be transported to the underworld.

That's it. There is no information on who or what exactly these creatures are or why they do what they do. Very much the evil sirens of folk tales, they may have a story of their own, but it's a short one very often forgotten.

Crack Ankle Lane

 

 Vioge of Crack Ankle Lane

Ru ette á la Vioge (Vioge Street) is a road near Sandybrook, St Peter, Jersey. It lived up to its name in December 2021 when Tom Kennedy broke his ankle while filming there. Mr Kennedy was filming on-location footage for a multi-media experience presented at Mont Orgueil castle. In association with Jersey Heritage, Jersey Youth Performing Arts was presenting Ghost Stories by Candlelight in the Medieval Hall of the castle. Four terrifying tales.

Tom Kennedy Jumped down a bank and landed badly. 

While he broke his ankle, it's a better fate than can await people on the infamous lane. A monster called the Vioge finds its prey on Crack Ankle Lane. 

Described as a demonic figure or grotesque monster resembling an emaciated scarecrow, the Vioge is said to grab its victims by the ankle, breaking them, and then drags the unfortunate person back to its lair screaming. The Vioge then butchers its victim, sucking their bones dry. A monster that has been terrorizing the area, apparently for centuries, people are warned to stay away from the unusually named road, especially at night.

Apart from his appearance and name, not much seems to be known about the Vioge, It may simply mean that the origin of the legend has been lost or people don't want to know. 

Longueville Manor

 

One of the most beautiful hotels on the island, Longville manor has a dark story in its history. In the 16th century, the Lord of Longueville Manor was known for his cruelty. Some sources name him Hostes Nicolle and the cold man had a long-running feud with a neighbour.

On 11th June 1564, the lord killed his neighbor and, as the man lay dying, he swore vengeance upon the lord. The lord was driven mad. Now every year on the 11th of June, the hooves of spectral horses, driven by the murdered man accompanied by death, are heard galloping towards the manor at breakneck speed. They have come to claim the soul of the lord and drag him to hell. The maniacal laughter of the evil lord is heard as the horses race away, back down to hell.

The ghostly manifestation appears every year, dragging the lord to hell as vengeance for the violent murder.

Ghost Hill

 

   Following the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, in October 1685, which ordered the destruction of Huguenot Churches and the closing of Huguenot Schools in France, it is estimated that as many as 900,000 French Calvinists fled their homeland. 

The Huguenots were skilled craftsmen, and were noted for silversmithing, cabinet making, and watchmaking, among other things. Because of these talents, they were usually well off, although they did have to leave much of their wealth behind when they left France.

For many Huguenots, Jersey appeared to be an ideal bolt hole – it was close at hand and the population spoke French. Consequently, St.Aubin became their first landfall after leaving France.

Just a short distance up Mount Arthur lived a man who seemed particularly welcoming to these poor refugees. He would wait at the quayside, ready to meet the boats crowded with Huguenots, who were desperately searching for a new life where they could pursue their religion without fear.

At the quay, he would welcome them warmly, saying that he thought that they were being treated very badly in France and that he agreed with their beliefs. He would say that they must have had an arduous journey and how tired they must be, and he would offer them a meal and a place to rest for the night, saying that they could find somewhere more permanent the following day.

They were exhausted after the sea voyage and, thinking they had found an ally sent by God, gratefully took up his offer. At his home, he gave them food and drink and looked after them in a very generous way. After having eaten, they retired to bed and soon fell into a deep sleep.

After an hour or so, when he felt confident that they were lost in their dreams, their host crept in and cut their throats, and stole their belongings.

The terrified screams of his victims rang out the length of Mount Arthur, putting the fear of God into his neighbours. Even when this monster died, the screams continued to echo around the area. When the ‘House of Death’, as it was known, was pulled down, some said the screams stopped, when another house was built on the site the screams started again until that house was also demolished. It is believed by some, however, that even the destruction of the houses was not enough to give the victims the rest they deserved. Unnerving screams of anguish are still heard carried by the wind and ghostly, bloodstained apparitions have been seen wandering the hill. Poor souls are condemned to wander there forever.

Gorey Castle

 

Mont Orguiel Castle, called Gorey Castle by locals, overlooks the harbour of Gorey in St Martin, Jersey.  It, like many castles, is steeped in history.  Mont Orguiel is French for "Mount Pride" and was under French occupation in the late middle ages. The site of a prominent fort since the iron age, the castle itself was built in 1204 and was the primary defence of Jersey for over 400 years. It underwent extensive renovations in the mid-1500s and was Jersey's only prison until the late 17th century. As a castle with a long history, it boasts some ghosts.

  With numerous sieges and countless often violent deaths witnessed by the castle, wispy apparitions and disembodied voices screaming out have been reported by many visitors. The famous story however is about a doomed bride and groom. Not quite as tragic as the ghostly bridal procession of Waterworks Valley it is still a sad story.

  The son of the castle's guardian fell in love with a young woman, a young woman far below him in social status. As such, the guardian forbade his son from making such a disadvantageous marriage. However, the son defied his father and married the young woman. When the father discovered this he was so enraged by his son's disobedience that he murdered the couple as they slept. Today the shadows of the young couple are often seen at the place they were wed. 

A castle with as gory a history as its name.