The Witches of Rocqueberg

On the south coast of Jersey, 3km from St Helier in the parish of St Clement, is a rocky promontory, from which rises a granite outcrop known as Rocqueberg. Also referred to as witches rock.

This eeirie place was a meeting place for witches and devil worshippers. No-one in thier right mind would go there on a Friday night, especially if there was a full-moon. On one part of the rock, the cloven hoofprint of the Devil is said to be clearly visible.

There are two legends about the Witches of Rocqueberg.

A fisherman named Hubert, was engaged to a girl named Madelaine. Hubert would take long walks in the evening. One evening after walking towards Rocqueberg point, he fell asleep beside the rock. When he awoke, the rock had gone, replaced by a wood with beautiful girls dancing around the trees. They called out for him to join them which he did. As dawn approached they asked him to come the next night too and he promised he would.

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When he went home he told Madelaine everything that had happened, including his plan to go back that night. Madelaine warned him not to go, believing it was dangerous. Hubert ignored her advice and went anyway. Concerned and suspicious of danger, Madelaine asked the parish priest what to do. He told her to take a crucifix and follow Hubert.

When Madelaine arrived at the rock, she saw Hubert dancing, but no beautiful girls, just ugly old witches. Madelaine raised the crucifix above her head and ran towards the witches, who screamed and disappeared. Hubert fell to the ground unconscious. The legend doesn't say what happened next, whether or not Hubert was grateful to Madelaine or whether or not he suffered any ill effects from his time with the witches.

  It is rumoured that Hubert's ghost haunts the rock, either in the hope of dancing with the witches again or because the witches trapped him there to wait for them forever.

The second legend involves another fisherman.

This part of the Jersey coastline is very treacherous because there are many rocks hidden under the water. Legend has it that the witches of Rocqueberg would only allow fishermen to pass this headland safely if they were thrown every thirteenth fish from the fishermen's catch. If they failed to do this the hags would cast a spell to raise a great storm, and the boat would be smashed to pieces on the rocks.

One brave fisherman refused to do this - instead he took a five-rayed starfish from his catch, cut off one of the arms and threw it at the witches, shouting: 'The cross is my passport'. It landed amongst the witches in the shape of the cross and they disappeared, screaming, never to be seen again.