St. Peter Port, also called Saint-Pierre-Port, is a resort, parish, and the capital of Guernsey. It is a small town with steep, narrow streets and has been a bustling port since the early 13th century. Situated on the east coast of the island of Guernsey, it is full of history.
Castle Cornet, the historic fortress which guarded the entrance to the port, is about 600 meters east of the coast and has stood guard over the town. It was fortified as a castle between 1205 and 1255 after the Duchy of Normandy became a disputed territory after being conquered by King Philip II of France. Castle Cornet is open to the public and is part of a museum.
St. Peter's is the town church, and was mentioned in a charter written around 1050, though the exact age of the building is unknown.
Visitors love to wander in Candie Gardens, which was once the formal garden of a private home but are now open to the public. The Royal Court House, built in 1799, is the seat of the States of Guernsey.
Victor Hugo, who wrote "Les Misérables" and "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame," lived in St. Peter Port when he was in exile from 1855 to 1870. His home, Hauteville House, now belongs to France but is a museum open to all who wish to see it.
The gothic revival building Castle Carey was built for John Carey in 1840. It was used for numerous reasons, including the residence of the Lieutenant Governor of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, and it was sold in 1912. During World War II, the occupying Nazis used it as an officers' club.
Elizabeth College was founded in 1563 at the request of England's Queen Elizabeth I as an independent day school for boys. It is still in operation, though there are now co-eds allowed during the sixth form. Just before the German army began occupying the Islands in 1940, the school was evacuated, or "in exile," and the boys spent the next fie years in Derbyshire, England. It currently has approximately 500 boys between the ages of 11 and 18 enrolled there.
Categories
Education & InstructionPlaces to Stay | Services & Industries |
Recommended Resources
Situated on the outskirts of St. Peter Port, the centre offers the facilities and services for sports and leisure pursuits, as a division of the States of Guernsey Culture and Leisure Department. Membership information, its swim school, cafe and bar, theatre, and a calendar of events are put forth.
http://beausejour.gg/
The focus of this site is on the genealogy of the Carey family of Guernsey, in the Channel Islands. A selection of historical articles are presented, along with a gallery of historical photographs, monuments, and other resources.
http://www.careyroots.com/
The St. Peter Port committee was established by the Douzaine to help make the parish a nicer place for everyone, as well as a tie in to the Floral Guernsey competition. Its site presents news, articles, competition schedules and announcements, a gallery of photographs, and sponsorships.
http://www.stppcons.com/home/floralstpp.html
Overlooking the harbour, near Castle Cornet, the GYC caters to a variety of boating activities, including a junior section offering training in the use of a dinghy, social and other events. A profile of the organisation is featured, with a calendar of meeting and events, photographs, and contacts.
http://www.gyc.org.gg/
Holy Trinity is an evangelical Anglican church in the town of St. Peter Port on the island of Guernsey, and a member of the Church of England in the Diocese of Winchester. Its Sunday service schedules are posted, with a calendar of midweek activities, youth and children's programs, and other events.
http://www.holytrinity.org.gg/
Our Lady and the Saints of Guernsey
Headquartered in St. Peter Port, the web site represents all of the Catholic churches, schools and other places, as well as parish groups and ministries within the Bailiwick of Guernsey, in the British Channel Islands. Profiles, contacts, and other information for each are presented.
https://catholic.org.gghttp://catholic.org.gg/
Housed in a converted Georgian townhouse, then known as Candie House, that became Guernsey's first free library in 1889, and has become a centre for local studies and family history research, featuring collections of newspapers, documents and photographs. Its library collections, services, and sponsored events are posted.
https://www.priaulxlibrary.co.uk
Operating for more than two hundred years, the St. Peter Port lifeboat station is one of only four in the Channel Islands. Its crew and watercraft are featured, along with a historical timeline, photographs, awards, and contacts.
http://www.rnli.org.gg/
St. James Concert and Assembly Hall
Since the structure reopened as Guernsey's Concert and Assembly Hall, the former Church of St. James the Less has hosted a variety of events, such as concerts, seminars, demonstrations, fashion shows, dinners, dances, weddings, and others. A history, events diary, and its policies for hall and room hire are outlined.
http://www.stjames.gg/
The official parish site offers contacts for the constables office, deputies in both the north and south district of the parish, and other staff personnel, as well as a guide to the parish, including information on parish cantons, cisterns, churches, dangerous buildings, meetings, rates, and policies.
http://www.stppcons.com/
The Doghouse is a bar and restaurant featuring live music in St. Peter Port, Guernsey. A schedule of musicians currently playing at the establishment is posted, along with a menu, events calendar, and contacts.
http://doghouse.gg
