This edited article about the Channel Islands originally appeared in Look and Learn issue number 953 published on 26 April 1980.
The German occupiers followed the Romans, the Vikings and the Normans;
inset (left) William the Conqueror, (right) King John. Picture by
Harry Green
Half an hour by air from London Airport, in the sunny Gulf of St. Malo off the west coast of Normandy, lies a group of islands familiar to holidaymakers. These are the Channel Islands which, although British, reveal the strong influence of their continental neighbours. They are distinguished by being the only part of the British Isles to be occupied by the Germans in the Second World War.
On this occasion, the occupation was a fairly peaceful one. However, in the past, the islands were often in the middle of a power struggle between the kings of England and the dukes of Normandy and were, metaphorically, tossed back and forth between the two, until they finally remained in England’s control.
Administratively, the islands are divided into the two bailiwicks – areas under the control of a bailiff – of Jersey and Guernsey. The bailiwick of Jersey comprises the island of Jersey and two small rocky reefs, known respectively as the Ecrehous and the Minquiers. Guernsey’s bailiwick consists of Guernsey, Lihou, Alderney, Sark (with Little Sark), Brecqhou, Herm, Jethou and many tiny islets.
Each bailiwick possesses its own constitution and legal system. Alderney and Sark, although they are within the bailiwick of Guernsey, have their own subsidiary constitutions. The ruling bodies of the bailiwicks are among the most ancient legislatures in the Commonwealth. Known as States, they are presided over by a bailiff.
For countless centuries, men have lived in the Channel Islands. In all of them there is ample evidence of prehistoric occupation, dating back to the Middle Paleolithic period.
During the time of the Romans, the islands came under the rule of Gaul, which is now France. When Gaul was conquered by Rome, the islands were incorporated in the Roman Empire. With the fall of Rome, they probably fell under Breton influence. In the 9th century, the Vikings raided the islands and established many settlements there. They were integrated with the French mainland when William I, the second Duke of Normandy, added them to his domain in 933. The islands’ feudal system dates from this period.
The dukes firmly established themselves in the Channel Islands, developing large personal estates and encouraging other Norman settlers, and a number of religious houses, to follow their example.
This was the situation when William of Normandy gained the English crown in 1066. On the death of William in 1087, his eldest son, Robert, became Duke of Normandy, and another son, William Rufus, King of England. Thus, for a short period, the Channel Islands became separated from the English Crown.
However, in 1100, Henry I secured the throne. He defeated Robert at Tinchebrai in 1106 and captured the Duchy, including the Channel Islands. This reunion with the English Crown was short-lived for, in 1135, when Stephen came to the English throne, Normandy passed to Geoffrey of Anjou, who ruled it in the name of his little son, who was also Henry I’s grandson. On the accession of Geoffrey’s son as Henry II in 1154, Normandy and England were again united.
John, the youngest son of Henry II, was appointed lord of the islands in around 1196. He succeeded to the English throne in 1199. During 1204, King John lost continental Normandy to Philip of France, but kept the Channel Islands. According to some historians, before he finally secured them, they had changed hands more than once. Although the islands were reasonably loyal to him, to secure the allegiance of the remaining islanders, he took several hostages and did not allow them to return until 1214. Tradition has it that John granted Jersey its constitution and that he actually visited the island, although there are no written records to confirm this.
It is a curious fact that, although the Gallic influence must have been strongly pronounced at this time, the majority of islanders had already begun to show their preference for the English crown over the Norman dukedom.
Some families with property in continental Normandy felt the financial influence so strong that they were induced to favour the French king. Others remained loyal to England, regardless of any land that they might lose in Normandy as a result.
Probably because the islands were so small, class divisions like those found elsewhere did not materialise. And the Norman settlers were on friendly terms with the islanders, who would naturally regard the Normans as oppressors and the English as their fellow-oppressed.
Such was the situation in the Channel Islands when King John died in 1216. The English Crown was in an unshakeable position. John’s son, Henry III, confirmed that the Channel Islands should continue to enjoy their traditional liberties; and on 2nd May, 1230, Henry landed in Jersey on his way to St. Malo, on a rocky peninsula off north-west France. This is the first recorded visit of an English sovereign to the Channel Islands.
The island of Sark had few inhabitants in these early times. As early as the 6th century, so legend says, St Magloire established on Sark a monastery, which remained until about 1413. William the Conqueror had given Sark and Alderney to St Michael’s Abbey in about 1040. Ultimately, this island became the haunt of pirates until it was colonised by Helier de Carteret, acting for Elizabeth I, in 1565.
Perhaps the most turbulent reign inflicted upon these islands was that of King John, during which the islands changed hands many times. Attention paid to their defences at this time led to the building of some formidable castles. These included Mont Orgueil Castle at Gorey. There is also Elizabeth Castle at St. Helier. Built in this period was Castle Cornet, which lies off Guernsey on a little islet of its own. From their rocky strongholds, they were to be the witnesses to an exciting panorama of history, as we shall see later in this series.