Cottages

The National Trust for Jersey owns several houses and cottages dating from the 17th and the 19th centuries. Le Rât and La Ronce are typical 17th century buildings and when acquired by the Trust required extensive repair work to safeguard their historic fabric. The 19th century Summerleigh and Louvain properties, both built around the same time, were already modernised when generously given to the Trust by Miss Journeaux.

Key features of 17th century Jersey houses

Few old houses are visible from the sea, following an understandable desire to be protected from both unwelcome visitors and inclement weather. Often located in or near a tributary valley (the main valleys being “reserved” for the vital watermills), 17th century houses almost always faced south, and it is in the south façade that the main entrance, epitomised by the Jersey round arch, is commonly found.

Houses were built “sur l’herbe”, i.e. without any foundation, which does not seem to have had any bad effect on the lasting power of a house and was compensated by the great thickness of the walls. The earlier the houses, the larger the stones used and the thicker the walls. Most houses were in stone (granite) which was abundant. It was the obvious material to use in preference to wood which was scarce in the small and thickly populated and intensively cultivated island. Internal room partitions, however were made of wood, and ground floor rooms had clay floors.

Key features of 19th century Jersey houses

Over the 18th and 19th century, houses and cottages had turned to straight-topped, un-chambered doorways and plain identical window apertures. As English influence increased during the 19th century, buildings became symmetrically-balanced granite houses of Georgian proportion. Although the material for building a house remained granite, the carved embellishments were replaced by a geometrical façade. Gradually the thatch and pantiles were replaced by slate.

Local houses were often built with one or other gable end abutting on a road; occasionally the north wall did the same but never the front. The small, enclosed front patch, usually rectangular, but sometimes triangular, is very frequently met with and was probably part of a traditional plan.

But overall, it is the 19th century interior style that provides the real interest; the flourishing shipbuilding trade produced generations of skilled carpenters who constructed fine furniture, doors, panelling and staircases that have stood the test of time.