Le Rât

Le Rât (which may refer to a tax or payment due) is the name given to this ancient small house on the Fief du Roi. Standing in its tiny garden, situated in a beautiful, unspoilt valley in the centre of St Lawrence, it is a very fine example of local vernacular architecture of the 16th or very early 17th century.

Purchased by the National Trust for Jersey in 1937, the simple accommodation has continued to provide a family home for over 60 years. Although Le Rât is a small, unobtrusive dwelling it remains one of the Trust's most treasured possessions as it is without doubt one of the Island's most photogenic properties, reminding us all of a more tranquil simplistic lifestyle.

Description

Le Rât is typical of small Jersey houses of the 17th century, of which very few remain unaltered. It is of three bays and two stories and was initially thatched; the roofs are now all covered with English pantiles of 18th and early 19th century origin. The walls are made of pink granite. The cottage faces south, and has chimney stacks rising from the gable end. Externally, the original ground plan measured 10.3 by 6.5 meters (34 by 21.5 feet).

Ground floor

The front door opens into a small porch leading into the living room. The main feature is the stone and brick oven beside the hearth, with an alcove to keep a salt pot. A wood-burning stove provides additional winter warmth. One door leads to the kitchen and a full length cupboard provides useful storage next to the door to the hall and stairs.

The kitchen/dining room has a larder, which can also be entered from a side door. The oil-fired range supplies hot water and heating throughout the house. The bathroom occupies the ground floor where there was once a scullery in the lean-to extension.

The original staircase is lit by a new dormer window, and additional storage areas have been created in the lean-to roof space. The distinctive blind fittings were constructed especially for the cottage by Mr L Le Gresley and uniquely avoid the need for fixtures and fittings on the main walls.

First floor

The large bedroom is light and sunny, with the smooth chimney breast on the gable wall. The partition is original. The small adjacent room houses the hot water tank and airing cupboard and is used as a study or a second bedroom. The old fireplace with its cast-iron grate and the alcove in the corner are attractive features. Time has contributed to the interesting angle of the floor.

History

The meadows, Les Saulsees (the willows) and the abreuvoir to the west which are now owned by the Trust did not always belong to Le Rât. Certain fields opposite the house, La Houguette and Le Côtil were acquired with the property in 1606 when the earliest known owner was Jean Gibault, fils Nicollas. Other small fields, meadows, orchards and Côtils in the neighbourhood were mentioned as the property was passed down through the generations.

In 1631 the eldest son Jean, and then Abraham, took over the house. Martin de Gruchy became the tenant for 22 years from 1666 and after his death his daughter Rachel, wife of Thomas Poingdestre, became the owner. The property was transferred together with its land to Clement Le Sueur and his sister Collette inherited it in 1708 and sold Le Rât to Jean Luce, arranging with him for an annual payment in the form of une pipe de Sidre.

Jean Luce added to the buildings and in 1762 he sold to Jean Romeril, husband of his niece Anne Luce, retaining the use of certain parts of the house for the rest of his life, with the right to draw water from the fontaine, and to hang out his washing on the Côtil. In 1764 Jean Luce gave the remainder of his property in exchange for being looked after for the rest of his days - food, drink, clothing and all necessities of life - and also that he should be buried with due ceremony.

In 1843 Jean Romeril, fils Jean, sold Le Rât and all the land that had been acquired to Jean Hamon for 45 quartiers de froment de rente which can be compared with the value in 1666 of 10 quartiers de froment et une poule de rente. During the 19th century there were several changes of ownership, and some land, including La Houguette, was sold. In 1852 Frank Langlois became the new owner, selling to Thomas Touzel in 1861. The property was inherited by his widow Nancy and then by their daughter Ann Elizabeth, who in turn sold her share to her brother John Frances, who owned Le Rât until 1936.

By now the house was in a poor state and it was purchased by a butcher, R W Morley, who used it to house pigs before he sold it in 1937 to the National Trust for Jersey.

Renovation works

Recently the house has been sensitively renovated, with most of the work being carried out by the Trust's staff of skilled craftsmen.

Le Rât has been refurbished from “top to toe” with new services being introduced underground, including a tight-tank for drainage and a new borehole. The base of the house has specially designed waterproofing and drainage beneath layers of insulation and under-floor heating. An electro-osmotic system has been incorporated to curtail rising damp.

The roof timbers have been repaired and replaced where necessary, the pantiles re-laid, and the gables which were originally designed for a thatched roof have been modified without any external alteration to improve the function of the roof. The chimney-stacks have been rebuilt exactly as before, but now incorporate a lead tray to prevent damp penetration.

The consulting engineer found extensive problems in the old oak beams, and he devised a way to reinforce the structure using a series of steel beams, which enabled the original timbers to be treated and to remain in situ. Where possible, all original timber has been retained, with repairs and reinforcing metal plates being employed rather than new work.

The casement windows have all been renewed, with the original hand-made glass being incorporated. The staircase was repaired in the Trust’s workshop, as were the doors and latches. The distinctive panels that make the partitions dividing the rooms are original. The granite walls of the house have been re-pointed using lime mortar, and lime plaster and lime-based paints have been carefully chosen for the interior.

New kitchen and bathroom fittings have been carefully chosen and ingenious storage space included wherever possible.

Site Access

The property is located in the Parish of St Lawrence, 800 metres west of the Church, in La Rue de La Fontaine. The site can be reached via Bus route 7 (7b) departing from St Helier. The cottage is currently occupied by a tenant and is therefore usually not open to the general public. However, It is possible to visit the cottage on the Heritage Open Day, usually held in September every year.