Guernsey Folk Lore: a collection of popular superstitions, legendary tales, peculiar customs, proverbs, weather sayings, etc., of the people of that islandMacCulloch, Edgar, Sir
History
Guernsey Folk Lore: a collection of popular superstitions, legendary tales, peculiar customs, proverbs, weather sayings, etc., of the people of that island
MacCulloch, Edgar, Sir
Folklore -- Guernsey
There is also said to have been a Chapel of Ste. Anne, near the King’s
Mills, more correctly designated as Les Grands Moulins. St. Anne also
had her sacred fountain. The names of “Ste. Hélène,” at St. Andrew’s,
and La Madeleine, St. Pierre-du-Bois, may also have been derived from
religious buildings, but of these nothing but the names now remain.
In St. Martin’s parish there was a chapel attached to the Priory of
Blanchelande, and another, Saint Jean de la Houguette, which very
probably was erected on the site now occupied by the parish school.[91]
In the Extente of the Fief Anneville it is said that the lord has his
“Chapelles.” It is probable that all the feudal lords who held the
lands direct from the Crown had the same right of chapel. Such at least
seems to have been the case in Jersey, where some still exist, and
in the Clos-du-Valle, situated in the Vale parish, is a field called
“La Chapelle du Sud,” west of a field called “Le Galle,” on the Crown
lands. Here was probably the site of a now forgotten chapel.
Closely connected with the chapels and churches are the holy wells.
Even in pagan times, before the introduction of Christianity, it is
well known that a sort of worship was paid to the nymphs or deities who
were supposed to haunt these fountains, and to whose interference were
attributed the cures effected by the use of these waters. When a purer
faith was preached, and it was found impossible to wean the minds of
the people entirely away from a belief in the supernatural qualities
of these springs, the early missionaries--whether wisely or not it is
difficult to say--sought to direct the attention of their converts into
a new channel, and bestowed the name of some saint on these hallowed
spots, who thenceforth was supposed to stand in the place of the
ancient local deity or genius of the well.
[81] In the _Dédicace des Eglises_, “Notre Dame de Lihou” is called
Notre Dame de la _Roche_. Now the word Perelle is a diminutive of
Pierre, and we know that in our dialect “pierre” and “rocque” are used
indiscriminately, and have the same meaning.
[82] EDITOR’S NOTE.--The Fief St. George was bought from the Royal
Commissioners by Thomas Fouaschin, Seigneur d’Anneville, in 1563,
let to Pierre Massey 25th June, 1616, and bought 18th May, 1629, by
Nicholas de Jersey, son of Michel, from George Fouaschin, Seigneur
d’Anneville, son of Thomas. Nicholas de Jersey’s only child Marie
married Jacques Guille, 2nd May, 1638, and so brought St. George into
the Guille family.
[83] EDITOR’S NOTES.
May 10th, 1292.--“Confirmation of a charter which the King has
inspected, whereby Henry III. granted in frank almoin to the Chaplain
of the Chapel of St. Mary, Orgoil Castle, Gerneseye, the 10th of a rent
called Chaumpard in the island of Gerneseye.”
Dec. 26th, 1328.--“Grant to John de Etton, King’s Clerk, of the Chapel
of St. Mary of the Marsh, in the island of Gerneseye.”
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