Mainland

Mainland

Although this photograph was captioned Mainland House, Bel Royal, it is clearly not the same house as that shown in the larger picture, which is undoubtedly the real Mainland House. We believe that this may be a photograph of an outbuilding forming part of the farm, possibly the press house, or the kitchen

The interior of the house before demolition

Although not really representative of any true Jersey architectural style, Mainland, which stood at Bel Royal from the early 19th century until it was demolished in 1975, was nevertheless an example of the grand houses built by the 'Cod barons' in the 1800s.

This Georgian mansion was built on the profits of the cod trade by the Gibaut family of merchants, but later generations established a very successful farm producing the heaviest crops of apples from the orchards.

Datestones

The house as it stood before demolition in 1975 appears to have been built for Philippe Gibaut (1764-1842), who was married to Elizabeth Gibaut, but some of the datestones at the property before its demolition are believed to have given misleading clues to its age. The main house was probably early 19th century, with a later wing added. Outbuildings may have been as early as mid-18th century.

• PGB ♥♥ ED 1802 - Philippe Gibaut m Elizabeth Dean, married 1794
• PGB 1812 - Philippe Gibaut
• MGB AP 1762 - Moyse Gibaut and Ann Payn, married 1759
• 1749 MLC - corbel inscription
• 1785 - kitchen stone
• 1812 - press house stone

• Descendants of Jean Gibaut - 2, family tree