Fortifications gallery

Fortifications

Jersey's coastline has a continuous chain of castles, forts, towers and gun emplacements, built over the centuries to attempt to stop the French recapturing what was once part of the Duchy of Normandy, but became English when King John retained it after losing his French possessions in 1204. This page contains a selection of pictures of these fortifications. More can be found on the pages devoted to the individual installations.

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  Mont Orgueil Castle at Gorey in 1880
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  Another view in 1950
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  Mont Orgueil was handed to the people of Jersey by the Crown in 1907 and dignitaries posed for a commemorative photograph
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  Another picture of the 1907 ceremony
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  A train pulls away from Gorey with the castle in the background
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  An artist's impression of Mont Orgueil under seige
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  Built on a rocky islet off St Helier, Elizabeth Castle was the replacement for Mont Orgueil as the island's main defence installation
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  Elizabeth Castle parade ground in 1922
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  Fort Regent never fired a shot in anger, having been built as a defence against Napoleon in the early 19th century
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  Garrison soldiers on parade at Fort Regent
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  Grosnez Castle is in the north-west corner of the island. Nobody knows exactly when and why it was built
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  Fort Leicester at Bouley Bay is now self-catering holiday accommodation
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  Fort William on Grouville Common in 1903
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  Le Hocq Tower painted by Le Capelain in 1840
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  The coastal round tower at St Catherine
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  Another view of St Carherine's tower
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  Fliquet Tower before its upper section was removed
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  A row of towers in Grouville Bay