No 12 Royal Square

Historic Jersey buildings The Piquet House, Royal Square Index of all house profiles If you own this property, have ancestors who lived here, or can provide any further information and photographs, please contact us through editorial@jerripedia.org

This 1870s photograph by Ernest Baudoux shows the Picket House behind the statue

Property name

The Picket House

Other names

• Piquet House
• Old Guard House
• 12 Royal Square

Location

Royal Square, St Helier

Type of property

Georgian military picket house with unusual sundial. The building has been empty and unused for many years, following a temporary use as a town centre police station in the late 20th century

Families associated with the property

Census returns

• 1861 - Denton Baldwin, pensioner
• 1881 - James Flanagan (26) corporal, Royal Artillery, Elizabeth (24), Jane Mary (1), William (3 weeks)

Almanac listings Although this property is shown in numerous almanac street directories, it is usually as 'Old Guard House' and no number is given

Historic Environment Record entry

A rare survival of a Georgian military picket house with unusual sundial.

1803 military picket house. Two-storey, three-bay structure. Front elevation: Hipped roof behind parapet. Brick, painted. Veranda supported by slender columns. Iron railings.

Sundial on first floor - inscription reads 'Regulate your clocks by the Sun Dial; correction must be made; for the equation of time; which is given in all the Almanacks'. Above are four letters interpreted by Levitt as 'NOTE'. Levitt records the sundial's installation as 1820-30 and restored in 1888, circa 1984 and 2004. It was designed by Elias Le Gros (creator of the Le Gros map) and marks time with Roman and Arabic hours. It is painted and gilded limestone with painted metal gnomon.

Notes and references

We don't know if this picture was staged but it shows a soldier walking across the square in front of the Picket House in 1900

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  1897
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  1969