HERITAGE COUNTS 2017 La Mèrquéthie d’l’Hethitage jerseyheritage.org La Mèrquéthie d’l’Hethitage HERITAGE COUNTS 2017 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION 3 2. CARING & SHARING CARING FOR OUR HISTORIC As in previous years, this report provides a summary of measurable indicators, which HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT 2017 6 2.1 HERITAGE AT RISK REGISTER 20 ENVIRONMENT illustrate how Jersey’s heritage and historic Heritage Counts is an annual audit of the state 2.2 MANAGING POSITIVELY 20 environment have a positive impact on the CASE STUDY: OWNING AN UNUSUAL of Jersey’s historic environment. It is produced wellbeing of the Island and its community, and COTTAGE WITH A MYSTERIOUS PAST 8 2.3 CAPACITY & RESOURCES 21 by Jersey Heritage on behalf of the forum of help us to better understand the challenges the Jersey’s heritage organisations, including the INDICATORS SECTION 10 CASE STUDY: BUILDING TODAY BY Island faces. PRESERVING THE PAST 22 States of Jersey, Société Jersiaise, National Trust 1. UNDERSTANDING THE ASSETS Jersey and Channel Islands Occupation Society. 1.1 DESIGNATED HERITAGE ASSETS 11 CASE STUDY: PROTECTING THE HEART Each year Heritage Counts sets out the social and AND SOUL OF A PROPERTY 24 economic role of the historic environment and 1.2 HERITAGE AREAS & OPEN SPACES 11 provides an overview of key developments. 3. USING & BENEFITING CASE STUDY: PROTECTING JERSEY’S 3.1 PARTICIPATION IN THE HISTORIC The theme of Heritage Counts 2017 is caring NATURAL HERITAGE 12 ENVIRONMENT 26 for our historic environment. Guardians of our common cultural heritage come in many different 1.3 ACQUIRING INFORMATION 14 3.2 ECONOMIC BENEFITS 27 guises, from formal administrators to teachers CASE STUDY: TELLING THE STORIES 3.3 EDUCATION & LIFELONG LEARNING 27 and craftspeople maintaining traditional skills. BEHIND THE OBJECTS 16 Historic buildings are primarily people’s homes CASE STUDY: TEACHING OUR and workplaces, and much of the care begins at CASE STUDY: NOT YOUR AVERAGE FUTURE ABOUT OUR PAST 28 home. CARPENTER 18 HERITAGE COUNTS INDICATORS 30 | 3 La Mèrquéthie d’l’Hethitage HERITAGE COUNTS 2017 CULTURAL IMPACT SOCIAL IMPACT Jersey’s historic environment makes a positive The historic environment is valued for its contribution to the Island community, enriching contribution to our knowledge, as a unique our quality of life and enhancing community source of information about our past and a rich pride. Participating in our shared heritage also educational resource for lifelong learning. contributes to personal development. ECONOMIC IMPACT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT Historic places make areas attractive to those The historic environment is a tangible part looking to work, study or undertake business. of Jersey’s distinctive and special identity, As such, they are assets for revitalisation and underpinning local character and generating a economic development. Heritage is also a major sense of place. People care about it, valuing its driver of overseas tourism – Jersey’s historic familiarity and memories. Preserving historic places and landscapes are one of the main places also maximises the use of existing reasons for holidays and visits. materials and infrastructure, and reduces waste. 4 | INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION | 5 La Mèrquéthie d’l’Hethitage HERITAGE COUNTS 2017 ‘First and foremost THE HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT these were people’s homes, IN 2017 natural and largely unselfconscious SAFEGUARDING THE BUILT HERITAGE Listing isn’t intended to expressions of an A significant attainment in 2017 was the fulfilment prevent change or freeze a island identity, of its of the ‘resurvey’ of Jersey’s many historic buildings and places, and their safeguarding building or place in time, but culture, its history and through Listing. Listing is a way of understanding, its aspirations’ John identifying and celebrating our shared built to ensure the heritage value history and archaeology, and although inevitably is acknowledged so that well- McCormack, Channel bureaucratic in some ways, it isn’t intended Island Houses to prevent change or freeze a building or place informed decisions can be in time, but to ensure the heritage value is taken about its future. acknowledged so that well-informed decisions UNDERSTANDING HERITAGE VALUE from Egypt to the British Museum, who lived at can be taken about its future. Gouray Lodge in Gorey, and the socialite Lillie A number of matters were considered when Langtry, who was born at St. Saviour’s Rectory. looking at each historic building in order to The protection of historic buildings is nothing A new listing system for Jersey was introduced by establish its story and reach an understanding of new. Early interest came with the foundation of The resurvey also considered the intrinsic the Planning and Environment Minister in 2010. its heritage value. An appreciation of the historical the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings architectural interest of each building – how it is Jersey Heritage was tasked with carrying out an interest was central, beginning with age and 1877 and the first formal Lists were made in the designed, the quality of decoration and craft on assessment of the historical and architectural rarity - the older buildings having fewer examples 1940s as a way of determining which buildings display, the use of materials and details, and the value of the Island’s many historic buildings and surviving. The value of Jersey’s oldest granite should be repaired if they were damaged by way in which the building may contribute to the sites, in order to advise and inform the States of buildings is undeniable and greatly cherished, bombing during the war. Jersey began to protect character of an area or to the weft and weave of Jersey Historic Environment Team who lead the as they are rooted in the character of the Island its historic buildings back in the 1970s, with a Listing process. In order to deal with the scale of the historic streets. It became evident that many and a fundamental part of its unique vernacular much more comprehensive approach developed this resurvey, Jersey Heritage brought together historic buildings are not just of interest for their architecture. Georgian architecture arrived into by the States of Jersey in the 1990s - the majority the knowledge of other local organisations, such streetscape aesthetics, but also for how they Jersey in the 18th century, and there are many of today’s Listed buildings were previously as the Société Jersiaise, National Trust for Jersey, demonstrate the skill and thriving craft traditions fine historic town residences and farmhouses protected under these earlier policies. Association of Jersey Architects and Channel of past generations of Islanders with displays of influenced by that new English style - although still Islands Occupation Society, and expertise from a fine stonemasonry, locally-made brickwork from often with a local twist. Many of these properties group of historic building specialists. now redundant brickfields, decorative ironwork INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY are now Listed. The resurvey applied a greater from Island foundries, decorative plasterwork, selectivity to buildings from the Victorian era and Jersey is also part of the world community and is The resulting Listings - just over four thousand and often with quality joinery fittings. to more ‘recent’ houses from the 20th century. a member of various international Conventions, in total - are all-encompassing of Jersey’s varied such as the Convention for the Protection of the historic landscape from the far history of the Ice Listing plays its part in ensuring we protect what is Historical interest is also found in how buildings Architectural Heritage of Europe (Granada 1985) Age and Neolithic monuments, to the military of value in our built historic landscape. The resurvey are illustrative of past cultural influences and and the European Convention on the Protection of sites of the Napoleonic and Occupation periods, was achieved in large part with the cooperation aspirations, the functional requirements of trades the Archaeological Heritage (Valletta 1992). These churches and chapels, public monuments and of, and contribution by, many hundreds of memorials, roadside features and maritime and occupations, the craftsmanship and artistic Conventions recognise our historic buildings homeowners and the Island community, and structures, as well as historic houses and expression of past Islanders, and the military and archaeological sites represent both a finite Jersey is now in a stronger position to safeguard farmsteads (although Listing applies to less than necessities of more turbulent and unsettled resource and an irreplaceable asset, and that we this aspect of our cultural heritage. 10% of private dwellings in the Island). all have a responsibility to safeguard this shared days. On occasion, a building also had a famous past resident which enhances the interest of the cultural heritage and collective memory by For information on Listed buildings, see property – such as Sir Tomkyns Hilgrove Turner, identifying places of interest and taking statutory www.gov.je/citizen/Planning/Pages/ the man who delivered the famous Rosetta Stone measures to protect them. HistoricEnvironments.aspx 6 | THE HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT IN 2017 THE HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT IN 2017 | 7 La Mèrquéthie d’l’Hethitage HERITAGE COUNTS 2017 CASE STUDY - ANNETTE LOWE ‘I just want to make sure that one day Homeowner - Orissa, Old St John’s Road it goes to someone who cares, and will love all the history as much as I do.’ OWNING AN UNUSUAL COTTAGE WITH A MYSTERIOUS PAST An elderly woman who Annette Lowe takes Despite the mystery surrounding the original shopping each week says she remembers purpose of the house, it is actually its interior Annette’s cottage in Old St John’s Road from that makes it so special, and which Annette her childhood – she had thought it was made loves so much. It is filled with interesting nooks of gingerbread and would scurry past, thinking a and crannies, including the alcoves in the lounge, witch lived inside. the original staircase, and the original front door, now superseded by a door in an extension on the It’s not made of gingerbread (and there isn’t a front of the house.