103-668: Le Moulin is the highest point in Sark and is also the highest point of the Bailiwick of Guernsey , a British Crown Dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy , with an altitude of 114 metres (374 ft). This Guernsey location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Sark in the Bailiwick of Guernsey (red) Sark ( Sercquiais : Sèr or Cerq , French : Sercq )
206-663: A Proto-Semitic source for the name. He proposes a comparison between the probable root of Sark, *Sarg- , and Proto-Semitic *śrq "redden; rise (as of the sun); east", noting Sark's position as the easternmost island of the Guernsey group. His theory is based on the early medieval Latin records mentioning Sargia , but many Islands more or less close to Sark have a Latin name ending with -gia , such as Angia (Channel Island), Oye-Plage ( Pas-de-Calais , Ogia 8th century) and Île-d'Yeu ( Vendée , former Augia ). Later records all mention Serc- and not *Sark , that seem to result from
309-516: A fief in perpetuity on condition that he kept the island free of pirates and occupied by at least forty men who were of her English subjects or swore allegiance to the Crown. This he duly did, leasing 40 parcels of land (known as "Tenements") at a low rent to forty families, mostly from St Ouen , on condition that a house be built and maintained on each parcel and that "the Tenant" provide one man, armed with
412-595: A musket , for the defence of the island. The 40 tenements survive to this day, albeit with minor boundary changes. (In 2015, the 450-year anniversary of this event was commemorated with the construction of a modern henge monument , Sark Henge . ) A subsequent attempt by the families to establish a constitution under a bailiff , as in Jersey, was stopped by the Guernsey authorities who resented any attempt to wrest Sark from their bailiwick. In 1844, desperate for funds to continue
515-455: A "monarch", or the islands as a monarchy, all documents refer to the king by royal titles. Guernsey's largest industry is financial services , followed by tourism and agriculture. The island is particularly well known for its cattle . Guernsey's culture is strongly influenced by Britain , evident in its use of the pound sterling and the status of English as the primary native language. Norman and French culture also have an impact, such as
618-403: A complex geological evolution (especially the rocks of the southern complex) with multiple phases of intrusion and deformation recognisable. Guernsey is composed of nine main rock types; two of these are granites and the rest gneiss . Guernsey is a parliamentary representative democracy and a British Crown Dependency . The Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey is the "representative of
721-466: A descriptive landmark for Saxon or Scandinavian sailors. In addition Norman toponymy reveals a mixture of (Anglo-)Saxon and Old Norse (Old Danish) place name elements. The Old English form of sark "shirt" (related to Old Norse serkr ) is precisely serċ, syrċ > Middle English serk , serke , sark (through the Anglian variant). In ancient times, Sark was almost certainly occupied by
824-452: A later anglicising of the /er/ group (compare French merveille > English marvel ; French Clerc / English clerk , clark cf. Clark). The traditional pronunciation of Sark in the native Norman language is sèr [sɛr] , with regular fall of final [k] like clerc in French. Finally, no specialist ever identified any Proto-Semitic element in the French coastal toponymy, even on
927-605: A manorial court to hear disputes between tenants, and the Abbot of St. Michael and the Seigneur d'Anneville had the right of high jurisdiction and the privilege of trying and executing criminals, respectively, so that the civil order of the island was fully regulated even before the Norman conquest of England. In 1204, when King John lost the continental portion of the Duchy to Philip II of France ,
1030-619: A parish meeting each year. The senior Douzenier is known as the Doyen (Dean). Two elected Constables ( Connétables ) carry out the decisions of the Douzaine, serving for between one and three years. The longer serving Constable is known as the Senior Constable and his or her colleague as the Junior Constable. The Douzaines levy an Occupiers Rate on properties to provide funding for running of
1133-419: A period of office of four years. In addition, the Seigneur and a speaker (who is elected by the conseillers ) are counted as members; but they have no right to vote. The periods of office are shifted, with the period of half the conseillers starting in the middle of the periods of the other half. Thus, every second year, nine conseillers are elected for the coming four years. The elections are held on
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#17328512021711236-643: A personal name such as Grani or Warinn, or from gron , meaning pine tree. Previous names for the Channel Islands vary over history, but include the Lenur islands, and Sarnia ; Sarnia for Guernsey, or Lisia (Guernsey) and Angia (Jersey). Around 6000 BC, rising seas created the English Channel and separated the Norman promontories that became the bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey from continental Europe . Neolithic farmers then settled on its coast and built
1339-413: A popular offshore finance centre for private-equity funds . Guernsey does not have a Central Bank and it issues its own sterling coinage and banknotes . UK coinage and (English, Scottish and Northern Irish-faced) banknotes also circulate freely and interchangeably. Total island investment funds, used to fund pensions and future island costs, amount to £2.7billion as at June 2016. The island issued
1442-498: A total area of 71 square kilometres (27 sq mi) and coastlines of about 46 kilometres (29 mi). Elevation varies from sea level to 110 m (360 ft) at Hautnez on Guernsey. There are many smaller islands, islets, rocks and reefs in Guernsey waters. Combined with a tidal range of 10 metres (33 feet) and fast currents of up to 12 knots , this makes sailing in local waters dangerous. The very large tidal variation provides an environmentally rich inter-tidal zone around
1545-501: A total of £1,383 (£6,000 less the sum borrowed and an accumulated interest of £616 and 13s). During World War II , the island, along with the other Channel Islands, was occupied by German forces between 1940 and 1945. German military rule on Sark began on 4 July 1940, the day after the Guernsey Kommandant Major Albrecht Lanz and his interpreter and chief of staff Major Maas visited the island to inform
1648-541: A vote of 25–15 Chief Pleas voted for a new legislature of the Seigneur, the Seneschal, fourteen elected landowners and fourteen elected non-landowners. But it was made plain by the British Lord Chancellor Jack Straw that this option was not on the table. Offered two options for reform involving an elected legislature, one fully elected, one with a number of seats reserved for elected tenants, 56% of
1751-537: Is a peninsula joined by a natural but high and very narrow isthmus to the rest of Sark Island. Sark is one of the few remaining places in the world where cars are banned from roads and only tractors, bicycles and horse-drawn vehicles are allowed. In 2011, Sark was designated as a Dark Sky Community and the first Dark Sky Island in the world. Sark consists of two main parts, Greater Sark, located at about 49°25′N 2°22′W / 49.417°N 2.367°W / 49.417; -2.367 , and Little Sark to
1854-544: Is also a source of Guernsey law for those matters which are reserved to the UK, namely defence and foreign affairs. The head of the bailiwick judiciary in Guernsey is the Bailiff, who, as well as performing the judicial functions of a Chief Justice, is also the head of the States of Guernsey and has certain civic, ceremonial and executive functions. The Bailiff's functions may be exercised by
1957-650: Is also the highest point in the Bailiwick of Guernsey. Little Sark had a number of mines accessing a source of galena . At Port Gorey, the ruins of silver mines may be seen. Off the south end of Little Sark are the Venus Pool and the Adonis Pool, both natural swimming pools whose waters are refreshed at high tide. The whole island is extensively penetrated at sea level by natural cave formations that provide unique habitats for many marine creatures, notably sea anemones, some of which are only safely accessible at low tide. Sark
2060-483: Is an island, part of the Channel Islands in the southwestern English Channel , off the coast of Normandy , France . It is a self-governing British Crown Dependency , with its own set of laws based on Norman law and its own parliament. It was a royal fief until 2008. It has a population of about 500. Sark (including the nearby island of Brecqhou ) has an area of 2.10 square miles (5.44 km ). Little Sark
2163-502: Is based at Victor Hugo 's former residence at Hauteville House . While the jurisdiction of Guernsey has complete autonomy over internal affairs and certain external matters, the topic of complete independence from the British Crown has been discussed widely and frequently, with ideas ranging from Guernsey obtaining independence as a Dominion to the bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey uniting and forming an independent Federal State within
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#17328512021712266-446: Is called the States of Deliberation ( États de Délibération ) and consists of 38 People's Deputies, elected on an islandwide basis every four years. There are also two representatives from Alderney , a semi-autonomous dependency of the Bailiwick, but Sark sends no representative since it has its own legislature. The Bailiff or Deputy Bailiff preside in the assembly. There are also two non-voting members: H.M. Procureur (analogous to
2369-535: Is classified as an oceanic climate , with a dry-summer trend, although marginally wetter than Mediterranean summers. The warmest months are July and August, when temperatures are generally around 20 °C (68 °F) with some days occasionally going above 24 °C (75 °F). On average, the coldest month is February with an average air temperature of 6.9 °C (44.4 °F). Average air temperature reaches 17.1 °C (62.8 °F) in August. Snow rarely falls and
2472-537: Is made up mainly of amphibolite and granite gneiss rocks, intruded by igneous magma sheets called quartz diorite . Recent (1990–2000) geological studies and rock age-dating by geologists from Oxford Brookes University shows that the gneisses probably formed around 620–600 million years ago during the Late Pre-Cambrian Age Cadomian Orogeny . The quartz diorite sheets were intruded during this Cadomian deformation and metamorphic event. All
2575-713: Is not part of the United Kingdom , although defence and most foreign relations are handled by the British Government. The entire jurisdiction lies within the Common Travel Area of the British Islands and the Republic of Ireland . Taken together with the separate jurisdictions of Alderney and Sark it forms the Bailiwick of Guernsey . The deliberative assembly of the States of Guernsey ( États de Guernesey )
2678-405: Is reserved for a particular use at the special request of a national ISO member body, government, or international organization (in this case, the United Kingdom ). Previously Sark was represented by Guernsey's country code (GG). Sark also fought for 20 years to get the .cq country code top-level domain . Christopher Beaumont is the current and twenty-third Seigneur of Sark, having inherited
2781-598: Is responsible for Guernsey's constitutional and external affairs, developing strategic and corporate policy and coordinating States business. It also examines proposals and Reports placed before Guernsey's Parliament (the States of Deliberation) by Departments and Non States Bodies. The President of the committee is the de facto head of government of Guernsey. Guernsey's legal system originates in Norman Customary Law, overlaid with principles taken from English common law and Equity as well as from statute law enacted by
2884-697: Is the President of the Policy and Resources Committee . The jurisdiction's parliament and government is the States of Guernsey . The island is divided into ten parishes . It has one town, called Saint Peter Port . The government variously defines the position of the King of England as "Head of State" or "successor to the Duke of Normandy. Although no document explicitly defines the Head of State as
2987-485: Is unlikely to settle, but is most likely to fall in February. The temperature rarely drops below freezing, although strong wind-chill from Arctic winds can sometimes make it feel like it. The rainiest months are December (average 119 mm (4.7 in)), November (average 107 mm (4.2 in)) and January (average 92 mm (3.6 in)). July is, on average, the sunniest month with 253 hours recorded sunshine; December
3090-545: Is used (and often pronounced as in French) in the sense of feudal landholder rather than the common English meaning of lessee . Originally, the word referred to any landowner, but today it is mostly used for a holder of one of the Quarantaine Tenements. Chief Pleas ( French : Chefs Plaids ; Sercquiais : Cheurs Pliaids ) is the parliament of Sark. It consists of eighteen members ( conseillers ), elected for
3193-534: The 2014 and the 2016 elections to the Chief Pleas. Until 2008, the Chief Pleas consisted of the tenants, and twelve deputies of the people as the only representation of the majority, an office introduced in 1922. The Seigneur and the Seneschal (who presided) were also members of Chief Pleas. Since 2000, Chief Pleas was working on its own reform, responding to internal and international pressures. On 8 March 2006 by
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3296-736: The Norman conquest of England in 1066, the island was united with the Crown of England . In the thirteenth century, the French pirate Eustace the Monk , having served King John , used Sark as a base of operations. During the Middle Ages , the island was populated by monastic communities. By the 16th century, however, the island was uninhabited and used by pirates as a refuge and base. In 1565, Helier de Carteret , Seigneur of St. Ouen in Jersey , received letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I granting him Sark as
3399-767: The Unelli , the Gallic tribe of the Cotentin Peninsula . These people were conquered by Julius Caesar of the Roman Empire about 56 BC in the Gallic Wars . About three decades later under Augustus , Gallia Celtica was subdivided into three parts, with this area a part of Gallia Lugdunensis , with its capital in Lugdunum , now Lyon . A later division was named Lugdunensis secunda ( Lyonnaise 2nd). A Unelli town, now Coutances ,
3502-572: The dolmens and menhirs found in the islands today, providing evidence of human presence dating back to around 5000 BC. Evidence of Roman settlements on the island, and the discovery of amphorae from the Herculaneum area and Spain, show evidence of an intricate trading network with regional and long-distance trade. Buildings found in La Plaiderie, St. Peter Port dating from 100 to 400 AD appear to be warehouses. The earliest evidence of shipping
3605-527: The militia . The neutrality lasted another century, until William III of England abolished the privilege due to privateering activity against Dutch ships. In the mid-16th century, the island was influenced by Calvinist reformers from Normandy. During the Marian persecutions , three women, the Guernsey Martyrs , were burned at the stake for their Protestant beliefs, along with the infant son of one of
3708-612: The 28 conseiller option was reinstated in February 2008 and accepted by Privy Council in April 2008. In 2003, Chief Pleas voted to vary the long-standing ban on divorce in the island by extending to the Royal Court of Guernsey power to grant divorces. In 2017, due to a lack of candidates standing for elections, the number of conseillers was reduced from 28 to 18, with nine elected every two years. Bailiwick of Guernsey laws and United Kingdom Acts of Parliament can (the latter as in
3811-475: The 60% majority required for the constitutional change. The decision was replaced by the proposal that Chief Pleas should consist of sixteen tenants and twelve conseillers both elected by universal adult suffrage from 2008 to 2012 and that a binding referendum should then decide whether this composition should be kept or replaced by 28 conseillers . This proposal was rejected by the Privy Council and
3914-581: The 9th century. The principal court is the Royal Court and exercises both civil and criminal jurisdiction. Additional courts, such as the Magistrate's Court, which deals with minor criminal matters, and the Court of Appeal, which hears appeals from the Royal Court, have been added to the Island's legal system over the years. Several European countries have a consular presence within the jurisdiction. The French Consulate
4017-590: The Climate Change Policy & Action Plan adopted in August 2020. Guernsey has a geological history stretching further back into the past than most of Europe. It forms part of the geological province of France known as the Armorican Massif . There is a broad geological division between the north and south of the island. The Southern Metamorphic Complex is elevated above the geologically younger, lower-lying Northern Igneous Complex. Guernsey has experienced
4120-607: The Commonwealth, whereby both islands retain their independence with regards to domestic affairs but internationally, the islands would be regarded as one state. Although it was not a member of the European Union , it had a special relationship with it until Brexit . It had been treated as part of the European Community with access to the single market for the purposes of the free trade in goods. From 2021 with free travel to
4223-499: The Crown in right of the république of the Bailiwick of Guernsey". The official residence of the Lieutenant Governor is Government House. Since 2022 the incumbent has been Lieutenant General Richard Cripwell CB , CBE , CStJ . The post was created in 1835 as a result of the abolition of the office of Governor. Since that point, the Lieutenant Governor has always resided locally. The jurisdiction
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4326-536: The Dame and Seigneur ( Sibyl and Robert Hathaway ) of the new regime. British Commandos raided the island several times. Operation Basalt , during the night of 3–4 October 1942, captured a prisoner, and Hardtack 7 was a failed British landing in December 1943. Sark was finally liberated on 10 May 1945, a full day after Guernsey. In late August 1990, an unemployed French nuclear physicist named André Gardes, who believed he
4429-489: The Deputy Bailiff. The posts of Bailiff and Deputy Bailiff are Crown appointments. Sixteen Jurats, who need no specific legal training, are elected by the States of Election from among Islanders. They act as a jury, as judges in civil and criminal cases and fix the sentence in criminal cases. First mentioned in 1179, there is a list of Jurats who have served since 1299. The oldest Courts of Guernsey can be traced back to
4532-641: The European Convention on Human Rights and his powers were subject to further legal challenges on these grounds. In 2012 the BBC Today programme reported on local disquiet about the influence on the island of the Barclay brothers. The New Yorker magazine further illustrated the ongoing and escalating tensions between the Barclays and some of the longer-term residents. In 2017 Private Eye also reported on
4635-694: The French government. Billionaire brothers David and Frederick Barclay had purchased an island within Sark's territorial waters in 1993 along with the hotels on the island. In the mid-1990s, the brothers petitioned the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg , France, challenging Sark's inheritance law, which mandated their island be left to David's oldest son. The brothers wanted to will their estate equally to their four children. In 1999, women in Sark were given equal rights of property inheritance, mainly due to
4738-460: The French mediterranean side. René Lepelley suggests a Scandinavian etymology that would explain the regular and late records of the root Serc- in the documents, according to him, it could be Old Norse serkr "shirt". He compares with the name given to an island or a mountain by Vikings sailing from Norway to Greenland : Hvítserkr cf. Hvitserk , maybe Mount Forel , so Old Saxon *Serki or Old Norse Serkr > Serc could have been
4841-634: The German occupation. The evacuees included 80 per cent of Guernsey children who lived with relatives or strangers in Great Britain during the war. Most children returned home after the war ended in 1945. The occupying German forces deported over 1,000 Guernsey residents to camps in southern Germany, notably to the Lager Lindele (Lindele Camp) near Biberach an der Riß and to Oflag VII-C in Laufen . Guernsey
4944-613: The Royal Sanction at regular meetings of the Privy Council in London, after which they are returned to the islands for formal registration at the Royal Court . The States also make delegated legislation known as Ordinances ( Ordonnances ) and Orders ( ordres ) which do not require the Royal Assent . Commencement orders are usually in the form of ordinances. The Policy and Resources Committee
5047-516: The Sark rocks (and those of the nearby Channel Islands of Guernsey and Alderney ) formed during geological activity in the continental crust above an ancient subduction zone. This geological setting would have been analogous to the modern-day subduction zone of the Pacific Ocean plate colliding and subducting beneath the North and South American continental plate. Sark also exercises jurisdiction over
5150-580: The Seigneur. In 2010, following the decision of the English Court of Appeal, the Chief Pleas decided to split the dual role of the Seneschal. Thus, since 2013 the Chief Pleas has elected its own President, who presides in almost all cases. The Seneschal now presides in Chief Pleas only during the election of the President. The complete list of all the Seneschals of Sark from 1675 is as follows: Pursuant to
5253-463: The Seigneurie in 2016. Before the constitutional reforms of 2008 , the Seigneur (or Dame in the case of a woman holding the office) was the head of the government of the Isle of Sark. Many of the laws, particularly those related to inheritance and the rule of the Seigneur, had changed little since their promulgation in 1565 under Elizabeth I of England . For example, the Seigneur held the sole right to keep pigeons or an unspayed dog. The latter right
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#17328512021715356-417: The States of Guernsey. Sark has its own United Nations Standard Country or Area Code for Statistical Use (680). That code is used for statistical processing purposes by the Statistics Division of the United Nations Secretariat. The ISO 3166-1 code element CQ has been exceptionally reserved to refer to Sark. An “exceptionally reserved” code element does not represent a country name in ISO 3166-1, but
5459-509: The United Kingdom approved the Sark law reforms on 9 April 2008. The first elections under the new law were held in December 2008 and the new chamber first convened in January 2009. Some Sark residents have complained that the new system is not democratic and have described the powers the new law granted to the Seneschal, an unelected member whose term the new law extended to the duration of his natural life, as imperial or dictatorial. The Court of Appeal had ruled his powers to be in breach of
5562-495: The administration. Guernsey's Church of England parishes fall under the See of Canterbury , having split from the Bishopric of Winchester in 2014. The biggest parish is Castel, while the most populated is St Peter Port. Financial services, such as banking, fund management , and insurance, account for about 37% of GDP. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, especially freesias , have been declining. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey
5665-472: The approval of the Chief Pleas, although recently Chief Pleas has been delegating a number of ordinance-making powers to the States of Guernsey. Such powers are, however, in each case subject to dis-application, or repeal, by the Chief Pleas. By long standing custom, Sark's criminal law has been made by the States of Guernsey, and this custom was put on a statutory basis in Section 4 of the Reform (Sark) Law, 2008, by which Sark delegates criminal law making power to
5768-514: The basis of a single multi-member Sark-wide constituency, with the nine candidates receiving most votes being elected. The Prévôt , the Greffier and the treasurer also attend but are not members; the treasurer may address Chief Pleas on matters of taxation and finance. However, if there are not more willing candidates than the numbers of positions to fill (including any casual vacancies), then all candidates are declared elected, without any actual election necessary. This happened both in
5871-405: The beginning of the 18th century, Guernsey's residents were starting to settle in North America, in particular founding Guernsey County in Ohio in 1810. The threat of invasion by Napoleon prompted many defensive structures to be built at the end of that century. The early 19th century saw a dramatic increase in the prosperity of the island, due to its success in the global maritime trade , and
5974-432: The brothers' influence. Until 2008, Sark's parliament (Chief Pleas) was a single chamber consisting of 54 members, comprising the Seigneur, the Seneschal, 40 owners of the tenements and 12 elected deputies. A change to the system was advocated largely by the Barclay brothers . Their premise was that a change was necessary to comply with the European Convention on Human Rights , though it was suggested that their objection
6077-415: The case of all the other Channel Islands) be extended to Sark. Normally the consent of Chief Pleas is obtained for this, but the Supreme Court ruled in R v Secretary of State for Justice that it need not be. Sark does not make its own criminal laws; the responsibility for making criminal law was assigned to the States of Guernsey by Section 4(3) of the Reform (Sark) Law 2008 . The executive officers on
6180-434: The castle of St. Michael and to erect such other forts as were deemed necessary. Around the middle of the eleventh century, Guernsey was beset by a new breed of pirates who built a castle called Le Château des Sarrasins in the centre of the island near the present church of Catel; Duke William of Normandy (later the Conqueror) commissioned his Esquire Sampson d'Anneville to fight them. As a reward, in 1061 he received half of
6283-427: The competent legislature(s) – usually, but not always, the States of Guernsey. Guernsey has almost complete autonomy over internal affairs and certain external matters. However, the Crown – that is to say, the UK Government – retains an ill-defined reserved power to intervene in the domestic affairs of any of the three Crown Dependencies within the British Islands "in the interests of good government". The UK Parliament
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#17328512021716386-476: The continent ceasing, additional bureaucratic procedures come into force, including the need for international driving licences and green cards for vehicle insurance. Guernsey has ten parishes , which act as civil administration districts with limited powers. Each parish is administered by a Douzaine, made up of twelve members or more, known as Douzeniers. Douzeniers are elected for a four-year mandate, three, four or five Douzeniers being elected by parishioners at
6489-399: The designation was granted, Sark Astronomy Society worked to secure funds for an astronomical observatory on the island. In October 2015 Sark's observatory was officially opened by Marek Kukula , public astronomer from the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Until the second half of the 2000s Sark was considered the last feudal state in Europe. Together with the other Channel Islands , it is
6592-422: The direction of the Royal Engineers . Due to its isolation, the inhabitants of Little Sark had their own distinct form of Sercquiais , the native Norman dialect of the island. The highest point on Sark is 374 feet (114 m) above sea level . A windmill , dated 1571, is found there, the sails of which were removed during World War II. This high point is named Le Moulin , after the windmill. The location
6695-426: The former channel became the town and harbour (from 1820) of St Sampson's , now the second biggest port in Guernsey. The western end of La Braye is now Le Grand Havre. The roadway called "The Bridge" across the end of the harbour at St Sampson's recalls the bridge that formerly linked the two parts of Guernsey at high tide. New roads were built and main roads were metalled for ease of use by the military. Infrastructure
6798-418: The inhabitants expressed a preference for a totally elected legislature. Following the poll, Chief Pleas voted on 4 October 2006 to replace the twelve deputies and forty tenants in Chief Pleas by 28 conseillers elected by universal adult suffrage. This decision was suspended in January 2007 when it was pointed out to Chief Pleas that the 56% versus 44% majority achieved in the opinion poll did not achieve
6901-401: The island are: The Seneschal, Prevôt, and Greffier are chosen by the Seigneur, while the Treasurer, Constable and Vingtenier are elected by Chief Pleas. The list of current Officers of the Island of Sark: Guernsey in the Bailiwick of Guernsey (red) Guernsey ( / ˈ ɡ ɜːr n z i / GURN -zee ; Guernésiais : Guernési ; French : Guernesey ) is
7004-469: The island failed to win any seats in the elections held in 2008 and 2010 . Sark is probably first mentioned in the Antonine Itinerary ( Itinerarium Antonini Augusti , part II: itinerarium maritimum ) 3rd – 4th century AD together with the other main Channel Islands as Sarnia , Caesarea , Barsa , Silia and Andium , but it is unclear to which it refers. It has been suggested that Silia referred to Sark . The earliest record to evoke possibly
7107-446: The island has a land area of 24 square miles (62 km ). Guernsey was part of the Duchy of Normandy until 1204, when the Channel Islands remained loyal to the English crown, splitting from mainland Normandy. In 1290, the Channel Islands were divided administratively and Guernsey became part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey. During the Second World War , Guernsey was invaded and occupied by Nazi Germany . After five years of occupation,
7210-415: The island of Brecqhou , only a few hundred feet west of Greater Sark. It is a private island , but it has recently been opened to some visitors. From 1993 Brecqhou was owned by the brothers David and Frederick Barclay , until David Barclay died in 2021 and Frederick Barclay became sole owner. The brothers contested Sark's control over the island. The candidates endorsed by their various business interests on
7313-412: The island was liberated on 9 May 1945, that date being celebrated annually as Liberation Day . Guernsey is administered as part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a self-governing dependency of the British Crown . The island is thus not part of the United Kingdom , although the UK government has certain responsibilities for the Bailiwick. The British monarch is the head of state and the head of government
7416-504: The island's traditional language, Guernésiais . In addition, French writer Victor Hugo spent fifteen years in exile in Guernsey, where he wrote some of his best-known works. The island's name, "Guernsey", like that of neighbouring " Jersey ", is of Old Norse origin. The second element of each word, " -ey ", is the Old Norse for "island", while the original root, "guern(s)", is of uncertain origin and meaning, possibly deriving from either
7519-455: The island's volunteer connétable approached the Frenchman and complimented him on the quality of his weapon. Gardes changed the gun's magazine to illustrate how it worked, allowing the constable to tackle and arrest him. He was given a seven-day sentence, which he served in Guernsey. Gardes attempted this again the following year, but was recognized in Guernsey, arrested, and handed over to
7622-617: The islands remained part of the Kingdom of England. The islands were then recognised by the 1259 Treaty of Paris as part of Henry III 's territories. During the Middle Ages , the island was a haven for pirates that would use the "lamping technique" to ground ships close to the island. This intensified during the Hundred Years War , when, starting in 1339 , the island was occupied by the Capetians on several occasions. The Guernsey Militia
7725-444: The islands, and some sites have received Ramsar Convention designation. The tidal flows in the area are remarkable, owing to the flatness of the ground for nearly 32 km (20 mi) westward. Guernsey is the westernmost of the Channel Islands , and the jurisdiction is at the greatest distance from the coast of Normandy than any of the other islands. Guernsey's climate is temperate with mild winters and mild, sunny summers. It
7828-519: The islands, were placed by the French King Ranulf under the control of William I . The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Duchy of Normandy . About the year 1030, the fleet of Robert, Duke of Normandy , which was to support the claim of his cousins Alfred and Edward to the English crown against Canute , was scattered by a storm, and
7931-453: The last remnant of the former Duchy of Normandy still belonging to the Crown . Sark belongs to the Crown in its own right and has an independent relationship with the Crown through the Lieutenant Governor in Guernsey. Formally, the Seigneur holds it as a fief from the Crown, reenfeoffing the landowners on the island with their respective parcels. The political consequences of this construction were abolished in recent years, particularly in
8034-423: The least with 58 hours recorded sunshine. Sea temperatures have been rising and now vary between 8 °C (46 °F) in February to 20 °C (68 °F) in August. Average wind speeds vary between 20 kilometres per hour (12 mph) and 40 kilometres per hour (25 mph) with gusts over 60 kilometres per hour (37 mph) every 4–5 years. Guernsey plans to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, according to
8137-464: The name of Sark are the Life of saint Samson and the Life of saint Magloire , bishops of Dol-de-Bretagne . They spell it Sargia , with the neighbouring island Bissargia , all the other documents are from the 11th to the 12th century and the forms are: Serc, Serch, Sercum, Serco . Richard Coates has suggested that in the absence of a Proto-Indo-European etymology it may be worthwhile looking for
8240-672: The occupation. The tomato industry started up again and thrived until the 1970s when the significant increase in world oil prices led to a sharp, terminal decline. Tourism has remained important. Finance businesses grew in the 1970s and expanded in the next two decades and are important employers. Guernsey's constitutional and trading relationships with the UK are largely unaffected by Brexit . Situated in Mont Saint-Michel Bay at around 49°35′N 2°20′W / 49.583°N 2.333°W / 49.583; -2.333 , Guernsey, Herm and some other smaller islands together have
8343-404: The operation of the silver mine on the island, the incumbent Seigneur, Ernest le Pelley , obtained Crown permission to mortgage Sark's fief to local privateer John Allaire. After the company running the mine went bankrupt, le Pelley was unable to keep up the mortgage payments and, in 1849, his son Pierre Carey le Pelley , the new Seigneur, was forced to sell the fief to Marie Collings for
8446-471: The peace between England and France, Pope Sixtus IV issued in 1483 a papal bull granting the "Privilege of Neutrality'", by which "the Islands, their harbours and seas, as far as the eye can see," were considered neutral territory. Anyone molesting Islanders would be excommunicated. A royal charter in 1548 confirmed the neutrality. The French attempted to invade Jersey a year later in 1549 but were defeated by
8549-447: The reform of the legislative body, Chief Pleas, which took place in 2008. Although part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey , Sark is fiscally separate from the rest of the Bailiwick. Together with the islands of Alderney and Guernsey, Sark from time to time approves Bailiwick of Guernsey legislation, which, subject to the approval of all three legislatures, applies in the entire Bailiwick. Legislation cannot be made which applies on Sark without
8652-410: The right to vote in Chief Pleas, but in 1604 this right was restricted to the 39 original tenements required by the letters patent, the so-called 'Quarantaine Tenements' ( French : quarantaine : a group of forty). The newer parcels mostly did not have the obligation to bear arms. In 1611 the dismemberment of tenements was forbidden, but the order was not immediately followed. In Sark, the word tenant
8755-423: The rise of the stone industry. Maritime trade suffered a major decline with the move away from sailing craft as materials such as iron and steel were not available on the island. Le Braye du Valle was a tidal channel that made the northern extremity of Guernsey, Le Clos du Valle, a tidal island . Le Braye du Valle was drained and reclaimed in 1806 by the British Government as a defence measure. The eastern end of
8858-608: The role of Attorney General ) and H.M. Comptroller (analogous to Solicitor General ), both appointed by the Crown and collectively known as the Law Officers of the Crown. A projet de loi is the equivalent of a UK bill or a French projet de loi , and a law is the equivalent of a UK act of parliament or a French loi . A draft law passed by the States can have no legal effect until formally approved by His Majesty in Council and promulgated by means of an order in council . Laws are given
8961-465: The royal letters patent , the Seigneur was to keep the island inhabited by at least 40 armed men. Therefore, from his lands, 39 parcels or tenements , each sufficient for one family, were subdivided and granted to settlers, the tenants . Later, some of these parcels were dismembered, and parts of the Seigneurial land were sold, creating more parcels. Originally each head of a parcel-holding family had
9064-405: The second-largest island in the Channel Islands , located 27 miles (43 km) west of the Cotentin Peninsula , Normandy . It is the largest island in the Bailiwick of Guernsey , which includes five other inhabited islands – Alderney , Herm , Jethou , Lihou and Sark – and many small islets and rocks. The bailiwick has a population of 63,950, the vast majority of whom live on Guernsey, and
9167-485: The situation, following the Barclays' decision to close their vineyard and a number of hotels and shops they own on Sark. In January 2011, the International Dark-Sky Association designated Sark as Europe's first Dark Sky Community and the first Dark Sky Island in the world. This designation recognises that Sark is sufficiently clear of light pollution to allow naked-eye astronomy . Although Sark
9270-415: The south. They are connected by a narrow isthmus called La Coupée which is 300 feet (91 m) long and has a drop of 330 feet (100 m) on each side. Protective railings were added in 1900; before then, children would crawl across on their hands and knees to avoid being blown over the edge. A narrow concrete road covering the entirety of the isthmus was built in 1945 by German prisoners of war under
9373-640: The southwest of the island, while Castle Cornet was occupied by the Governor, Sir Peter Osborne , and Royalist troops. In December 1651, with full honours of war, Castle Cornet surrendered—the last Royalist outpost anywhere in the British Isles to surrender. Wars against France and Spain during the 17th and 18th centuries allowed Guernsey shipowners and sea captains to exploit the island's proximity to mainland Europe by applying for letters of marque and turning their cargo ships into privateering vessels . By
9476-431: The western part of the island under the title of Fief d'Anneville. Sampson attracted many emigrants from Normandy to settle on his feudal estate, and Duke William distributed lands in Guernsey to other Norman landowners, such as the estates of Sausmarez, Les Bruniaux de St. Martin, Mauxmarquis, Rohais, etc. Most of Guernsey was soon cultivated, and around this time the island was divided into ten parishes. Each free fief had
9579-541: The women. The burning of the infant was ordered by Bailiff Hellier Gosselin, with the advice of priests nearby who said the boy should burn due to having inherited moral stain from his mother. Later on, Hellier Gosselin fled the island to escape widespread outrage. During the English Civil War , Guernsey sided with the Parliamentarians . The allegiance was not total, however; there were a few Royalist uprisings in
9682-718: Was aided in its achievement by its location, its historic ban on cars and the fact that there is no public lighting, it was also necessary for local residents to make adjustments, such as re-siting lights, to cut the light pollution. The designation was made in January 2011, following an audit by the IDA in 2010. The award is significant in that Sark is the first island community to have achieved this; other Dark-Sky Places have, up to now, been mainly uninhabited areas, and IDA chairman Martin Morgan-Taylor commended Sark residents for their effort. After
9785-555: Was driven down the Channel to Guernsey. The Duke was taken to St. Michael's Abbey. In gratitude for the abbot's hospitality, he gave all the lands within the Close of the Vale to the abbot forever as fief of St. Michael, with permission to extend this to the northwestern part of the island as soon as settlers could be found to clear and cultivate the land; and he gave them engineers and workmen to complete
9888-458: Was first mentioned as operational in 1331 and would help defend the island for a further 600 years. In 1372, the island was invaded by Aragonese mercenaries under the command of Owain Lawgoch (remembered as Yvon de Galles ), who was in the pay of the French king. Owain and his dark-haired mercenaries were later absorbed into Guernsey legend as invading fairies from across the sea. As part of
9991-814: Was funded by creating money debt-free starting in 1815. During the First World War , about 3,000 island men served in the British Expeditionary Force . Of these, about 1,000 served in the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry regiment formed from the Royal Guernsey Militia in 1916. From 30 June 1940, during the Second World War , the Channel Islands were occupied by German troops . Seventeen thousand people from Guernsey's total population of 41,000 were evacuated to England before
10094-626: Was more likely at odds with certain property tax requirements and primogeniture laws affecting their holdings. The old system was described as feudal and undemocratic because the tenants were entitled to sit in Chief Pleas as of right. On 16 January 2008 and 21 February 2008, the Chief Pleas approved a law to reform Chief Pleas as a 30-member chamber, with 28 members elected in island-wide elections, one hereditary member (the Seigneur) and one member (the Seneschal) appointed for life. The Privy Council of
10197-666: Was named Constantia in 298 by the Roman emperor Constantius Chlorus . Around 430, the bishopric of Coutances (much later under the archbishopric of Rouen ), was established in Coutances , having about the same limits as the Lyonnaise 2nd. In 933, Sark was included in the Duchy of Normandy , based on the traditional boundaries of the Lugdunensis secunda and the archbishopric of Rouen . Following
10300-419: Was repealed in 2008. Until 2013 the Seneschal of Sark was the head of the Chief Pleas. From 1583 and 1675 judicial functions were exercised by five elected jurats and a juge, but since 1675 the Seneschal has also been the judge of the island. The Seneschal was historically appointed by the Seigneur, but nowadays there is an Appointment Committee consisting of the Seigneur and two other members appointed by
10403-605: Was the discovery of a wreck of a ship in St Peter Port harbour , which has been named Asterix . It is thought to be a 3rd-century Roman cargo vessel and was probably at anchor or grounded when a fire broke out. Travelling from the Kingdom of Gwent , Saint Sampson , later the abbot of Dol in Brittany , is credited with the introduction of Christianity to Guernsey. In 933, the Cotentin Peninsula , including Avranchin , which included
10506-407: Was the rightful holder of the Seigneur's title, attempted an invasion of Sark armed with a semi-automatic weapon . The night Gardes arrived, he put up two posters declaring his intention to take over the island the following day at noon. The following day he started a solo foot patrol in front of the manor, in battle-dress, weapon in hand. While Gardes was sitting on a bench waiting for noon to arrive,
10609-424: Was very heavily fortified during World War II , out of all proportion to the island's strategic value. German defences and alterations remain visible, particularly to Castle Cornet and around the northern coast of the island. Guernsey and Jersey were both liberated on 9 May 1945, now celebrated as Liberation Day on the two islands. During the late 1940s, the island repaired the damage caused to its buildings during
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