Vale, Guernsey

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Parish in northeastern Guernsey

title: "Vale, Guernsey" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["parishes-of-guernsey"] description: "Parish in northeastern Guernsey" topic_path: "general/parishes-of-guernsey" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vale,_Guernsey" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Parish in northeastern Guernsey ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
nameVale
native_name_lang
settlement_typeParish
image_flagFlag of Vale Parish, Bailiwick of Guernsey.gif
image_mapParish of Vale in Guernsey.svg
mapsize150px
map_captionLocation of Vale in Guernsey
subdivision_typeCrown Dependency
subdivision_nameGuernsey, Channel Islands
leader_titleElectoral district
leader_nameVale
unit_prefMetric
area_total_km28.8
area_rankRanked 2nd
population_total9514
population_as_of2019
population_density_km2auto
timezone1GMT
timezone1_DSTUTC+01
website
::

| name = Vale | native_name = | native_name_lang = | settlement_type = Parish | image_skyline = | image_alt = | image_caption = | image_flag = Flag of Vale Parish, Bailiwick of Guernsey.gif | image_shield = | shield_alt = | image_map = Parish of Vale in Guernsey.svg | mapsize = 150px | map_alt = | map_caption = Location of Vale in Guernsey | pushpin_map = | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption = | coordinates = | coor_pinpoint = | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Crown Dependency | subdivision_name = Guernsey, Channel Islands | subdivision_type1 = | subdivision_name1 = | established_title = | established_date = | founder = | seat_type = | seat = | government_footnotes = | leader_party = | leader_title = Electoral district | leader_name = Vale | unit_pref = Metric | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 8.8 | area_note = | area_rank = Ranked 2nd | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | population_footnotes = | population_total = 9514 | population_as_of = 2019 | population_density_km2 = auto | timezone1 = GMT | timezone1_DST = UTC+01 | website = | footnotes = Vale (Guernésiais: Lé Vale; French: Le Valle) is one of the ten parishes of Guernsey in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, Channel Islands.

In 933 the islands, formerly under the control of William I, then Duchy of Brittany were annexed by the Duchy of Normandy. The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Duchy of Normandy.

Much of the Vale parish belonging to the fief Saint Michael, which benefited the Benedictine monks who lived in an abbey that had been built next to the Vale Church from when it was granted in 1032 by Robert of Normandy who had apparently been caught in a storm and his ship had ended up safe in Guernsey. The rights to the fief were removed by Henry VIII when he undertook the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

Vale Castle

The Castle of Saint Michael, now called Vale Castle, has an origin going back at least 1,000 years and was used as a refuge from pirate attacks. It was probably started in the late 10th century. The poem of the same name refers to the castle as the Château de l'Archange, the location of the last-ditch stand against the insurgents.

In 1615 the island was required to maintain the Vale Castle, while the Crown maintained Castle Cornet. It has been a focal point for defence; the most recent modifications were undertaken by the German occupiers.

Modern era

Until 1806 the parish occupied territory on the mainland of Guernsey, the Vingtaine de l'Epine, as well as the whole of Le Clos du Valle, a tidal island forming the northern extremity of Guernsey separated from the mainland by Le Braye du Valle, a tidal channel. Le Braye was drained and reclaimed in 1806 by the British Government as a defence measure. Vale now consists of two non-contiguous territories.

The Vale postal code starts with either GY3 or GY6 (the latter also used for St. Andrew).

Features

The features of the parish include:

  • Churches:
  • Parish war memorial at Vale Avenue-Braye Road Cross Roads
  • Bordeaux Harbour
  • The Vale Mill (the parishes most prominent landmark)
  • Northern half of Saint Sampson's Town
  • Northern half of Saint Sampson's Harbour
  • Vale Pond, nature reserve
  • Beaucette marina
  • Military:
  • Archaeology:
    • Le Dolmen de Déhus, which incorporates a megalithic art carving known as Le Gardien
    • La Varde passage grave, the largest dolmen on the island
    • Les Fouaillages, L'Ancresse Common
    • La Platte Mare, cist in circle
    • La Mare es Mauves, cist in circle
    • Martelo 7, cist in circle
  • Beaches
    • Pembroke (MCS recommended)
    • L'Ancresse
    • Ladies Bay
    • Bordeaux Harbour
  • A number of protected buildings

The parish of the Vale hosts:

  • Guernsey Electricity Power Station
  • Fort le Marchant shooting range
  • numerous industrial premises
  • Maison Maritaine
  • Vale Douzaine Room
  • Vale Primary School
  • 18 hole golf course on L'Ancresse Common
  • Annual music festival 'Vale Earth Fair' at the Vale Castle
  • numerous quarries
  • many old and some still in use, vineries. (greenhouses)
  • Countryside walks
  • A weekly 5 km Parkrun event ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/L'Ancresse_Loophole_Tower_no._6,Guernsey-channel-islands.geographs.org-_419.jpg" caption="L'Ancresse Loophole Tower no. 6"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/LeDehusTombArt_sr1.jpg" caption="''Le Gardien'' of Le Dolmen de Déhus"] ::

Other

The parish was twinned with the Normandy port of FRA Barneville-Carteret in 1987.

Politics

Vale comprises the whole of the Vale administrative division.

In the 2016 Guernsey general election there was a 3,774 or 74% turnout to elect six Deputies. Those elected (in order of votes received) being Matt Fallaize, Dave Jones, Mary Lowe, Laurie Queripel, Jeremy Smithies and Sarah Hansmann Rouxel.

Dave Jones died in July 2016 and a by-election was held in October 2016 to elect a replacement.

References

References

  1. Marr, J., ''The History of Guernsey – the Bailiwick's story'', Guernsey Press (2001).
  2. Berry, William. "The history of Guernsey from the remotest period of antiquity to the year 1814".
  3. "The Guernsey and Jersey Magazine, Volumes 1-2". 1836.
  4. Marr, James. "Bailiwick Bastions". Guernsey Press.
  5. "Vale Mission Fellowship".
  6. "St Pauls Mission Methodist Church".
  7. "Vale Parish Memorial, Guernsey". Great War CI.
  8. "Doomsday Reloaded D-block CI-534000-5479000". BBC.
  9. "Vale Pond". La Société Guernesiaise.
  10. "History of the Vale Castle". BBC.
  11. "Rousse Tower". BBC.
  12. "La Platte Mare". megalithicguernsey.
  13. "L'Ancresse/Pembroke Bays". Visit Guernsey.
  14. "Channel Islands Marine Conservation Society Recommended beaches". thebeachguide.co.uk.
  15. "Bordeaux Harbour". Visit Guernsey.
  16. "PROTECTED BUILDINGS". Environment - Guernsey government.
  17. Dillon, Paddy. "Channel Island Walks". Cicerone Press Limited, 1999.

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parishes-of-guernsey