Grouville

Grouville
Jersey
View south across the Royal Bay of Grouville
Area:	1,927 acres
Population:	4866  2011
Island:	Jersey

Grouville is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey. The parish is in the southeast of the island and is dominated by the broad sweep of the Royal Bay of Grouville. The parish covers a surface area of 4,354 vergées (1,927 acres). It borders Saint Clement, Saint Saviour and Saint Martin.

History

The passage tomb of La Hougue Bie

The parish of Grouville shares, with the neighbouring parish of Saint Martin, a dedication to Saint Martin of Tours. The ecclesiastical parish and parish church are dedicated to "Saint Martin de Grouville" to distinguish them from the parish of Saint Martin (historically 'Saint Martin le Vieux'). The Church of St Peter la Rocque was built in the 19th century.

The name 'Grouville' is of uncertain origin, but is Norman French. It may come from:

• The small community established in what is now the parish by St Gerou (also known as Gervold or Geraldius), Charlemagne ecclesiastical emissary in the employ of in the 9th century AD;
• Gros Villa (great farm)
• Geirr, the Viking leader after whom the island of Jersey may be named.

The Royal Bay of Grouville gained its royal epithet when it impressed Queen Victoria during her visit in 1846. The bay is popular with tourists for its broad sandy beach and shallow, warm water. It is also the main oyster producing area of Jersey, and was also formerly noted for the harvesting of vraic (seaweed) fertilised. The cottage industry formerly practised by Grouvillais of burning vraic gave rise to the traditional nickname of les Enfuntchis (the smoky ones, or the dim ones, in Jèrriais) shared by the Grouvillais and their neighbours in St. Clement.

Inland, the parish is also home to Jersey's most noted archaeological site at La Hougue Bie, now a museum run by the Jersey Heritage Trust. A prehistoric artificial mound covers a passage grave aligned for the equinox. A mediæval chapel, Notre Dame de la Clarté, built on the Neolithic mound was converted in the 18th century to a folly-like Gothic Revival residence, the Prince's Tower (demolished in the 1920s). During the Second World War, the occupying German forces constructed bunkers in and alongside the ancient mound, now also transformed for museum interpretation.

La Rocque was the site of the landing of the French forces on 6 January 1781. The skirmish at La Platte Rocque was ancillary to the Battle of Jersey.

The Royal Jersey Golf Club, Gorey Village, and Queen's Valley (now flooded to form a reservoir) are situated in the parish.

Vingtaines

Grouville is divided into four vingtaines:

• La Vingtaine des Marais
• La Vingtaine de la Rue
• La Vingtaine de Longueville
• La Vingtaine de la Rocque

The Minquiers are part of the parish of Grouville.

Outside links

• Grouville Parish website
• Grouville Church website
• Grouville at Les Pages Jèrriaises
• Royal Jersey Golf Club