Saint Brelade
| Saint Brelade | |
| Jersey | |
|---|---|
 St Brelade's coastline of promontories and bays | |
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| Area: | 3,157 acres |
| Main village: | St Aubin |
| Island: | Jersey |
Saint Brelade is one of the twelve parishes of the Bailiwick of Jersey. Its population is around 9,560, and it occupies the southwestern part of the island. It is the only parish to border only one other parish, namely St Peter. Saint Brelade is the second-largest parish by surface area, covering 7,103 vergées (3,157 acres), which is 11% of the total land surface of the island.
History
The name of the parish is derived from a 6th century Celtic or Welsh "wandering saint" named Saint Branwalader or Saint Brelade (also Branwallder, Broladre, Brelodre, Brélade), who is said to have been the son of the Cornish king, Kenen. He is also said to have been a disciple of Samson of Dôl, and worked with this churchman in Cornwall and the Channel Islands.
Church
St Brelade's Church stands at the end of St. Brélade's Bay, an unusual situation being comparatively distant from historic centres of population.
According to folklore, the reason for the siting of the parish church is that originally the St Bréladais intended to build the church inland, much nearer to the homes of the congregation. However les p'tits faîtchieaux (the little people) who had their temple in a nearby dolmen were disturbed by the construction of the foundations and, every night, would undo the construction work and magically transport all the tools and materials down to the shoreline. Eventually the humans gave up and built the church where the fairies had indicated.
The Fishermen's Chapel ("La Chapelle ès Pêcheurs") is a small chapel alongside the parish church. It some of the best-preserved examples of mediaeval art in Jersey, in the form of frescoes which remarkably survived the iconoclasm of the Reformation.
Geography
St Brelade has some of the most popular bays in Jersey, with St Brelade's Bay, Ouaisné, Portelet and parts of both St. Ouen's Bay and St. Aubin's Bay falling within the parish boundaries. The village (or town) of St Aubin was originally a fishing port facing St Helier on the opposite side of St Aubin's Bay. St Aubin was historically the main centre of population in the parish, but residential development at Les Quennevais has shifted that centre of population.
Jersey's prison is at La Moye, and the island's desalination plant is also sited in the parish.
The lighthouse at La Corbière features on the Jersey £5 note and the Jersey 20-pence piece.
The traditional nickname for St. Bréladais (inhabitants of St. Brelade) is carpéleuses (caterpillars).
Vingtaines
The parish is divided into four vingtaines:
Outside links
- Saint Brélade Official Parish website
- Saint Brélade at Les Pages Jèrriaises
- Saint Brelade's Church
- Les Quennevais Rugby Club
References
- Jersey Folk Lore, John H. L'Amy, Jersey 1927
| Parishes of Jersey |
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St Brelade • St Clement • Grouville • St Helier • St John • St Lawrence • St Martin • St Mary • St Ouen • St Peter • St Saviour • Trinity |
