Island 93 - Sark, Channel Islands

Sark is the last feudal state in Europe, although there have been changes in the way the island is governed in the last few years.  The head of its government, the Chief Pleas, is the Seigneur, which is a hereditary position dating back to 1565 when Sark was granted to Helier de Carteret by Elizabeth I.   There are around 600 permanent residents.

 

Sark is 3.5 miles long by 1.5 miles wide at its widest point.  It is almost 2 islands - the main part is linked to Little Sark by a narrow neck of land called La Coupee, which has a single track unmetalled road across it.  Motor vehicles are banned on the island, apart from a couple of tractors.  I hired a bike for the day, in order to explore the island properly and to reach the far end of Little Sark to find a geocache.  I visited on a day in May 2009 when the weather was nearly perfect - blue skies, warm and sunny.  At this time of year the cliffs and hedgerows are covered with wild flowers.  The island has steep cliffs on all sides but the top of the island is comparatively flat.

Sark has been occupied for at least 4,000 years.  There are remains of 2 megalithic tombs on the island and weapons and tools have been excavated.  In 1719 the Sark Hoard of early Roman metal objects and coins was discovered.  In the 6th century St Magloire founded a monastery on Sark, which lasted until the 9th century when it was destroyed by Vikings.  By the 10th century the island was ruled by the Dukes of Normandy and after 1066 by the English Crown.  From the 14th to 16th century it was a haven for pirates and it was invaded and occupied by the French on several occasions.

Helier de Carteret built a manor house in 1565 and created farms on Sark after 1563.  The de Carteret family were seigneurs until 1720.  They were followed by a succession of lords of the manor.   In 1927 Dame Sibyl Collings (later Hathaway) became Seigneur.  She improved the infrastructure and developed offshore banking and tourism.   Sark was occupied by the Germans from 1940-45.

The island has 6 hotels (since my visit the Barclay brothers have closed their 4 hotels on Sark), several bed and breakfasts and some self-catering properties, so tourism is very important to the local economy.    There is a tea garden but on the day I visited it was closed, so I had lunch at the Island Hall, which was very good value for money.  I recommend the ice cream made on the island. 

The Gouliot Caves are famous for their brightly coloured sea anemones.  The Jewel Cave is only accessible at times of very low tide and access to the area is by a steep path and a scramble down the cliff.

The boats now land at Maseline Harbour, which was opened by the Duke of Edinburgh in 1949.  The original Creux Harbour was not accessible at low tide. 

 

The Pilcher Monument can be found on a headland in the west of the island.  It is in memory of Jeremiah Pilcher, who was one of a group of people drowned when their boat sank in stormy seas on the way to Guernsey in 1868.

There is a lighthouse at Point Robert on the east coast but you cannot see much of it, as it is located part of the way down the cliff.  It was built by Trinity House in 1913 and automated in 1994.  It has a white octagonal tower.

There is a prison on Sark, which was built in 1856 and holds 2 people.

 

 La Coupee
The road was constructed by German prisoners of war in 1945.
 

 La Grande Greve from La Coupee with Brecqhou in the distance

 Little Sark
In the 19th Century there was an unsuccessful mining venture here.  They were looking for silver, lead and copper.

La Seigneurie Gardens

Official home of the Seigneur and his wife- the gardens but not the house are open to the public. The house is built on the site of the 6th century monastery.  It has been home to the Seigneurs since 1730.

La Seigneurie Gardens