Castel, Guernsey

Castel (Guernésiais: Lé Casté; French: Sainte-Marie-du-Câtel) is the largest parish in Guernsey in terms of area.

Castel
Parish
Flag of Castel
Flag
Location of Castel in Guernsey
Location of Castel in Guernsey
Coordinates: 49.474°N 2.603°W / 49.474; -2.603
Crown DependencyGuernsey, Channel Islands
Government
 • Electoral districtCastel
Area
 • Total10.1 km2 (3.9 sq mi)
 • RankRanked 1st
Population
 (2019)
 • Total8,795
 • Density870/km2 (2,300/sq mi)
Time zoneGMT
 • Summer (DST)UTC+01

The Parish has clear evidence of changes in ancient sea-levels, with trunks of an oak forest visible on Vazon beach at very low tide and at 8 m (26 ft) above sea level an ancient beach.[1]: 139 

The old Guernésiais nickname for people from Castel was ânes pur sàng.

The parish plays host to both Le Viaër Marchi and the North Show which includes the Battle of Flowers annually. It also produces a regular magazine called Castel Matters.

The postal code for street addresses in this parish begins with GY5.

Parish church
The statue menhir overlooks the Bas Pas

The parish church of St Marie de Castel, also known as Notre Dame de la Délivrance, was consecrated on 25 August 1203.[2] It is notable for its preserved medieval fresco.

A pre-Christian neolithic menhir dating from 2,500-1,800 BC in the churchyard, carved to represent a female, with breasts and a necklace in relief,[3]: 81  possibly a fertility symbol. It was discovered under the floor of the church in 1878, possibly buried there to rid the church of a link to the older pagan beliefs.

In the churchyard is the tomb of James Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez GCB, an admiral of the British Royal Navy.

The church is thought to be built on an ancient fort, hence the name Castel or Câtel,[2] possibly a corruption of the Roman Castellum or castrum. In the area broken Roman roof tiles and pottery have been discovered, indicating Roman occupation.[3]: 116 

Features

Politics

The Castel comprises the whole of the Castel administrative division

In the 2016 Guernsey general election there was 3,262 or 73%, turnout to elect five Deputies. Those elected (in order of votes received) being Richard Graham, Chris Green, Barry Paint, Mark Dorey and Jonathan Le Tocq.

References
  1. Berry, William. The history of Guernsey from the remotest period of antiquity to the year 1814.
  2. Duncan, Jonathan. The History of Guernsey: With Occasional Notices of Jersey, Alderney, and Sark, and Biographical Sketches. Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, 1841. p. 394.
  3. Sebire, Heather. The Archaeology and Early history of the Channel Islands. NPI Media Group. ISBN 978-0752434490.
  4. "Castel Church". BBC.
  5. Dillon, Paddy. Channel Island Walks. Cicerone Press Limited, 1999. ISBN 9781852842888.
  6. "NTG FOLK & COSTUME MUSEUM, SAUMAREZ PARK". National Trust Guernsey.
  7. "Castel Parish Memorial, Guernsey". Great War CI.
  8. "Fort Hommet headland". Visit Guernsey.
  9. "Fort Hommet". Festung Guernsey. Archived from the original on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  10. "Castel Church Statue Menhir". megalithicguernsey.
  11. "Cobo Bay". Visit Guernsey.
  12. "Channel Islands Marine Conservation Society Recommended beaches". thebeachguide.co.uk. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  13. "The ten cleanest beaches in Britain". The Telegraph.
  14. "Rue des Bergers". La Société Guernesiaise.
  15. "PROTECTED BUILDINGS". Environment - Guernsey government.
  16. "Guernsey Rovers AC". Rovers AC.
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