Bouley Bay

From Jerripedia

Bouley Bay

Bouley Bay is on the north coast of Jersey. It nestles below Jersey's tallest cliffs, 400 feet high, and shares its name, derived from bouleau, a birch tree, with eight French villages

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Safe anchorage

The bay is in some ways the ideal spot for a harbour. There is safe, deep anchorage with at least six fathoms of water close to the shore. It was already called a port in the Extente of 1274. It was called Portus de Boley, the Port of Bouley. Dumaresq wrote in 1685: "Here has been a design to build a mole, which might be made to secure great ships from all winds or weathers, the materials being at hand." But the steepness of the hills would have made it difficult to transport the cargoes, nor could a town of any size have been built on them.

The small pier was not constructed until 1828, although some 150 years earlier it was considered a possible location for a substantial harbour. However, there was too little land at sea level to allow for any significant buildings to be constructed and access was extremely difficult, so the plan never came to fruition. The pier was built by the States for the oyster fishermen and for defence, and the initials of the contractor, F de la Mare, can be seen engraved in the harbour wall.

On the cliff top immediately to the South is Jardin d'Olivet, where in 1549 French invaders who had already occupied Sark were repulsed by the Militia and forced to retreat and head for St Malo. During the English Civil War Parliamentary troops landed at Bouley Bay aiming to capture prominent Royalists, but most had already sought refuge in Mont Orgueil and Elizabeth Castle.

After the Riot of 1769 Colonel Bentinck disembarked his Highlanders here and marched into the town to restore order.

Such a danger spot obviously had to be guarded. When the first three cannon arrived in Jersey, apart from those in the castle, one was placed in the bay; and from that day forward the States were constantly discussing further defences. Two bulwarks were made, and a guard-house and two magazines. A beacon was erected to give the alarm signal. Then L'Etaquerel Fort was built on the east of the bay and on the west a two-gun battery was erected above the present pier. This is called the Leicester battery, and a demi-culverin had been installed there in 1596, hence the name, after the Elizabethan Earl of Leicester. In 1835 a lower battery was built at L'Etaquerel, and the one on the west was replaced by a larger five-gun battery.

Hill Climb

The Bouley Bay Hill Climb is one of the island's most popular sporting events, attracting large crowds to the slopes of the hill for its three runnings each year, including an international event.

Other articles

The history of Bouley Bay
Coast: Bouley Bay, one of the stops on our coastal tour of Jersey

360-degree panoramic view

An albumen print of Bouley Bay
Bouley Bay in 1931

A painting by Jean Le Capelain of Bouley Bay

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1860s
1869
1890
1890
A red bus descends the hill
Bouley Bay showing Fort Leicester
A drone photograph of Fort Leicester by Chris Brookes
1947
An early pastel painting of the bay

Looking back from the end of the jetty

Radio Corner
Bouley Bay from the air in 1996
The apple crusher at Bouley Bay
The apple crusher
The steam winch from the former States tug La Mauve
Sign on the steam winch
From an 1856 guidebook
1894
1928

1931
1949
1952
1885
1912
1890
1905

Hill climb
La Greve at Bouley Bay
The Royal Yacht Britannia anchors in Bouley Bay in 1963
Bouley Bay in 1858
Bouley Bay by Ouless

1890
A 19th century slide of Bouley Bay
A picture from the 1870s by Ernest Baudoux
1946
Very few trees in this early picture
1951 aerial photograph by Aerofilms
1900
Picture by C H Cristin
A horse and cart on the beach
The bay in 1840 by Robert Mudie
1865 by Gregory
Divers in 1965
1930s
1870s

A sketch made by artist Henry Irwin in the early years of the 19th century

1966
LL postcard
There was a tearoom at the top of the beach for many years, at least into the 1970s
1969
The former cafe on the hill leading down to the bay - Picture Jersey Evening Post
19th century
1905
1903
An 1860s photograph by T B Hutton, of Guernsey ...
... and the back of the photograph
1926
Water's Edge Hotel
Water's Edge Hotel
An 1875 print
A 19th century etching
An early view of what became known as 'Radio Corner' in the heyday of hill climbing
1930
A lithograph published by James Metivier in the 1850s
1950s
1950s
1950s
1950s
1950s
1960s
1977