History of Jersey

Jersey has been an island for about 8,000 years, when the rising sea level separated it from Europe, but archaeology has shown that the site was inhabited much further back than that. Excavations at La Cotte de St. Brelade have shown signs of Neanderthal occupation some 250,000 years ago, while other work at La Hougue Bie, Faldouet and Grantez has revealed stone structures from the Neolithic Period about 5,500 years ago. There is evidence of Bronze Age and Iron Age occupation, and the Britons lived here during the 5th and 6th centuries.

The Romans occupied Jersey in the first century A.D., and one of their structures has been found at Grouville Church. This was a far-flung corner of the Roman Empire, and it appears that Jersey was only a minor settlement.

The Channel Islands were converted to Christianity in the 6th century A.D. St. Helier of Belgium brought the new faith to Jersey shortly before his death in 556, and St. Samson of Dol and St. Brelade worked in the area. Charlemagne sent a diplomatic representative to Jersey in 803 A.D.

Jersey was allied with Brittany until 933, when William Longsword, Duke of Normandy, seized it along with the other Channel islands. The Normans retained control until 1204, when Jersey became embroiled in the conflict between France and England. Philip II of France took control of the island, a claim which he relinquished to England in 1259 as part of the Treaty of Paris.

Because of its strategic importance, Jersey has been fought over many times. It was a battleground in the Hundred Years' War. During the War of the Roses the French briefly took the island back, only to lose it to the English again a few years later.

The birth of the modern state of Jersey took place in 1771, when the laws and political structure were established.

In the 18th century Jersey was again turned into a battlefield in the conflict between France and England. When peace finally came, the roads that had been built for armies brought a new age of agricultural prosperity. The island grew into a huge shipbuilding center in the 19th century.

The 20th century was dominated by the Nazi occupation of Jersey in World War II. This was the only part of the British Isles to be taken by the Nazis, and this period was a time of great hardship and persecution for the natives.

Since World War II, Jersey has grown into an economic powerhouse and tourist center, renowned for its historic attractions and beautiful scenery.