Saint Peter Port: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|capitalCapital of the island of Guernsey}}

| name = SaintSt. Peter Port

| settlement_type = [[Parish (administrative division)|Parish]]

| image_flag = Flag of Saint Peter Port, Guernsey.svg

| map_caption = Location of Saint Peter Port inon [[Guernsey]], in the [[Channel Islands]]

| subdivision_name = [[Guernsey]],Bailiwick [[Channelof IslandsGuernsey]]

'''St. Peter Port''' ({{lang-langx|fr|Saint-Pierre Port}}) is a town and one of the [[Parishes of Guernsey|ten parishes]] on the island of [[Guernsey]] in the [[Channel Islands]]. It is the [[Capital city|capital]] of the [[Bailiwick of Guernsey]] as well as the main [[port]]. The population in 2019 was 18,958.

St. Peter Port is a small town (commonly referred to by locals as just "town")<ref>{{Cite web|title=St Peter Port Guernsey {{!}} Guernsey's Capital|url=https://www.visitguernsey.com/see-and-do/st-peter-port/|access-date=2021-08-30|website=www.visitguernsey.com}}</ref> consisting mostly of steep, narrow streets and steps on the overlooking slopes. It is known that a trading post/town existed here before Roman times with a pre-Christian name which has not survived.

People from St. Peter Port, were nicknamed "les Villais" (the townspeople) or "cllichards" in [[Guernésiais]].

St. Peter Port is on the east coast of [[Guernsey]] overlooking [[Herm]] and the tiny [[Jethou]],; a further channel separates [[Sark]] and surrounding islets such as [[Brecqhou]]; exceptionally [[Normandy]]'s long [[Cotentin Peninsula]] and, to the south-east, [[Jersey]] are visible in very clear conditions beyond from some, of the town's highest, vantage points. The parish borders [[St Sampson's, Guernsey|St. Sampson]] in the north, The [[Vale, Guernsey|Vale]] in the north-west, [[St Andrew's, Guernsey|St. Andrew]] in the west and [[St Martin's, Guernsey|St. Martin]] in the south.

The land in the north and by the harbour is low-lying but not marshy. In the south, the land gets higher (but not as high as [[St Martin's, Guernsey|St Martin's]] or the [[Forest, Guernsey|Forest]]). Grassy, gently terraced cliffs behind sea walls (including projections) topped by trees characterise the southern part of the coast here (by an aquarium, underground military museum and historic battery at semi-wooded '''Havelet'''). In the north is the retail-centred and more built-up /Admiral Park coastal localitydevelopment. To the south of the town lies Havelet Bay and the coastcoastal path which leads to the very pretty Fermain Bay after a walk of about 20–25 minutes.

Saint Peter Port is subdivided into four cantons:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stppcons.com/information/cantons.html |title=St. Peter Port Parish, Canton Boundaries |publisher=Stppcons.com |date=2007-11-14 |access-date=2012-10-04 |archive-date=2011-10-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006021814/http://www.stppcons.com/information/cantons.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

** [[National Trust of Guernsey]] Victorian shop <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationaltrust.gg/places-to-visit/ |title=Places to visit |publisher=National Trust of Guernsey}}</ref>

** [[Priaulx Library]]<ref name="Townie1">{{cite web |url=http://www.stppcons.com/resources/The-Townie-Issue-1-WEB.pdf |title=Townie No 1 |access-date=2015-11-12 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304120331/http://www.stppcons.com/resources/The-Townie-Issue-1-WEB.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{rp|16}}

** Guille-Allès Library <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.library.gg/index.php |title=Guilles Alles Library |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151207040603/http://www.library.gg/index.php |archive-date=2015-12-07 }}</ref>

* The Market, the Arcade, the High Street, the Pollet, andSmith Street, Mill Street and Mansel Street, which are all pedestrian priority and part of the shopping district

* CandieGuernsey Museum at Candie (Candie Museum)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.museums.gov.gg/gmag |title=Candie Museum |date=12 July 2012 |publisher=Guernsey Museums}}</ref>

* Candie Gardens <ref>{{cite web |url=http://museums.gov.gg/candiegardens |title=Candie Gardens |date=19 July 2012 |publisher=Guernsey Museums}}</ref>

** [[German Naval Signals HQ]], HQ of the German Naval Commander Channel Islands which was established next to La Collinette Hotel, and was responsible for all radio traffic to and from Germany and the other Islands. The last operational Signals HQ that was running up until 9 May 1945, using the Enigma code machines that were being decoded by the staff at Bletchley Park.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.visitguernsey.com/see-and-do/things-to-do/german-naval-signals-hq/|title = German Naval Signals HQ}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.museums.gov.gg/German-Naval-Signals-HQ| {{Bareurl-status URL= inlinedead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180822040934/http://museums.gov.gg/German-Naval-Signals-HQ| archive-date =May 20212018-08-22| title = German Naval Signals HQ - Guernsey Museums}} </ref>

** Island war memorial at the top of Smith Street <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.greatwarci.net/memorials/guernsey/bailiwick/bailiwickmem.htm |title=Bailiwick of Guernsey War Memorial |publisher=Great War CI}}</ref>

** Anglo-Boer War memorial, in the Avenue <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.museums.gov.gg/article/102032/South-African-War-Memorial |title=South African War Memorial |date=8 August 2012 |publisher=Guernsey Museums}}</ref>

** La Vallette military museum <ref name=CIW/>{{rp|126}}

* The Guernsey Aquarium, situated in fortified tunnels at La Vallette, built during the German occupation. Scheduled to close down permanently next month (October 2019) due to lack of income and funds. As of December 2021, it is now closed. <ref name=CIW/>{{rp|126}} <ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-guernsey-49829135|title = The Aquarium in Guernsey set to close|work = BBC News|date = 25 September 2019}}</ref>

* A number of protected buildings <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gov.gg/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=74530&p=0 |title=PROTECTED BUILDINGS |publisher=Environment - Guernsey government}}</ref>

** Castle Carey was built in 1840 for John Carey. It is a [[Gothic revival]] property, attributed to the architect John Wilson, who designed [[Elizabeth College, Guernsey|Elizabeth College]] and St James Concert Hall. It was briefly the residence of the [[Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey|Lieutenant Governor of the Bailiwick of Guernsey]] and hosted [[Queen Victoria]] and [[Albert, Prince Consort|Prince Albert]] during their visit to Guernsey in 1859, and the Duke of Cambridge in 1862. [[Victor Hugo]]’s novel “''[[Toilers of the Sea|Les Travailleurs de la Mer]]”'', published in 1866 and dedicated to Guernsey, where he spent 15 years in exile, mentions Castle Carey. The castle stayed in the Carey family until William Wilfred Carey sold it in 1912.<ref>Careyroots http://www.careyroots.com/castle.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810154339/http://www.careyroots.com/castle.html |date=2015-08-10 }}</ref> During the Second World War, the [[German occupation of the Channel Islands|Germans occupying Guernsey]] used Castle Carey as an officers’ club.

* [[BlueCondor IslandsFerries]], a regionalcar airlineferry company which operates to Jersey, France and the UK, has its head office in Saint Peter Port.<ref>"[http://www.blueislands.com/contact-us Contact Us]." [[Blue Islands]]. Retrieved on 18 September 2009.</ref>

* Countryside walks <ref name="CIW">{{cite book |first=Paddy |last=Dillon |title=Channel Island Walks |year=1999 |isbn=9781852842888 |publisher=Cicerone Press Limited, 1999 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/channelislandwal0000dill }}</ref>{{rp|125}}

* St Peter Port Harbour Carnival <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.harbourcarnival.gg/ |title=Harbour Carvival |publisher=Guernsey Round Table}}</ref>

* Town Carnival <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.towncentrepartnership.com/towncarnival.html |title=Town Carnival |publisher=Town Centre Partnership}}</ref>

* [[Margaret Ann Neve]] -&ndash; [[Supercentenarian]] and the oldest woman in the world until her death in 1903