- Castle Cornet in 1600
Castle Cornet today
The Legge Report commissioned in 1678 on the orders of King Charles II, took two years to undertake the survey of Guernsey. Had it not been for the thunderbolt hitting Castle Cornet 339 years ago in 1672, we might never had this fascinating insight into 17th century Guernsey life.
The resulting explosion of the magazine rack destroyed the Donjon Tower (shown in the oil painting on the left), the Governor’s residence and nearby buildings. Lord Hatton, the Governor at the time, was reportedly blown out of bed but sadly his wife and mother perished. Clearly extensive repairs were needed but with finances tight, Charles II was not about to spend considerable sums without a full report into the military status of the island. Colonel Legge was instructed to carry out the survey and the final report contains beautiful watercolour paintings of Castle Cornet, Fort Grey and the Braye du Valle (Vale Castle). In quaint old English, it describes Guernsey as ‘a place of great consequence lying in the very heart of the Channel, having a good road for considerable ships upon the outward bank and another for vessels of less draught of water upon the inward bank. There are two good ports at present for men-o’-war which, with some extraordinary charge, may be capable to receive ships of greater rate and in greater numbers.’
Although he did not recommend expenditure on the harbours at that time, his recommendations included the King ‘putting Cornett Castle, Chasteaux de Val, Rocqueine and all the Sonces (fortifications) around the island into good posture of defence.’ However he recommended the addition of a company of dragoons, that the Governor should reside on the island itself ‘lest any of the chief inhabitants be tampered with to deliver themselves up to France’ and the strenthening of the Governor’s bodyguard. This led to the development of Fort George. At the time there were 1,902 men and officers stationed in Guernsey; each parish had its own company of men with St Peter Port having four companies totalling 521 men.
Legge struggled with Guernsey spellings making reference to ‘Haurb de Fermaine‘ (harbour of Fermain). Petit Beau (Petit Bot), Plymont (Pleinmont), Long Cress (L’Ancresse), Arme (Herm), Gethoe (Jethou) and Sarck (Sark).
St Peter Port Harbour
We should be grateful to the Legge report for St Peter Port harbour developed some 200 years later. He recommended the re-shaping of the harbour we see today by joining of some of the rocks with ‘works’ and ‘taking in Castle Cornet for the better defence of the harbour, although the cost would be very considerable.’
The original report was very nearly lost as whilst being transported to England on the ship ‘Gloucester’, it was lost overboard and was trawled up by a fisherman in a very soggy state. It had to be copied before being presented to the King. Clear Vue Publishing recently published 275 leather bound reproductions of the Legge Report on sale at £1,250 per copy.
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