Guernsey (Guernésiais: Guernési; French: Guernesey), officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey (Guernésiais: Bailliage dé Guernési; French: Bailliage de Guernesey), is a British Crown Dependency in Northern Europe, formed from the island of Guernsey itself and the separate jurisdictions of Alderney and Sark. It is one of The Channel Islands, located just northwest of the French departement of Normandy, with St. Peter Port being the capital and largest city of the territory. The territory is not part of the United Kingdom, although defence and most foreign relations are handled by the British Government.
The name "Guernsey", as well as that of neighbouring "Jersey", is of Old Norse origin. The second element of each word, "-ey", is the Old Norse for "island", while the original root, "guern(s)", is of uncertain origin and meaning, possibly deriving from either a personal name such as Grani or Warinn, or from gron, meaning pine tree. Like Jersey, the territory was a former part of the Duchy of Normandy, and remained under English control after Philip II of France took the rest of the Duchy over and Normandy became part of France, eventually being recognized as part of Henry III's territories in the 1259 Treaty of Paris. The island was also taken over by Germany during World War II from 30 June 1940 until the 9 May 1945, and was very heavily fortified by the Germans, with remnants of the defences still existing to this day.
Guernsey is known for its cows, which are prized worldwide for their rich creamy milk which is claimed to hold health benefits over milk from other breeds, as well as their distinctively flavoured and rich yellowy-fatted beef and distinctive yellow butter. Guernsey is also a popular offshore finance centre for private equity funds because of its light tax and death duties.
Notable Guernsey natives or inhabitants include:
- French writer Victor Hugo lived in exile in Jersey from 1852 to 1855, then he was expelled after insulting Queen Victoria in one of his writings and lived in Guernsey from 1856 to 1870.
- YouTuber and Sidemen member Harry "wroetoshaw" Lewis hails from Guernsey, though he currently lives in England to be able to continue working with the other Sidemen.
Depictions of Guernsey in fiction include:
The Guernsey flag
This flag was designed by the Guernsey Flag Investigation Committee led by Deputy Bailiff Sir Graham Dorey after confusion between it and England's flag at international sporting events. The gold cross represents William the Bastard, Duke of Normandy, also known as William I of England. William purportedly was given such a cross by Pope Alexander II and flew it on his standard in the Battle of Hastings.
The British National Anthem
God save our gracious King!
Long live our noble King!
God save the King!
Send him victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us:
God save the King!
The Guernsian National Anthem
Sarnia, chière patrie, bijou d'la maïr,
Ile plloinne dé biautai, dans d'iaoue si cllaire
Ta vouaix m'appeule terjous, mon tcheur plloin d'envie,
Et mon âme té crie en poine, mes iars voudraient t'veis.
Quaend j'saonge, j'té vaie derchier, mesme comme t'étais d'vànt,
Tes côtis si vaerts et ton sabllaon si bllànc,
Tes bànques et tes rotchets. Ah! Dé toutes la pus belle.
Mon réfuge et mon r'pos, chière île qu'est si belle.
Sarnia Chérie, ma chière patrie,
D'l'île dé ma nèissance, mon tcheur a envie
Ta vouaix m'appeule terjours,
Et j'pense à té chaque jour.
Ile plloinne dé biautai, Sarnia Chérie.
Sàns saver ta valeur, j'm'en fus en colère,
Je v'yagis si llian, à l'aute but dé la terre.
I m'dirent dé biaux pays, et j'm'en fus brâment
Oueque la terre baillait à haut d'l'or et dé l'argent.
Nous 'tait tous amis et i fit bal chaque jeur,
Mais ta vouaix m'applait terjours, a m'déteurtait l'tcheur.
Ch'est pourtchi qué j'm'en vians. Ah! té veis, la millaeure.
Ma chière île dé répos, dé chenna j'sis saeure.
Sarnia Chérie, ma chière patrie,
D'l'île dé ma nèissance, mon tcheur a envie
Ta vouaix m'appeule terjours,
Et j'pense à té chaque jour.
Ile plloinne dé biautai, Sarnia Chérie.
—
Sarnia; dear Homeland, Gem of the sea.
Island of beauty, my heart longs for thee.
Thy voice calls me ever, in waking, or sleep,
Till my soul cries with anguish, my eyes ache to weep.
In fancy I see thee, again as of yore,
Thy verdure clad hills and thy wave beaten shore.
Thy rock sheltered bays, ah; of all thou art best,
I'm returning to greet thee, dear island of rest.
Sarnia Cherie. Gem of the sea.
Home of my childhood, my heart longs for thee.
Thy voice calls me ever, forget thee I'll never,
Island of beauty. Sarnia Cherie.
I left thee in anger, I knew not thy worth.
Journeyed afar, to the ends of the earth.
Was told of far countries, the heav'n of the bold,
Where the soil gave up diamonds, silver and gold.
The sun always shone, and "race" took no part,
But thy cry always reached me, its pain wrenched my heart.
So I'm coming home, thou of all art the best.
Returning to greet thee, dear island of rest.
Sarnia Cherie. Gem of the sea.
Home of my childhood, my heart longs for thee.
Thy voice calls me ever, forget thee I'll never,
Island of beauty. Sarnia Cherie.
Government
- Parliamentary constitutional monarchy
- Monarch: Charles III
- Lieutenant Governor: Richard Cripwell
- Bailiff: Richard McMahon
- Policy & Resources Committee President (Chief Minister): Lyndon Trott
Miscellaneous
- Capital and largest city: St. Peter Port
- Population: 67,334
- Area: 78 km
(30 sq mi)
- Currency: Pound sterling, Guernsey pound (£) (GBP)
- ISO-3166-1 Code: GG
