Guernsey Pictorial Directory and Stranger's Guide. of Guernsey Thomas Bellamy
observing the paths syringed and fresh, and sickly plants watered at the roots with liquid manure: and were careful to note in thinning them they went over twice instead of all at once; which we understood to be much better, as they avoided wounding them. They examined newly budded stocks, which were secured by tying to the tree, and encouraged by removing suckers and buds beneath. They disbudded wall-trees, and nailed in the young shoots, as they became sufficiently advanced; moved earth frequently with the spade under the walls, and slipped off all infected shoots," &c.
Indeed, whatsoever direction one takes from St Peter-Port, the capital and only town in the island, he is sure to fall in with indications of wealth, refinement and good taste; and if he cannot exactly decide on the splendour of architectural finish, he will at least discern something beyond the usual order, that evidently mark competence and ease. This unique appearance is not only confined to the houses, for with scarcely an exception every detached house has some elegant ground tastefully arranged into a lawn replete with beautiful and rare shrubs, which, for the most part, are kept in tolerable condition, and their foliage allowed to droop gracefully on either side of a small winding carriage-road. In this respect, perhaps the Grange, the Rohais, and the St Andrew's roads may appear most conspicuous, and even the cottages, in these, and many other parts of the suburbs, assume a very different aspect to what they usually do in England and the sister-isle; for here, even in the less respectable parts of the town, small cottages, having gardens, afford generally a good display of jonquils, pansies, ranunculuses, polyanthus, hyacinths, daisies, anemones, &c., which in some front gardens are excellently arranged, whereas in others, from lack of room, are entirely omitted, but have in their place a mossy lawn and a few exotic shrubs, elegantly arranged, which considerably heightens their respectability and effect.
Mont Durant House. The residence of the wealthy Mr John Allaire, proprietor of the island of Jethou, and other considerable estates in Guernsey.
On the opposite side of the road, is Summerland, the property of Tupper Carey, Esq., remarkable for its castellated style of building, some gay green views, and a variety of elegant adjoining grounds.
Summerland.
On the Rohais road may be seen Hirzelbourne, a kind of Indian villa, the property of Captain De Lisle, which unfortunately is nearly concealed from public view by a lofty wall.
Hirzelbourne.
A little below is Frogmore, the residence of Dr Carey, remarkable for its ponderous veranda, whimsically constructed of rustic elm-stumps. The adjoining grounds are neat, and the gardens may be said to be tastefully arranged.
Frogmore.
At Petite-Marche, is the mansion of Sir Thomas Saumarez, heavily shrouded in front by dense shrubberies, and open in the back to sloping meads, well studded with trees. From the lawn there is also a fine view of the isles of Serk, Herm, and Jethou.
Sir Thomas Saumarez's House.
The view of the town from this spot, is very excellent, and from a drawing as given in Jacob's Annals, would appear to be much admired.
View taken from the back of Sir Thomas Saumarez's House.
Opposite is Belmont, the residence of Mr William Brock, so much admired for its foliage and timber, being circumgirt on all sides with trees of no ordinary size, that would in fact be no small appendage to a nobleman's domain. It is to be lamented that many of the trees are now being cut down.
Mr Brock's house.
Adjoining l'Hyvreuse, or New Ground, is Castle Carey, which has so truly a picturesque effect from the sea and Castle Cornet. (Vide Trees, Directory.)
Castle Carey.
As we diverge from the town, villas become larger until they in almost every respect assume the air and character of noblemen's seats, and perhaps as such Havilland Hall would fall in identity with those of England, as it is a noble quadangular building, supported in front by four lofty columns, and is the present residence of the Governor, General Napier. Connected with the building are spacious grounds and plantations which consist of beautiful meadows through which babbles a rippling brook. At the foot of this splendid mansion, or rather on the other side of the valley, is the family farm and dairy which is got up much after the English style, the whole being the properly of Col. De Havilland, a native of the Island.
Havilland Hall.
The scenery in Guernsey, generally speaking, is not much enriched with sylvan beauty, and perhaps the above mansion, together with St George, and Woodlands are the most conspicuous. Although a dense wood or coppice is hardly known here, nevertheless, there is a good sprinkling of elm and other timber; the former of which is of a peculiar growth and quality, being in its structure not much unlike the poplar. The fields are commonly divided by hedge rows of oak, elm and ash, but in the lowland districts of the Valle with turf banks, surmounted with furze, which grows rapidly for three years, when it is cut for fuel. Should the ground be too wet and swampy for the growth of furze, stone fences are adopted in its stead.
It has been said the social interchanges of life have been much embarrassed among those who dwell in the capital by too nice an attention to the different classes or gradations of rank, in preference to a selection of company founded on the claims of merit and good fellowship; and that the same has been deemed ridiculous and troublesome, insomuch that it even descends to the retail traders of so small an Island possessing no native nobility. The answer to this is quickly rebutted when we deliberately dwell on the proper and just position of a society within a small circumference, who have a moral as well as judicial example to bestrew, lest by too close a connection the stream be defiled, and that excellent justice for which Guernsey has been so long famous, become corrupt and contaminated. Perhaps speaking with evenness and temperament, no spot in the world for upwards of half a century has put forth such pure and undefiled justice as Guernsey, for the rigorous exaction of which the main bulk of the present population feel themselves indebted to their late venerable and respected bailiff.[A]
[A] Daniel De Lisle Brock, Esq., died Sept. 24, 1842.
It has also been stated that mediocrity, rather bordering on poverty prevail throughout the country, and a rigid economy consequently practised. An assertion of this kind may do well abroad, and private pique may go much towards its aggrandizement; but the stranger who by integrity has upheld himself amongst us, would for the love of candour be the first to give a retrograde evidence, and to establish a cause, which for the sake of truth we fain would plead. It has been acknowledged by those who have left us, the community of Guernsey is the happiest they have ever fell in with, and one in particular says: "The pictures of want, filth, and crime, which so frequently shock the eye of humanity in our own country, and which appear to an extraordinary extent in Ireland, and in the county of Dorset, are not to be met with in Guernsey; but in their stead are to be seen happy signs of abundance, comfort and contentment. Contrary to Dorset