As the Seigneur of Samarès, Vincent Obbard enjoys certain rights and privileges covering the area of the Common of the Fief of Crapedoit – better known to beach-goers as Green Island car park.
Fiefs date back to medieval times and were gifts from the monarch to their supporters in return for favours and duties such as military service and in Jersey, the land owner who benefits from them is known as a Seigneur, who in turn has tenants, who also enjoy benefits in return for dues, such as the right to graze cattle or take firewood from the land.
Mr Obbard says that over the years, he has lost knowledge of who the tenants are, and as some of the properties with common rights have been converted into residential complexes, they are likely to have grown in number, but he has to find out who they are, because Infrastructure want to carry out major drainage work under the car park, and he wants to consult his tenants first.
Mr Obbard is asking the residents of Samarès Lane to check their property deeds to see if they are entitled to commoners’ rights, and if they are, to phone him on 872566.
