NEW research into Jersey’s Seigneurs and their fiefs could provide “a vibrant and informative insight into Channel Islands’ culture”, a leading UK historian has told an event.
Professor Daniel Power, medieval specialist at the University of Swansea, was outlining a project to produce a study of the Island’s Norman feudal system, with a public presentation timed to coincide with the 1,000th anniversary of the birth of William the Conqueror in 2027.
“The subject has an enduring relevance because these are institutions which continue into the modern day and very much highlight the distinctiveness of the Channel Islands’ history while also pointing to the relationship between the Channel Islands, Normandy and England,” he explained.
A private fundraising campaign has been launched to secure the £250,000 required for the project, which will be overseen by Jersey Heritage in conjunction with the Société Jersiaise and directed by a steering committee comprising historians, Seigneurs and academics under Professor Power’s direction.
Details were unveiled this week at the Société Jersiaise in a presentation fronted by two of Jersey’s current Seigneurs – Jurat John de Veulle of Augrès and Charlie Malet de Carteret of St Ouen.
Setting out the scope of the research, Prof Power said that previous studies revealed very different assessments of the number of fiefs, and that among the project’s key goals would be to determine how many there were and their duration, as well as the duties they entailed.
The research will involve close examination of material from a number of different sources including the National Archives at Kew, the British Library, the Jersey Archive, the Archives du Calvados in Caen and a number of private collections in Jersey and England.
