Moorings

Moorings Hotel

Cantell's British Hotel was the establishment's name at the end of the 19th century

The Moorings Hotel occupies a prominent position on Gorey Pier and was very popular in the 19th century with guests arriving from France or awaiting boats for Granville which would connect with the French railway network and take them wherever they wanted to go in Europe

Gorey Pier

The name Moorings was given to the hotel in 1949, when it was opened after the war by Group Captain J A P Harrison.

Cantell

The Moorings appears to have started life as Cantell's British Hotel, but suggestions in a Jersey Archive presentation that it was run by a Sergeant Cantell, who was batman to the island's Lieut-Governor, Sir Tomkyns Hilgrove (1814-1823) and had served with him in the Peninsular War, seem to be wide of the mark because the Jerripedia article on the Cantell family indicates that the hotel was bequeathed to the wife of Francis John Cantell, a sailor, much later in the century. We are not aware of any record of Sir Tomkyns Hilgrove having served in the Peninsular War.

Lestang

It was run under this name for several decades, and then appears to have been acquired by somebody by the name of Lestang, whose name first appeared above the large 'Cantell's British Hotel' sign, which in due course was changed to Lestang's British Hotel.

Links

• The hotel website