Historic Jersey buildings
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Property name
De La Rocque
Other names
Maison de la Rocque
Location
Rue de Trachy, St Helier
Type of property
Building with origins as a medieval hall house
Valuations
No recent transactions
Families associated with the property
La Cloche: OJH says that 'it seems clear' that this house was the home of Etienne La Cloche ( -1653) and that he refused to leave it and live in St Ouen when he was appointed Rector of that parish. He was a Royalist, and when Lydcot, the Parliamentary Lieut-Governor, came, he escaped. The house was ransacked and loads of timber were carted away.
De La Rocque: Pierre de la Rocque, who may have had the house built, was accused by Henri Dumaresq, Seigneur of Samares, in 1567, of wrongfully using his arms on his house and in other places. This dispute was related to the trefoils at Maison de La Rocque. Ironically, the more powerful family, Dumaresq, had no ancient right to these arms, which were those of their predecessors as seigneurs of Samares, the Payn family. The de la Rocques had used similar arms, with different tinctures, for generations before the Dumaresqs
Datestones
Despite the age of the property, none have been located
Historic Environment Record entry
Listed building
A building of considerable significance, originating as a medieval hall house later floored across, with tourelle. The chamber block is of outstanding importance as the only other example in the Channel Islands of the type well-known as the Langlois House at Hamptonne, where chamber and cellier are combined with a long agricultural range.
Several trefoil-headed windows may have been moved but are not only unique examples, but also are important to show the high quality of detailing in houses in medieval times. It also has a possibly unique type of cellar below the main house. Very good survival of key early features. Shown on the Richmond Map of 1795.
Farmstead with medieval origins and later development phases, including farmhouse and attached former stable, further detached house, detached barn around farmyard. Main house, L-shaped, two-storey, with attic, eight bays on the south; hall, service and possible dower in two bays to the east, returning to north as chamber block and single storey former stable beyond.
Hipped and pitched pantile roof, rendered chimneys, thatch stones, corrugated roof on former stable block.
Old Jersey Houses
Included in Volume One as Maison de la Rocque. The house is believed to have much earlier origins than the following extract suggests:
- There are some very remarkable window lintels here but little else remains of what must have been a fine 17th century house. One would have expected at least one round arch to accompany these lintels. One has a trefoil, one a conventional leaf design and one a serpentine motif we have not found anywhere else.
The chief feature from the ancient de la Rocque arms, here used rather as an English crest would have been used, in similar circumstances
