Ancient monuments Guernesey

The dolmen of Déhus is a dolmen with a gallery under a tumulus of 10 m length and 4 m width, dating from 2000 BC. It was discovered in 1930. The corridor leads to six small chambers and a larger "bottle-shaped" room, typical of many megalithic monuments in the region. A drawing is engraved in the stone, inside, and seems to represent a bearded man armed with a bow and arrows. Of more recent construction (1000 B.C.), it would seem to have been the magical guardian of the tumulus. A good excuse for a nice walk.

Granite menhir, 1.60 m high, dated to about 4000 B.C. Like the menhir of Castel Church, it would have been retouched in the Bronze Age (700 B.C.), to take on a more feminine appearance evoking, according to archaeologists, the grandmother or the goddess of fertility. According to Christian custom, this place was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. However, in the minds of the islanders, she remained the grandmother. The newlyweds bring her bouquets and coins to attract her favor.

Located at the place called L'Ancresse, this dolmen is a place of worship of 12 meters in length which also dates from the Middle Neolithic period (around 4500 years B.C.). Discovered in 1977, the tumulus, delimited by granite blocks and dry stone walls, has been partly reconstructed. During the excavations, more than 35,000 remains were found on the site, such as flints, ornaments, tools and numerous pieces of pottery. Some of these remains are on display at the Guernsey Museum in St. Peter Port.

North of the Fouaillages, at the top of a small hill overlooking Pembroke Bay, the dolmen of La Varde is a remarkable megalithic structure. It is a covered walkway dating from the Neolithic era, 11 meters long and one of the most impressive on the island. It was discovered in 1811 and dates back to 2500 BC. During the excavations, human bones, flints, stone tools and numerous pieces of pottery were also discovered. A site that we strongly advise to discover during a walk.

Located at the place called Catioroc, the dolmen of Trépied is a corridor tomb, with a V shape. Even today, it is well preserved although almost buried, situated in a very beautiful setting on a hillock perched above the Perelle Bay. A legend tells that in the 17th century, the witches and magicians of the island of Guernsey used to meet there regularly to celebrate their black masses, which usually took place on Fridays at night. The dolmen dates back to the beginning of the Neolithic period.