Hidden gems in Guernsey

Hidden Gems of the Channel Islands

This collection spans the Channel Islands' diverse history, from the 12th-century Benedictine ruins of Lihou Priory to the German Naval Signals HQ that managed WWII Enigma traffic. Explore Victorian-era fortifications like Fort Tourgis and Fort Les Homeaux Florains, or the 13th-century motte-and-bailey remains of Chateau de Marais. The list also includes the 19th-century silver mine shafts on Sark and the natural Percee Reef off Herm, highlighting the archipelago's strategic military importance and unique geological features.

Hidden Gems of the Channel Islands — Map

A

Vale Castle

Medieval castle built on an Iron Age site. It features Napoleonic-era barracks and was refortified by German forces during WWII to overlook St Sampson’s harbor.

B

German Naval Signals HQ

The final operational signal station in the Channel Islands during WWII. This bunker handled Enigma-coded radio traffic for the German Navy until the 1945 liberation.

TheOnlyMoxey / CC BY 2.0

C

Fort Tourgis

Fort Tourgis is an extensive fortification in Alderney to the north west of St Anne forming part of the Fortifications of Alderney.

D

Chateau de Marais

A 13th-century motte-and-bailey castle, also known as Ivy Castle. The site includes a Napoleonic-era battery and a WWII German bunker built within the ancient ruins.

E

Fort Les Homeaux Florains

A Victorian-era fortification built in the 1850s on a tidal islet off Alderney. It was designed to protect the northern end of the Alderney breakwater.

Acad Ronin / CC BY-SA 3.0

F

MP2 - L'Erée

Fort Saumarez is a Martello tower in Saint Peter, Guernsey, on a headland that forms the northern tip of L'Erée and extends to the Lihou…

G

Ruins of Lihou Priory

Remains of a 12th-century Benedictine priory established by monks from Mont Saint-Michel. Located on Lihou Island, the site is accessible via a tidal causeway.

H

Silver Mining

Remains of 19th-century silver and lead mines on Little Sark. The site features visible chimney stacks and shafts from operations that took place between 1833 and 1845.

I

Percee Reef

A natural rocky reef formation off the coast of Herm. Visible during low tide, it is a significant site for marine life and coastal rock pooling.

J

M 132

A German WWII personnel bunker, specifically a Regelbau 622 type. It formed part of the Stützpunkt Rotenstein defensive network along Guernsey's southern coast.

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