Vale | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
 Location of Vale in Guernsey | |
| Crown Dependency | Guernsey,Channel Islands |
| Government | |
| • Electoral district | Vale |
| Area | |
• Total | 8.8 km2 (3.4 sq mi) |
| • Rank | Ranked 2nd |
| Population (2019) | |
• Total | 9,514 |
| • Density | 1,100/km2 (2,800/sq mi) |
| Time zone | GMT |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+01 |
| Website | valeparish |
Vale (Guernésiais:Lé Vale;French:Le Valle) is one of the tenparishes of Guernsey in theBailiwick of Guernsey,Channel Islands.
In 933 the islands, formerly under the control ofWilliam I, thenDuchy of Brittany were annexed by theDuchy of Normandy. The island of Guernsey and the otherChannel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Duchy of Normandy.[1]
Much of the Vale parish belonging to the fief Saint Michael, which benefited the Benedictine monks who lived in an abbey that had been built next to the Vale Church from when it was granted in 1032 byRobert of Normandy who had apparently been caught in a storm and his ship had ended up safe in Guernsey. The rights to the fief were removed byHenry VIII when he undertook theDissolution of the Monasteries.[2]: 128–9
The Castle of Saint Michael, now calledVale Castle, has an origin going back at least 1,000 years and was used as a refuge from pirate attacks. It was probably started in the late 10th century.[2]: 130–1 In 1372Owain Lawgoch, a claimant to the Welsh throne, attacked Guernsey at the head of a free company, on behalf of France. This event is popularly calledLa Descente des Aragousais. Owain Lawgoch withdrew after killing 400 of the Island militia.[3] The poem of the same name refers to the castle as theChâteau de l'Archange, the location of the last-ditch stand against the insurgents.[4]: 34
In 1615 the island[which?] was required to maintain the Vale Castle, while the Crown maintainedCastle Cornet.[4]: 31 It has been a focal point for defence; the most recent modifications were undertaken by the German occupiers.
Until 1806 the parish occupied territory on the mainland of Guernsey, the Vingtaine de l'Epine, as well as the whole of Le Clos du Valle, atidal island forming the northern extremity of Guernsey separated from the mainland byLe Braye du Valle, a tidal channel. Le Braye was drained and reclaimed in 1806 by the British Government as a defence measure. Vale now consists of two non-contiguous territories.
The Valepostal code starts with either GY3 or GY6 (the latter also used forSt. Andrew).
The features of the parish include:
| The parish of the Vale hosts:
 
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The parish was twinned with the Normandy port of
Barneville-Carteret in 1987.
Vale comprises the whole of the Valeadministrative division.
In the2016 Guernsey general election there was a 3,774 or 74% turnout to elect six Deputies. Those elected (in order of votes received) beingMatt Fallaize,Dave Jones,Mary Lowe,Laurie Queripel,Jeremy Smithies andSarah Hansmann Rouxel.
Dave Jones died in July 2016 and aby-election was held in October 2016 to elect a replacement.
49°29′34″N2°31′22″W / 49.49278°N 2.52278°W /49.49278; -2.52278