Abreuvoirs

Abreuvoirs are a feature of the Guernsey rural landscape as places where livestock could be brought to drink with water from springs or douits. Usually of granite construction, some were built by the parish and many display names of Constables and Douzeniers of the time. The Parish and the St Andrew’s Floral Group have engaged in a policy of clearing and renovating these historic features as they are listed as ancient monuments. The 4th Guernsey Air Scout Group clean the abreuvoirs three times a year on behalf of the Parish.

La Villiaze, La Villiaze Road

La Villiaze Abreuvoir is one of the more interesting of the St Andrew’s Abreuvoirs. In 2017 the path seen here to the right of the stone was cleared of accumulated soil and grass to expose a cobble roadway leading down to the spring and abreuvoir. Volunteers from Specsavers, St Andrews Floral Group, St Peter Port Floral Group and Art of Living together with the Constables carried out the clearance. It was the first time this roadway has been seen in living memory. At the end of the roadway is a large paved area with a trough and the spring feeding the abreuvoir. There is another narrow paved path leading down from La Villiaze Road. The whole area is overhung by trees and has a dell like appearance – ideal for fairies! Below are the second working party completing the clearance.

Guillard Lane

This abreuvoir is the second public abreuvoir fed by La Villiaze spring.

Les Bouillon, La Vassalerie

This is the third public abreuvoir fed from La Villiaze spring and is the last before the water flows through a culvert to feed the douit in Les Vaubelets Valley. Here a working party from the 4th Guernsey Air Scouts can be seen cleaning and clearing the Les Bouillon abreuvoir.

Les Baissieres

Les Baissieres Abreuvoir is of substantial construction but it is no longer fed by water. It is of particular interest as it is unique in Guernsey being located at the junction of four parishes: St Peter Port, St Andrew, Vale and Castel.

Donkey Hill, Les Naftiaux, rue des landes

Donkey Hill has been subject to substantial repairs and maintenance in 2017. In 2014 a large working party from the Art of Living, St Andrew’s Floral Group and Parish Constables cleared the pathway and wall of grass of established ivy and brambles. There had been concern that the wall was being damaged by the plant growth, which was confirmed after inspection following the plant clearance. In 2016 the Parish provided funds for the repair of the wall but it was found that resurfacing repairs to the adjacent road had substantially damage the wall foundation. This was subsequently rectified by States Works and new foundations were created by the Parish for the wall together with a reconstruction of the wall. These works were completed in 2017.

The back wall of this abreuvoir is on a boundary with St Martin.

Les Mourant, La planque lane

In need of a repair this is a shared Abreuvoir with St Martin on La Planque Lane.

La Fontaine de St Clair, St Andrew’s Road

La Fontaine de St Clair is directly opposite St André du Pommeraye, the Parish church of St Andrew, and adjacent to an apple orchard on glebe land. The spring is not much in evidence at this time and the abreuvoir is fed by an adjacent douit.

Les Vauxbelets, le Grais Lane

This abreuvoir is located along the Vauxbelets Valley in a very picturesque location with a backdrop of grazing Guernsey cows and verdant grassland. The back wall was repaired by the Parish in 2016 as it had been found to be collapsing.

A popular site for a game of Pooh Sticks!