Period Gardens at Castle Cornet

Gardens may not at first seem to be an obvious component of a defensive military structure but a surviving eighteenth century plan of the castle shows their position in some detail. With this in mind the decision was made to recreate several gardens appropriate to various periods in the castle's history for the enjoyment of visitors.

Interactive panorama: courtesy of VisitGuernsey. More panoramas...

Using the 1734 plan by Bastide as a starting point a team including acknowledged expert Peter Thoday devised the original plantings of four small garden areas during the 1990's. The panorama, above, shows one of these - named the Governor's Garden - on the west tier of the castle, below the Citadel. This follows the layout of the Bastide plan quite closely and is planted up in formal eighteenth century style. The Sutler's Garden, near the Sutler's House, is planted as a 16th century herb garden with adjacent pleasure garden, or 'plaisance'.

Lambert's Garden is laid out following 17th century patterns and is situated near the building (now an office) where General Sir John Lambert was held prisoner for ten years from 1660. He was a noted gardener and is known to have kept one during his time as a prisoner. The fourth formal garden in the castle - the Master Gunner's Garden - is laid out in a 19th century domestic pattern, next to the Well Battery, a position also depicted as a garden on the eighteenth century Bastide plan.

Visitors may enjoy these gardens at their own pace or look out for special garden tours on selected Sundays in the summer.