Alderney
Alderney (French Aurigny) is the most northerly of the Channel Islands and a British crown dependency. It is part of the bailiwick of Guernsey. It is 3 miles (5 km) long and 2 miles (3 km) wide making it the third largest island of the Channel Islands. It is around 10 miles to the west of Cap de la Hague in the Cotentin Peninsula, Normandy, in France, 20 miles to the north-east of Guernsey and 60 miles from the south coast of England. It is the closest of the Channel Islands to France as well as being the closest to England.
The island has a population of 2,400 people, and they are traditionally nicknamed lapins after the number of rabbits seen on the island. The only parish of Alderney is the parish of St Anne, which doubles as the main town, and features a pretty church and cobbled high street. There is a primary school, a secondary school, a post office, hotels, restaurants, banks, shops, etc.
History
Alderney shares a history in common with the other Channel Islands. After choosing independence from France and loyalty to the English monarch (in its role as the Duke of Normandy) in the 1204, Alderney developed slowly and was not much involved with the rest of the world. That is, however, until the British government decided to undertake massive fortifications and to create a strategic harbour to deter attacks from France in the 19th century. An influx of English and Irish labourers, plus the sizable British garrison stationed in the island, led to rapid anglicization. The harbour was never completed - the remaining breakwater is one of the landmarks of the island.
When the advancing German army threatened in 1940, the entire population was evacuated. The Germans occupied the island until liberation on 16 May 1945 (a week after the other Channel Islands), but the population were unable to start returning until December 1945. The Germans left their mark on Alderney, running the island as a concentration camp for the duration of the occupation, building bunkers and other such concrete fortifications. The resulting devastation meant that Guernsey took over some government functions from the States of Alderney to enable post-war reconstruction (in recent years this arrangement has sometimes led to tension between Alderney residents and the States of Guernsey).
The 20th century saw a lot of change in Alderney, from the building of the airport in the 1960s to the death of the last speakers of the island's language (a dialect of Norman language) some years earlier. The economy has gone from depending largely on agriculture to earning money from the tourism and finance industries.
The States of Alderney is the legislature of the island, and it has a voice in the States of Guernsey as well.
Geography
In terms of Geography, Alderney is similar to the other islands in that it has sheer cliffs broken by stretches of sandy beach and dunes. It has a temperate climate, moderated by the sea, and summers are usually warmer than elsewhere in the British Isles. Alderney has a somewhat ageing population, being popular with people wanting somewhere quiet to retire.
Alderney features a rich flora and fauna. Puffins are a favourite of many visitors to the island, and are often found on the cliffs around the island. The Blonde Hedgehog is a species native to Alderney.
Travelling to Alderney is fairly easy, and in season it is a popular holiday destination. Flights arrive daily from Bournemouth, Brighton, Southampton, Jersey and Guernsey. Boats sail regularly between the island and France, as well as the other Channel Islands.
Culture
French is no longer spoken in the island (except by tourists), and ceased to be an official language in 1966.
Golf is a popular sport.
Being a quiet and secluded island, Alderney has attracted a number of famous residents, including authors T. H. White (The Once and Future King) and Elizabeth Beresford (The Wombles), cricket commentator John Arlott, cricketer Ian Botham and actress Julie Andrews.
External link
- Alderney official site (http://www.alderney.gov.gg/)
- Aurigny Airlines - flights to Alderney (http://www.aurigny.com/)
- Rockhopper Airlines - flights to Alderney (http://www.rockhopper.aero/)
- Alderney language (http://www.societe-jersiaise.org/langsec/aurgnais.html)
- Fortress Alderney (http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/a/alderney/index.shtml)
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