St Clement is the smallest parish of the twelve parishes and located at the far south east end of Jersey. The size is just a mere 1,044 acres yet despite this it is the most densely populated parish on Jersey.
The majority of the St Clement lies below the high tide level and often used to become flooded which over the years did cause the parish to decrease in size. In pre-Norman times St Clement was known as Petravilla or Pierreville. It has been historically noted that in 1172 a chapel existed in St Clement as well as a priory located on the site of the old Priory Inn (now houses), where men and women under religious vows resided.
St Clement was the centre of a significant witch movement in the 16th and 17th centuries and the rock at ‘Rocque Berge’ was used for a number of witchcraft activities. The middle of the 19th century saw the western part of the parish taken over by St Helier, reducing it’s size and open green space dramatically. The famous French writer Victor Hugo lived in Marina Terrace where he wrote ‘Les Chatiments’, a collection of poetry. He also lived at Hauteville House in Guernsey.
St Clement Location
