Property name
Ancient House
Previous names
None known
Location
Route de Vinchelez, St Ouen
Type of property
Farm group with pre-17th century origins
Families associated with the property
- Maillard, possibly the home of Nicolas Maillard and Francoise, nee de Caen
- Murley: In 1901 farmer William Murley (1859- ), his wife Jane, nee Hacquoil (1855- ), and their children Elizabeth (1884- ), Sarah (1888- ), an apprentice dressmaker, William (1891- ) and Mabel (1894- ) were living here
Wills
Wills are on record for the following owners or occupiers of Ancient House
- Elise Fequet, nee Le Maistre, widow of Peter Fequet, dated 30 November 1937
- John Le Boutillier Lucas, formerly of Walnut Farm, St Ouen, dated 22 October 1959
- Wilfred Thérin, dated 11 Fevruary 1969
Datestones
Stone over door bearing NM LDCGN 1721 (or MN). This stone is a complete mystery. It has not been deciphered by any of the authorities on stones. The first set of initials is recorded as NM in Old Jersey Houses and the Jersey Datestone Register, suggesting that the MN in the Historic Environment Record entry is a typographical error. Men with the initials NM in St Ouen at this time were either Nicolas Mauger or Nicolas Maillard (the former would probably have been recorded on a stone as NMG), but there is no record of either marrying a wife with names which would correspond with LDCGN. This group suggests somebody with a forename starting with L, and maiden name starting de C... but there were no women baptised or married in the early 18th century with forenames starting L, and there is no known surname in Jersey corresponding to DCGN.
We have come to the tentative conclusion that the stone, which is recorded in the datestone register as being 'partly covered by a pergola', could have been erected for Nicolas Maillard, who married Francoise de Caen in St Ouen in 1725. They had five children between 1726 and 1736. This would require a misreading of the date and the wife's initials, but stranger things have happened with the reading and interpretation of partly hidden old Jersey datestones. It is possible that the GN represented Francoise's mother's maiden name Grandin. If so, this would be a very unusual, if not unique, occurrence for a datestone.
Nicolas Maillard was an ancestor of the Maillard auctioneer family of St Lawrence in the 20th century.
Historic Environment Record entry
Listed building
Farm group, with circa pre-17th century origins, which retains exterior historic character and features. This house is likely to be much older than its early 18th century datestone, which probably records a marriage, change of ownership or upgrading of some sort. It is clear from the name given to the house and the walling of the rear north elevation, plus the huge expanse of walling from west gable to first window, that much of the fabric dates to no later than the 17th century and could even be late medieval. East/side range abutting main house circa 1820. Brick outbuilding south of main house circa 1870. Shown on the Richmond Map of 1795. Main house with eastern range, east stable block and south brick built wash house. Main house: 2 storey, 4 bay. Front (south) elevation: slate roof with tilt-lights and brick chimneys. Painted render finish. Marriage stone over door bearing (MN. LDCGN. 1721). Rear (north) elevation: random rubble stone construction. Gable (west) elevation: pierre perdu mortar. Eastern range abutting main house (now accommodation): slate roof. Random rubble stone construction. South brick outhouse (now accommodation): single storey, 3 bay. Slate roof/chimney.
Old Jersey Houses
Not listed but datestone appears in the author's listing of 903 stones in an appendix to volume 2. It seems strange that the author would have ignored a property which clearly should have been included in the first volume of her work, covering properties built before 1700. This house clearly predates many of those included.
