Historic Jersey buildings
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Property name
La Foret
Location
Rue es Boeufs, St Mary
Type of property
19th century 'cod' house
Valuations
No recent transactions
Families associated with the property
- Perree: A combination of census returns and other sources reveals that La Foret was built by Francois Perree (1817- ) born in St Ouen. He was living at La Foret in 1871 with his wife, Ann, nee Arthur, and their children Anna, Louisa, Francis Arthur, Alice and John Arthur. The house then passed to Francis Arthur, and to his son Francis John.
Datestones
None known
Historic Environment Record entry
Listed building
A substantial, high quality example of a mid-19th century Jersey 'Cod House', with a good survival of original interior and exterior features and integrity within its landscape setting. Of group value with associated outbuildings, which include parts of the earlier pre-1700s farm. The house emulates the polite architecture of Georgian fashion but with a continuing local character.
The Richmond Map of 1795 shows the older property as a pair of parallel buildings set around a yard, which corresponds on site to the west outbuildings. The remains of these are constructed from small masonry of early appearance, and contain part of a large fireplace. These outbuildings are reputed to include the oldest cow shed in the parish of St Mary.
The principal house was built by the Perree family in the 1850s. They had grown affluent from the Newfoundland cod fishing industry. There is much documented material associated with the family, who also owned The Elms (now the headquarters of the National Trust for Jersey).
Five-bay, two-storey 1850s house with two-bay wing to the east; long parallel range of 19th century farm buildings to north, and cluster of earlier outbuildings set around a yard to the west.
The main house retains its historic plan form - double pile, two rooms wide, with a central passage. Features of interest are the dogleg mahogany staircase; four-panel doors; the windows with panelled reveals; the marble fire surround in the front reception room; and the moulded cornices and ceiling roses in all ground-floor reception rooms and hall (although these are likely a later addition).
There are some fragments of historic fabric in the interior of the outbuildings - in particular a section of cobbled floor and pegged roof trusses in the north range; and the remains of an early masonry fireplace, with niche, set into the western gable of the west outbuilding.
Old Jersey Houses
Not included
Notes and references
