Maison de Bas, St Lawrence

Historic Jersey buildings Maison de Bas, St Lawrence The unusual diamond-shaped window above the front entrance can clearly be seen through the arch, but appears to have escaped the attention of the HER experts on historical properties Index of all house profiles If you own this property, have ancestors who lived here, or can provide any further information and photographs, please contact us through editorial@jerripedia.org

Property name

Maison de Bas

Other names

• La Vieille Maison - earlier building now a separate residence

Location

Rue de La Ville au Bas, St Lawrence

Type of property

18th century country house

Valuations

La Vieille Maison sold for £1,420,000 in 2021

Families associated with the property

• Amy
• Le Feuvre: Henry Le Feuvre was living here when he made his will in 1976

Datestones

• 1663 NAM - Possibly for Amy ^[1]
• EAM 1819 - For Elie Amy ^[2]

Historic Environment Record entry

Listed building

An 18th century rural house, with earlier origins, retaining historic character and features; with an earlier 17th century building and high quality 17th century roadside arches - all of group value and making a positive contribution to the rural setting.

Shown on the Richmond Map of 1795.

The principal house, Maison de Bas, is 18th century with earlier origins. The building now known as La Vieille Maison is 17th century (with 20th century alterations).

The two houses, historically part of the same rural property, are linked by a roadside wall with a 17th century double entrance arch accessing a shared courtyard. The quality of the entranceway indicates the property was historically of some status and prestige.

Maison de Bas is a two-storey, four-bay house; later extended with further two-storey, four-bay building to the east. It has a slate roof with a pair of dressed granite chimneystacks.

Parallel with, to the north, is a building of 17th century origin, restored in 20th century as a two-storey, five-bay house, now La Vieille Maison. Slate roof with brick chimneys and dormers. Chamfered round arch doorway in centre.

Linking the properties along the roadside is a tall granite wall containing a double entrance arch (carriage and pedestrian) accessing a shared courtyard. Another single arch is at the south end of the garden, inscribed 1664.

The HER record says that the property has possible medieval origins, without expanding on this suggestion

Old Jersey Houses

A single paragraph entry in Vol One refers only to the arches. This is one of many records in the two books which suggest that the author was not given access to the houses but could only comment on what could be seen from the roadside

Notes and references

1. ↑ This stone may be for Nicolas Amy, but there are no Amy baptisms in St Lawrence this early
2. ↑ This may be for the Elie Amy, born in St Lawrence in 1782, the son of another Elie and Marguerite, nee La Cour