Repairing walls, fosses and banques

​Introduction

Jersey's lanes are amongst its greatest treasures. Like the Bocage in neighbouring Normandy, many are below the level of the fields, some so deep that you can travel for miles without being seen.

Unique personality

They help to give Jersey its unique personality. The special atmosphere they provide is loved by tourists and residents alike. But the very fact that they are enjoyed by so many people poses serious threats to the ancient walls, fosses and banques which border them. 

14th century

Many of these structures are among the all too few surviving monuments to Jersey's medieval period. Fosses and banques are earth banks, sometimes dating back to the 14th century. They often have hedges or trees growing on top of them. Fosse is the generic name for all banks, whereas a banque was built to retain earth, so the land will be higher on one side than on the other.

Many of these walls, fosses and banques are in private ownership and the goal of this section is to help landowners recognise the problems of deterioration and find an appropriate solution.