Channel Islands in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
For the most part, Jersey remained loyal to the Crown (even sheltering the future Charles II of England on two separate occasions in 1646 and 1649), whereas Guernsey, with the exception of Castle Cornet, was under Parliamentarian control.
By 1651, Parliament gained control of both the islands and held them during the Interregnum even imprisoning Leveller dissident John Lilburne in Mount Orgueil Castle on 16 March 1654, due to Jersey having no habeas corpus laws.
As the war became more protracted, hostilities eventually spread to other parts of the British Isles (notably Scotland and Ireland) yet the Channel Islands were gradually embroiled in the conflict as well.
On 26 March 1642[a] a petition was presented to the Long Parliament calling for the arrest of the then Governor and Bailiff Sir Philippe de Carteret on charges of mis-government.
Much of the island rebelled lead in part by a committee of jurats which had formed a bloc in the States against de Carteret, the Dean of Jersey and also the firebrand Huguenot preacher Pierre d'Assigny then Minister of the Town Church.
Sir Philippe faced with the militia marching on the town had to flee to Elizabeth Castle while his wife and a son managed to successfully seize the fortress of Mont Orgueil located at the east of the island.
[7] The Parliamentarian faction began the construction of works with which to bombard Elizabeth Castle, the yard of the Town Church was converted into an artillery battery.
The Royalists mounted several skirmishes towards St. Helier and the batteries, however there was very little direct combat in the period most of the fighting being gunnery exchanges at long range with only minimal effect.
[9] Along with his privateering exploits, George Carteret also sought to imprisoning Parliamentarian supporters and confiscating their property in order to fund the royalist expenses.
[11] Charles' visits also led to unwelcome changes in the nature of the island's religion; with the initial rebellion the Church had reverted to its Presbyterian/Calvinist state, but with the Royalists regaining control this was reversed.
The Parliamentarians landed on 20 October 1651 to the west of the island at St Ouen's Bay and managed defeat the royalist force assembled to meet them in a short confrontation.
[15] In recognition for all the help given to him during his exile, Charles II gave George Carteret, bailiff and governor, a large grant of land in the American colonies, which he promptly named New Jersey, now part of the United States of America.
[20] The castle surrendered on about 9 December 1651,[21] with the garrison permitted to march out bearing arms and to leave the island, effectively ending all royalist resistance to The Protectorate in the British Isles.
