Parish Church of St Helier

Helier was a Belgian saint who lived as a hermit for some ten years on an islet in St Aubin's Bay, about three-quarters of a mile off the south coast of Jersey.

In AD 555 he was martyred by Saxon pirates, beheaded by their leader who feared his men would be converted by Helier's preaching.

The present south transept, vestry, and the westwards extension to the nave (now converted into a narthex) all post-date c. 1820, and are largely Victorian.

The Jerseymen, strongly influenced by Huguenot immigrants fleeing persecution in France, carried out the King's orders with zeal, and all altars, fonts, holy water stoups and piscinas were removed, the rood screen was dismantled, the stained glass smashed and all but one bell was taken from the tower.

In spite of the return of Anglican worship in the 17th century, the church continued in this state until the 1860s, by which time it had fallen into considerable disrepair.

The South Chapel was re-ordered in 1952 as a memorial to Matthew le Marinel, Rector of St Helier and Dean of Jersey during the German Occupation (1940–45), and again in 2004 to make it more ‘user-friendly’.

In early 2008 it was dismantled as part of the renovation of the church, and temporarily replaced by a purpose built electronic organ.

To ensure the depth and richness of tone within the confines of the gallery, the 32’ stops use state of the art digital technology, and the console is now situated on a mobile platform, giving flexibility and providing a great visual spectacle for concerts and recitals.

The parish guns for the militia were kept in a store on the site of the present Narthex, and were taken for their own use by invading French forces in 1781 during the Battle of Jersey.

The two opposing commanders of the battle, Major Peirson and Baron de Rullecourt – who were both killed during the action – are buried within the boundaries of the church, Peirson under the Chancel (there is a memorial in the Crossing, and a later, rather more elaborate one in the South Chapel) and de Rullecourt in the churchyard, his grave marked by a simple stone.

A flag and a victor's wreath had been placed on the lid, suggesting the burial of a military hero, proving beyond reasonable doubt that the stone did indeed mark Peirson's grave.

Today the church holds two services on a Sunday, together with a short Communion service on several Tuesdays a month, which cater for a local population (largely drawn from outside the parish, since most of the residential areas of St Helier are served by several district churches), and in the summer especially numerous visitors, situated as it is within easy walking distance of several hotels.

In the last century, and intermittently in earlier years, the Rector of St Helier has also held the post of Dean of Jersey, head of the Anglican Church in the Island and representative for religious affairs in the States Assembly.

This plan has received little support, however, with opponents of the change – including both churchgoers and non-churchgoers – pointing out the value of the church as a historic site, its role as a community focus and venue for the Arts, and the complications that would result from a ‘user pays’ system of public service funding.

In the past few years the Bishop of Winchester, intending to cut down on the number of Anglican clergy in the Island, suspended all vacant Rectories.

Outgoing Rectors were replaced by a Priest in Charge, or Ministre Desservant, who lacked the freehold of the Parish and were thus easier to remove.