Step into St. Saviour’s Churchyard – an ancient place of spiritual significance that has held meaning for islanders for thousands of years. Today it is the largest Anglican churchyard in Jersey, but its story stretches back far beyond the first marked gravestone of the 17th century. For nearly a millennium, a stone church has stood here, and before that, likely a wooden one. Long before Christianity reached these shores, pagan ceremonies and burials are thought to have taken place on this very ground – with the foundation stones at the east end of the church believed to be Neolithic tombstones.
Beneath the shadowed yews lie thousands of lives – many unmarked, many unknown – from ten-minute-old babies to centenarians, from ordinary islanders to figures of influence, creativity, and courage. Their stories span tragedy and scandal, mystery and loss, but also bravery, kindness, and triumph. In the 19th century alone, St. Saviour’s became the place to be buried, its earth receiving hundreds each year, including soldiers, sailors, clergy, and notable residents whose legacies still echo through Jersey’s history.
On this guided walk, we’ll bring some of these lives and legends to light. We’ll wander among the stones to hear of lives cut short, feats of resilience, and mysteries that remain unsolved, before venturing beyond the churchyard to explore nearby sites of intrigue – from the stately Government House to the long-lost Hotel of St. Saviour’s.
Join Tall Tales to uncover the secrets, sorrows, and spirits of a place where Jersey’s past lingers in every step – a place where every grave, marked or not, carries a story waiting to be told.
