Vlll PREFACE. 



told me nearly double has very kindly supplied me 

 with the following very interesting note on the 

 various changes which have taken place in Guernsey 

 during the long period he has lived in that island ; 

 he says, " I can well recollect the cutting of most 

 of the main roads, and the improvement, still going 

 on, of the smaller ones. It was about the beginning 

 of this century that the works for reclaiming the 

 Braye du Valle were undertaken ; before that time 

 the Clos du Valle* was separated from the main- 

 land by an arm of the sea, left dry at low water, 

 extending from St. Samson's to the Vale Church. 

 This was bordered by suit marshes only, covered 

 occasionally at spring tides by the sea, some of 

 which extended pretty far inland. The meadows 

 adjoining were very imperfectly drained, as indeed 

 some still are, and covered with reeds and rushes, 

 forming excellent shelter for many species of aquatic 

 birds. Now, as you know, by far the greater part 

 of the land is well cultivated and thickly covered 

 with habitations. The old roads were everywhere 

 enclosed between high hedges, on which were 

 planted rows of elms ; and the same kind of hedge 

 divided the fields and tenements. Every house, 

 too, in those days had its orchard, cider being then 

 universally drunk ; and the hill-sides and cliffs 

 were covered with furze brakes, as in all country 



* This was nearly the whole of the Vale, including 

 L'Ancresse Common. 



