OUEKXSEY CROSSES. ofU 



ail Baillif lias long been connected with the old legend of 

 Gaultier de la Salle, so well known to everyone ; but though 

 the latter was an historical person who was hanged in 1 320 for 

 murder of one Ranulph Gaultier, a prisoner in his charge at 

 Castle Cornet, as far as can be ascertained he was never 

 bailiff of the island. The old legend is moreover absolutely 

 unhistorical and at variance with the few details concerning 

 him which have come to light. It is simply one of the Old 

 Folk stories found in every country, frequently associated with 

 the name of some famous or notorious historical person. An 

 almost identical tale is told in Jersey of the Bailly Hoste 

 Nicolle. On the other hand there was an historical event 

 which might account for the origin of La Croix au Baillif. 

 At the time of the invasion of Guernsey by the French in the 

 year 1294 an ex -bailiff, Gidllaume de Saint Remy, was killed 

 and his house burnt. As he held both the manors of St. 

 Helene and Les Mauxmarquis, St. Andrew's, La Croix au 

 Baillif, being near the lands of the latter, it may be that in 

 attempting to escape to town on the sudden invasion of the 

 enemy, he Avas overtaken and killed on the spot still marked by 

 the stone engraved with a cross. It is possible that most if 

 not all the crosses bearing personal names may owe their origin 

 to some similar cause. An analogy is to be found in all 

 Catholic countries, especially in the Catholic Cantons of 

 Switzerland and in the Tyrol, Avhere, among the mountains, 

 death by accident or exposure is of frequent occurrence ; 

 there, may be seen numerous small wooden crosses by the 

 wayside, or a cross engraved on the side of the rocks, in 

 memory of some person who had been killed in that vicinity. 



It has been mentioned that wayside crosses in England 

 are frequently found bordering the roads leading to parish 

 churches. A study of the list of sites of old crosses in 

 Guernsey shows in some parishes an almost similar arrange- 

 ment. Thus at St. Martin's, between the castle of Jerbourg 

 and the church, were La Croix de Jerbourg near the site of 

 the house of Mr. Waterman, La Croix des Blanches, at 

 at the cross roads leading from Les Blanches to Callais and La 

 Croix Bertran at the cross roads leading to the mill of 

 vSausmarez Manor and Jerbourg. Between the church and the 

 ancient priory of Martinvast, belonging to the abbey of 

 Blanchelande, were La Croix Guerin at the cross roads 

 of La Grande Rue and La Rue Maze, Les Croix Fallaise, on 

 the right hand side of La Rue de la Couture, leading from the 

 Rectory to Saints bay, about three fields before reaching the 

 Carrefour David, and a cross said to have existed on the site or 



