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Barge Aground

Relax on the beach in a seaside cottage

Sleeps 6

Prices from £33.71 pp per night

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The iconic Barge Aground is uniquely positioned in the stunning St Ouen’s Bay with direct access to the beach. Built in the 1930s, this is the last of the seaside follies and chalets which once lined the bay.

Barge Aground sits in the rugged landscape of the dunes in Jersey’s only national park, close to the nature reserve. In early summer a walk will take you through fields of native orchids and throughout the year the area teems with bird life – watch out for the marsh harriers who live in the area.

Accommodating six people, the décor has a 1930s theme, with walnut wooden floors and some original 1930s furniture. Two adult twin bunkrooms are located in the ‘stern’ of the property while the kitchen and bathroom adjoin the large lounge and diner. There is a comfortable double sofa bed in the ‘prow’ of the building sleeping two people. Double doors open onto a large terrace which overlooks the bay and is perfect for watching the sun go down.

Once the summer home to Jersey resident, George Lionel Cox, Barge Aground was requisitioned during the German Occupation of the Channel Islands and used as a canteen. It then became a clinic for people with speech disorders and from the 1970s was used by the Scout Association as a camping site and event ground. The folly was restored in 2005 as part of the ‘Forts and Towers’ project; a collaboration to restore historical properties between States of Jersey’s Environment Department, Jersey Tourism and Jersey Heritage.

Barge Aground is great for either a family break, with the beach on your doorstep, or a romantic break for two. The property is close to many beachfront cafés and restaurants which are dotted along St Ouen’s Beach with several surf schools close by and two golf courses are also a short distance away.

    "The most amazing location!"

    "This goes down as one of the most unique places I've stayed."

    "Situated right on St. Ouen's Bay this is the perfect place to get away from it all."

    Facilities in detail

    • Two bunk rooms with two single beds and one small double sofa bed
    • Shower
    • Oven
    • Fridge & freezer
    • Dishwasher
    • Microwave
    • Crockery & cutlery provided
    • Central heating
    • TV screen with DVD player (extremely limited TV reception)
    • Private patio area with garden furniture and direct access to the beach
    • Parking
    • Dogs allowed. £10 per dog per night up to a maximum of £50 per dog per stay
    • Cot available on request (linen not provided)
    • Beach location
    • WiFi not available

    Pricing

    2022

    Low Season

    4 January – 31 March
    ——-
    18 October – 19 December

    		 Mid Season

    19 April – 2 July
    ——-
    11 September – 17 October

    		 High Season

    1 April – 18 April (Easter)
    ——–
    3 July – 10 September
    ——–
    20 December – 4 January 2022 (Christmas)
    2 Nights 3 Nights 7 Nights 3 Nights

     

    		 7 Nights

     

    		 3 Nights

    (Easter and Christmas only)

    		 7 Nights
    £525.00 £658.00 £1275.00 £840.00 £1575.00 £910.00 £2025.00

     

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    History

    In the 1930s, the dunes west of the Five Mile Road were dotted with wooden beach chalets. George Lionel Cox purchased the site of the Barge Aground in three transactions: 1) the land in the middle of the site was acquired on 11th December 1926 from Leonard Thomas Snell; 2) the land on the North was acquired on 16th June 1934 from John Davies; 3) the land furthest South was acquired on 22nd September 1934 from Angèle Marie Josephine Rault.

    Lionel Cox commissioned the building of the Barge Aground (also known as ‘Seagull’) circa 1935.  It is not known who designed the boat-shaped building but it was built by Mark Amy Limited. Cox travelled all over the world and acquired many antiques and curios – some of which were used to furnish the Barge Aground. He returned to England just before the German Occupation.

    Barge Aground was requisitioned by the German occupying forces in 1941 and used as a canteen by Machine Gun Battalion 16. The building was painted with camouflage with much of the contents looted and shipped to Germany. After the war, Lionel Cox returned to the Barge Aground and the building was restored as a beach chalet.

    George Lionel Cox left the property to The Scout Association in his will on part of three becquets of land on 12th September 1955. It was then leased to Mr William Chalmers Kerr until 1971. Mr Kerr was a research psychologist from Glasgow University who specialised in speech disorders. He used the barge as his clinic with patients visiting from around the world.

    The site was used in the 1970s and 1980s by the Scouting Association as a base for camping activities – mainly as additional sleeping accommodation when the Island played host to large scout camps in the summer. The walled garden was used as a safe area for the younger cub scouts to set up their tents. The building was also used to entertain visiting guests such as the Chief Scout Sir William Gladstone in 1978.

    The Scout Association sold the property to the Public of the Island on 21st March 1997, although it continued to use the site until 2001.

    Renovation

    The shore line of St Ouen’s Bay was once dotted with similar chalets with Barge Aground now being the only one remaining. From a beach home, to a canteen for German soldiers during the occupation, a speech therapy clinic, scout accommodation and then a concert venue, Barge Aground has had a colourful history with groups adding their own touches to the interior and exterior of the property, with the building painted in a camouflage pattern during the Second World War.

    Following the purchase of Barge Aground in 1997, work began to restore the property in 2005 as part of the Forts and Towers programme.

    To read more about Barge Aground, please see our conservation statement.

      Property FAQ

      How many does this property sleep? Barge Aground sleeps up to six people in two, twin bunk rooms and one double sofa bed in the living room. Please see the floor plan for further information.

      How do I collect the keys? Upon confirmation of your booking you will be sent a unique key code which opens the secure key box on site.

      Does the property have parking? Yes, there is parking for up to four cars outside of Barge Aground and a large public car park a 5 minute walk away.

      Can I hire the property for one night? The minimum number of nights available for all of our properties (except for guided experience properties) is two nights. Please refer to the pricing section to see the number of nights available for each season.

      What are the bathroom facilities? There is a shower room with one toilet.

      What heating does the property have? Barge Aground has underfloor heating in the kitchen and bathroom, with electric radiators in the lounge and bedrooms.

      Does the property have a washing machine or dishwasher? Barge Aground has a dishwasher, but no washing machine.

      Are dogs allowed to stay in the property? Yes, up to two dogs are allowed to stay at the property with an additional cost of £10 per dog.

      Is there an outside area? Barge Aground has a paved patio area with fantastic views overlooking St Ouen’s Bay. The property also has direct access to the beach and is located within Jersey’s only national park, so you will never be short on outdoor space!

      Visiting Jersey

      How do I get to Jersey? Jersey is within easy reach of the UK and Europe by air and by sea. During the summer Jersey is served by over 40 departure points across the British Isles, including both scheduled and charter flights. From London airports there are up to 12 flights a day to the Island, with journey times of less than one hour. If you wish to bring your car to the Island, fast ferry services leave from the south coast of England and northern France from St Malo.

      Can I hire a car in Jersey? There are several companies you can hire a car from on the island, either before hand or on arrival. We can recommend Avis for car hire. You will get the best rates by going on their website www.avisjersey.co.uk

      Is it easy to travel around Jersey? The Island is nine miles long by five miles wide and is easy to navigate by car or bike. There is also a good public bus system which operates throughout the year.

      Can I hire a bike in Jersey? Jersey is great location for cycling with dedicated cycle tracks winding through the island, green lanes and open coast roads.

      What currency is accepted in Jersey? Both Jersey and Bank of England notes are legal tender in Jersey and circulate together, alongside the Guernsey pound and Scottish banknotes. Some retailers also accept Euros.

      Booking & Payment

      Can I pay a deposit? For our self-catering properties, if you are booking more than two months in advance of your stay we require a 50% deposit at the time of booking with the remainder due two months before your stay. If you are booking within two months of your stay then the full amount is due upon booking. For our coastal tower properties, the full amount is due upon booking and a refundable £200 cash deposit is due on collection of the keys.

      How can I pay? We accept Maestro (if issued in the UK), Visa, MasterCard and direct bank transfers.

      How do I pick up the key? For our self-catering properties keys are located in a secure key box at the property, for which you will be given a unique code to access. For coastal tower bookings, keys are collected from Jersey Museum, St Helier on the presentation of £200 cash deposit.

      How can I cancel or change my booking? If you wish to cancel or change your booking, please contact our Jersey Heritage Lets team. Please note our cancellation policy detailed on your terms and conditions.

      What time can I check-in and check-out? The earliest time you can check-in is 3.00pm with a check-out time of 10.00am for self-catering properties.

      How far in advance do I need to book? We always recommend to book as far in advance as possible as some of our properties are very popular, especially in the summer months, however we often have availability at short notice. We often require at least two week’s notice for a booking but please contact our Jersey Heritage Lets team to enquire.

      Do you have to be a Jersey Heritage member to book a property? No, our properties are available to everyone; however Jersey Heritage members receive special discounts and promotions. To find out more, please go to our Jersey Heritage members’ page.

      What happens if I can’t get to Jersey due to bad weather or I am delayed?  If for any reason you cannot travel to Jersey or your booking dates are affected by weather then please call the Jersey Heritage Lets Team as soon as possible. We do not operate a cancellation insurance policy and you will be responsible for any travel and accommodation costs incurred by you in relation to the booking. Please refer to our cancellation policy in our terms and conditions.

      What should you bring?

      With any self-catering property there are the basics you need to bring with you. Whilst we provide tea, coffee, sugar, soap, a small cleaning pack, logs for fires, bed linen, hairdryers, bathroom towels and kitchen cooking essentials there are a few recommendations for what to bring with you to make the most out of your stay.

      Beach bag – filled with everything you will need to make the most of Jersey’s beautiful beaches, including beach towels.

      Water sports – Jersey is well known as a water-sports paradise, so make sure you bring any surf boards, body boards and wetsuits.

      Binoculars – from the dolphin pods on the east coast to the world-renowned bird watching at La Mare au Seigneur in St Ouen’s Bay, and the views from the top of Radio Tower at Corbiere across to the iconic lighthouse, a pair of binoculars means you will never miss a thing!

      Wellington boots – Jersey is full of spectacular walks through fields and wooded valleys.

      Walking boots – With fifty miles of coastal cliff paths, and another fifty of green lanes walking boots are a must for the intrepid explorer, especially if you’re staying at Fort Leicester or La Crête Fort.

      A good book – essential for any holiday, but there is nothing better than a wood burning stove or fire tucked up with a good book and a cup of tea.

      DVD’s and board games – for those family nights in you may want to bring a DVD with you if you’re staying at one of our self-catering properties or a good old fashioned board game to enjoy.

      Torches – although most of our properties have electrical lighting and torches, we do recommend bringing your own.

      Water – Due to their historical nature or coastal location, some of our properties do not have access to running water or are on a bore-hole system. You will be advised on booking if we recommend bringing water with you or buying it locally. Please note bore-hole water is suitable for cooking and bathing.

      Terms & Conditions

      Click here to download our Terms & Conditions.

      Click here to read our data protection policy.

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