The £250,000 needed for ‘The Fiefs and Seigneurs of Jersey: History and Significance’ project was successfully raised through private individuals, with support from Jersey Heritage, the Société Jersiaise and the Government of Jersey. The latter has given a grant from funding to celebrate ‘Millenium 2027, European Year of the Normans’, which will mark the 1,000th anniversary of William the Conqueror’s birth.

A two-year contract for the project has been signed with Swansea University and a team led by Daniel Power, Professor of Medieval History at the University, will begin delving into the history of the Island’s fiefs and seigneurs. The aim is to present a summary of the research at a seminar in Jersey in 2027, followed by a definitive publication on this aspect of Jersey’s story at a later date.

John de Veulle, former Chair of Jersey Heritage, is one of the people driving forward the project. He said: “Our thanks go to everyone who is contributing to and supporting this major research project into an important aspect of Jersey’s history. The Island’s feudal system dates back hundreds of years and still has an impact on Jersey today. It has not yet been thoroughly studied and it will be fascinating to see what the new research uncovers.”

The feudal system in Jersey revolved around a hierarchical system between the Crown, landowners and tenants. Seigneurial rights from which financial advantage was accrued were abolished in the Island in 1966 but the obligations, customs and language attached to various titles are still in existence. Properties described as ‘manors’ are a familiar part of Jersey’s landscape and seigneurs of landholdings known as fiefs attend the annual hearing before the Royal Court known as Assise d’Heritage. The Island’s seigneurs paid homage to King Charles during a special Royal Court sitting held last year during the Monarch’s Royal Visit to Jersey.

The new research project will focus on the function, nature and characteristics of fiefs and fief-holders during the Middle Ages (from the 11th century onwards, when Jersey formed part of the Duchy of Normandy) and early modern period up to the English Civil War (1642-1660).

Professor Power said: “‘The history of law and landholding in Jersey and the other Channel Islands provides a fascinating link between the medieval and early modern past and today. The islands were culturally Norman yet separated politically from mainland Normandy from 1204 onwards, a context that allowed their institutions and legal culture to evolve in a unique way. Rich archival evidence offers huge potential for research into Jersey’s system of fiefs and seigneurs. The generosity of Jersey donors is making possible this new research and is providing a valuable opportunity to place the history of Jersey within its broader Anglo-French and European context.”

A postdoctoral researcher is scheduled to work on the project between April 2026 and March 2028. The post is currently being advertised and the closing date for applications is 25 November 2025. For further details, go to www.swansea.ac.uk/jobs-at-swansea/current-vacancies and click on ‘postdoctoral research fellow in history’.