Abreuvoir near La Prevoté Watch Tower, St Pierre du Bois,
Guernsey
Abreuvoirs are places for cattle to drink. They are a
characteristic and attractive feature of the Guernsey landscape.
Over 140 granite ones were built between about 1870 and 1920,
though a few may be much older. Those
built by the parish often display the names of the Constables and
some of the Douzeniers (the elected officials of the parish).
Stone signpost to
abreuvoir at La Villiaze, St Andrew's
Abreuvoir on Les Clos au Comte Rd,
Castel
Two of the abreuvoirs which are on streams at parish boundaries
are particularly grand.
Abreuvoir in front
and lavoir behind on the St Peter Port-St Martin's parish boundary
near Les Hubits
Disused abreuvoir where four parishes meet in
Les Baissieres
Most are much simpler.
Abreuvoir at Rue
des Valniquets, Torteval
Abreuvoir at Rue des Vallées,
Castel
Abreuvoir at Les Vaurioufs, St
Martin's
Abreuvoirs are built where there is a spring or a stream near to
a road. When an abreuvoir is built on a stream it is often formed
from a stone trough along the bed of a stream, as at Les Vaurioufs
and Les Naftiaux.
Abreuvoir near Les Naftiaux on the stream
that runs from St Martin's through the Talbot Valley to Vazon
bay
When the abreuvoir is at a spring or a small stream there is
usually a stone or concrete trough to collect the water, as in the
abreuvoir at La Prevoté at the top of this page.
Abreuvoir at Rue des Bergers,
Castel
Abreuvoir at a spring in Saints Valley, St
Martin's
Abreuvoir at a spring at Les Becquets, St
Martin's
Most abreuvoirs are in the South of the island, perhaps because
here it is hillier and the streams and springs are more reliable.
This area was also more dependent on dairy farming rather than
horticulture which was concentrated in the North of the island, and
so the demand for water for cows was greater. Nowadays all the
farms have piped water so public abreuvoirs are little used.
Distribution of abreuvoirs and streams in
Guernsey
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C.T. David: email
cdavid@guernsey.net