After months of preparation, planning and rehearsals the main celebration of 450 years since the signing of the Charter that declared Sark to be a Fief to the Crown took place yesterday. A large crowd gathered in the sunshine on the lawn at Le Manoir, the home of Sark’s first Seigneur, Helier de Carteret, who came from St Ouen in Jersey. Our current Seigneur, Michael Beaumont, read a statement reaffirming the island’s loyalty to Queen Elizabeth II and John de Carteret, a descendant of Le Cercle de Carteret, then presented him with a beautifully carved shield. Also present were the Lieutenant Governors and Bailiffs of both Guernsey and Jersey. This was followed by a charming pageant performed by pupils of Sark School and written by Class Three telling the story of Sark’s medieval history. It began with the Flemish pirate Adrian Cole ridding the island of French invaders then attempting to sell Sark to Queen Mary. She found out that she already owned the island so refused his offer. Next came Helier de Carteret, Seigneur of St Ouen, who drew up plans to permanently settle the island with forty families. The ruler by this time was Queen Elizabeth who approved Helier’s plan and on 6thAugust 1565 signed the Charter that made him the island’s first Seigneur and Sark a Fief to the Crown. During the performance a fabulous patchwork and embroidery map of Sark made by all the children in Sark School was unveiled. The celebrations continued into the evening with a picnic on the headland above Derrible to officially open Sark Henge, a circle of nine Jersey granite standing stones. Much to the delight of those watching, a group of dolphins appeared just offshore; the perfect end to a wonderful day of celebrations.

Words and photographs by Sue Daly. Images clockwise from top left show …

The crowd at Le Manoir

Michael Beaumont, helped by his son, reads the loyal declaration

Queen Mary & her courtiers

Queen Elizabeth signs the Charter

The cast of the pageant

Rosie Guille with her Sark Henge Jersey wonder specially baked for the occasion

The picnic to open Sark Henge

Sark School children’s map

Helier & his wife set sail for London

The Lieutenant Governors & Bailiffs of Jersey & Guernsey with Sark officials & the shield gifted by John de Carteret, a descendant of Le Cercle de Carteret