It is situated on a cliffside at the end of a steep path leading from farmland in La Route des Côtes du Nord, Trinity. Access from the land to the fort is via a high wooden bridge. Although the former guardhouse and adjacent stores are undercover and weatherproof, substantial areas of the site are exposed to the elements.
L’Etacquerel was built in the mid 18th century to defend the eastern flank of Bouley Bay. Recently renovated as part of a Jersey government funded project to open historic buildings for public uses, the fort’s isolated location on the Island’s north coast makes it an ideal location for a family barbecue or picnic, a corporate function or as a base for youth organisations, leisure pursuits and activities such as kayaking or walking. It is perfectly situated for exploring Jersey’s northeast tip and countryside, and is within comfortable off-road walking distance of Bouley Bay and Rozel Harbour.
The fort did not operate in isolation, but was an addition to the defences of the harbour to reinforce the firepower of Fort Leicester across the bay. That former fortification is available as self-catering accommodation, also as part of the Forts and Towers project. Both installations were upgraded over the years in response to threats of French invasion.
As the French threat gradually receded, the British government eventually abandoned fortifications like L’Etacquerel and Fort Leicester, leaving them in the hands of the States of Jersey. Ordnance Survey maps of 1935, 1981 and 2003 show L’Etacquerel as a disused site, although the States carried out £90,000 of repairs in the early 1990s.
The property is now operated as basic ‘stone tent’ accommodation, the buildings are unfurnished and the property is not connected to utility services. There is, however, a composting toilet, well water (not fit for human consumption) and a fixed barbeque. The guardhouse is fitted with a
fireplace and logs are provided. Disposable barbeques and open fires are
not permitted anywhere else in the site due to L’Etacquerel’s location in an expanse of unmanaged natural vegetation, and to protect the vegetation within the fort which provides an important habitat for the creatures who live there.
