Minquiers

The Minquiers (Les Minquiers; in Jèrriais: Les Mîntchièrs ; known as "the Minkies" in local English) are a group of islands and rocks, about south of Jersey. They form part of the Bailiwick of Jersey. They are administratively part of the Parish of Grouville, and of its Vingtaine La Rocque. The rock shelf around the Minquiers has a larger surface area than Jersey itself, but at high tide only a few of the main heads remain above water. The largest of these is Maîtresse, which is about long and wide and has about ten stone cottages in various states of repair. These are the most southerly buildings in the British Isles; but they have no permanent inhabitants; though fishermen, vraic (seaweed used for fertilizer) collectors, yachtsmen, kayakers, and even radio amateurs make summer landfall. The etymology of the name is disputed, and could either come from the Breton language minihi meaning a sanctuary, or from minkier meaning a seller of fish. Thousands of years ago, around the time of the last glacial period, when sea level was lower, the Channel Islands were high ground on the plain connecting the European Continent and southern England. The most significant islands in the group are: Maîtresse Île / Maîtr' Île Les Maisons Others include: Le Niêsant Les Faucheurs La Haute Grune The Minquiers are designated protected under the Ramsar convention. In 933 AD, the Duchy of Normandy annexed the islets, along with the other Channel Islands and the Cotentin Peninsula. After William, Duke of Normandy conquered England in 1066, the islands remained united to the Duchy until Philip Augustus conquered mainland Normandy in 1204. In 1259 Henry III did homage to the French king for the Channel Islands. Edward III, in the 1360 Treaty of Brétigny, waived his claims to the crown of France and to Normandy, but reserved various other territories to England, including the Channel Islands. By 1911, the 1911 Britannica recorded that Maîtresse Île "affords a landing and shelter for fishermen.