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	Town Church Church Street JE2 3NN St Helier Jersey
Denomination:	Anglican
Congregation:	St Helier Parish Church (Diocese of Salisbury, Archdeaconry of the Channel Islands, Deanery of Jersey)
Geogr. Coordinates:	49.18343° N, 2.10668° W
Reference year:	1341
Description:	Two-aisled Gothic parish church for St Helier, one of the twelve “Ancient Parish Churches” of Jersey
Name derivation:	From St Helier (or Helerius)


Organ	Built in 1926 by Jardine and Co., Manchester, restored and extended 1962 by John Compton Organ Co., addition of a positive organ by William Hill and Son together with Norman and Beard Ltd., restorations in 1985 and 2014; 2,063 pipes, three manuals
Windows	Twin window showing the annunciation (Henry Bosdet, 1898), in memory of John Le Masurier Window showing St Helier {Frederick Sands, 2012)

History:

Early 11th cent.:	First written record in a tithe document signed by Duke William II of Normandy, supposedly pre-1066, because William refers to himself as duke and not as king
Late 13th cent.:	Extension of the church approximately to its current size (remains on the north and east walls)
1341:	Second dedication for unknown reasons
Mid- 15th cent.:	Construction of the crossing, large parts of the nave, and of the porch in front of the north portal
About 1820:	Construction of the south transept, the vestry and a westward extension of the nave (today’s narthex)
1952:	Redesign of the South Chapel in memory of Matthew le Marinel, rector of St Helier and dean of Jersey during the German occupation (1940–45)
2007:	Start of a comprehensive restoration and reordering of the church
26/09/2014:	Inauguration concert after completion of the organ restoration

Important persons:

Artist:	Bosdet, Henry Thomas (1856–1934, born and died in Jersey, sculptor, illustrator, painter and designer, best known for the stained glass windows he created for churches on the British Isles)
Patron:	Helerius, Helier (* Tongeren, † 555 Jersey, also Elier, Helier, Herlier, Helibert; hermit, missionary and martyr, patron of the island of Jersey)

Sources

Smith, Aidan: The Glass Rainbow. Henry Thomas Bosdet 1856-1934, Treasures of Jersey

Wikipedia: Parish Church of St Helier, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parish_Church_of_St_Helier, retrieved 30/12/2024