Le Hocq Tower | Jersey Heritage
One of Jersey’s unique coastal defence towers
Opening times
The Tower is owned by the Parish of St Clement and is leased by Jersey Heritage, and the open days are run by the Jersey Tourist Guide Association.
The tower is open the first Sunday of the month from 10am to 4pm from May until September.
Open on 12 April 10am to 4pm
Pricing
Entry to the tower is free of charge, donations are welcomed.
Location
Address
La Grande Route de la Côte, Jersey JE2 6LF
Parking
There is public parking available at St Clement Parish Hall
Parking in Jersey
For guidance read
this
Bus route
What3words location finder
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Facilities
Dogs
No dogs allowed, except Guide Dogs. Read our policy
here
Roof access
There is no access to the roof of the tower
Le Hocq Tower is a great example of Jersey’s unique form of coastal defence tower, developed by Sir Henry Seymour Conway in the late 18th century. Whilst the exact date of construction is unknown, we do know that the tower was built by the time of the Battle of Jersey in January 1781, because the French invading force, led by De Rullecourt, turned inland at Pontac to avoid passing Le Hocq on their way to St Helier.
Inside, the tower is divided into four floors. Stores and 20 barrels of gunpowder were kept on the ground floor in a brick-lined magazine with a vaulted ceiling. The upper two floors served as the living quarters for one sergeant and 12 men from the militia. And a fireplace was built into the wall for cooking and heating.
On the roof was an 18-pounder carronade cannon. Four machicolation openings sticking out from the top of the tower allowed marksmen to fire down onto people trying to shelter at its base. Next to the tower was a small paved area with a low wall behind which were three more cannons.
Inside the tower, there is a small exhibition about its history and a number of the floors are accessible by a steep staircase.  There is no public access to the roof of the tower.  Jersey Heritage looks after Le Hocq Tower on behalf of the Parish of St Clement.
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Research
Historic Environment Record
Research the Conway Towers on the Historic Environment Record (HER) Database.
The HER is an extensive online resource and research tool about the heritage of Jersey showcasing the Island’s rich diversity of archaeological sites, finds, historic buildings and landscapes.
Start your research