Brecqhou

Template: Infobox Island / Maintenance / height missing

Brecqhou (Eng also Brechou, Frz Brecqhou - Brekka from Old Norse, steep slopes and holm, island) is one of the small Channel Islands. It is located immediately west of Sark and belongs politically to this island, which in turn is a part of the Bailiwick (English bailiwick ) Guernsey. The Channel Islands are not part of the United Kingdom nor crown colonies, but as Kronbesitzungen (English crown dependencies: bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey ) directly under the British Crown.

In the feudal system Sark Brecqhou has under the name La Moinerie de skin the status of a quarantine Tenements, and is therefore one of the parcels of land whose owners must possess a firearm, to meet the Dating back to the 16th century edition of the feudal lord ( seigneur ) of Sark to keep manned by at least 40 armed men the island. Of particular importance, until recently, this status was the fact that he was connected until 2008 with a seat in Parliament island. Rights, duties and name of the Tenements La Moinerie de skin are originally connected with a self Sark Located on a plot of land, located since 1835 in the possession of the Lords; as the Dame of Sark Brecqhou sold in 1929, she transferred here the legal status of this Tenements to the island.

The island was originally part of the fief Vinchelez to Jersey from 1363 to 1681 and came into the possession of La Marchant family from Guernsey. It was therefore also called ' Ile des Marchands '. Later it was acquired by the Seigneurs of Sark, which they sold in 1929 again. From 1966 to October 6, 1987, the island was owned by Leonard Joseph Matchan, who bought the island for 44,000 pounds. Since 1993, the island is one of the twin brothers David and Frederick Barclay, co-owner of newspapers Daily Telegraph and The Scotsman, which they have transformed into a large park and since 1996 the dominant image of the island, a Gothic castle have replicated mansion. For a long time the island was hermetically sealed and accessible only by guests and staff of Barclays; strictly regulated tourist visit is possible since 2012.

The owners of the island deny their status as part of Sark and try to solve politically from the neighboring island. They are of the view Brecqhou not come within the field Sark, since it was not mentioned in the deed, the 1565 -founded this feud, just as in other related documents on Sark. The island was indeed later - no earlier than 1681 - also come into the possession of the Lords, but was sold again in 1929 - this was the retention of the privileges of the Lords was invalid, Brecqhou was indeed never been a part of the fief. Among the mentioned privileges traditionally heard that the Seigneur agree to a sale of the island and has to get one-thirteenth of the sale price (which was now replaced by a basic sales tax ); last but not least the legislative competence of the Parliament Island Chief Pleas. The former owner Matcham had already issued its own stamps in 1969, the Barclay brothers do this every year since 1999.

Since the thesis of the Barclays merely relies on the absence of any mention in documents of the 16th and 17th centuries, the island from the Seigneur of Sark is still considered part of its territory. In addition to a court case (1996-2000) established in 2006 a " Brecqhou Liaison Sub-Committee " should help Sark in Parliament to clarify the facts.

View of Sark from, in the background Herm

Flag of Brecqhou

Simulated manor of Barclays, a castle