Sark and 1,000 Years of Norman History

MILLENIUM 2027 is the European Year of the Normans. The programme marks 1,000 years since the birth of William the Conqueror.

Historical sources give William’s birth year as 1027 or 1028; the official 2027 programme uses 1027. Sark’s own institutional history begins much later, in 1565.

Sark’s settlement in 1565

In 1565, Elizabeth I granted Sark to Helier de Carteret. The settlement organised the island into forty tenements. A later charter in 1611 formalised rights and obligations that influenced Sark for centuries.

For a wider account of the island’s past, see A Very Short History of Sark.

The Clameur de Haro

The Clameur de Haro is a remedy from Norman law that remains available in Sark.

Traditionally, the person invoking it kneels, recites the Lord’s Prayer in French and calls:

“Haro! Haro! Haro! A l’aide, mon Prince, on me fait tort!”

Sercquiais

Sercquiais, also called Sarkese, is Sark’s Norman language.

Modern documentation work has been carried out with the island’s last native speakers. Linguist Martin Neudorfl’s project records more than 700 authentic Sarkese place names gathered from speakers, semi-speakers, local fishermen and archival research. Free beginner Sarkese classes also run weekly online.

The language has its own article in the Journal: Sarkese, the Language of Sark.

The Norman leopards on Sark’s flag

Sark’s flag was designed in 1938 for Dame Sibyl Hathaway. Its red canton carries two gold leopards associated with Normandy.

The design dates from the twentieth century. Its Norman reference draws on a much older inheritance without suggesting that Sark’s institutions have stood unchanged for a thousand years.

Sark in the 2027 programme

The official programme includes Sark events of its own, including Île d’Argent.

See retreats on Sark for the current Sark Soul Island Retreats week. The Getting to Sark guide covers the journey to the island.