Cock & Bottle Steeped in History

Just like St. Helier itself, the Cock & Bottle has undergone many changes in its lifetime. Not a great deal is known about the origins of the pub but it was certainly a tavern at the time of the Battle of Jersey, in January 1781.

In its earliest days it could almost claim to be a "beachside bar" as the sea used to lap up to the dunes on the southern side of the Town Church. The name Cock & Bottle comes from a description of how you could get your ale - either from the tap (Cock) or out of the bottle.

Although many people associate the Royal Square with The Peirson, named after the eponymous hero who gave his life at the Battle of Jersey, the Cock & Bottle is almost certainly older as a pub as, at the time of the battle between Baron De Rullecourt's invading French troops and Major Peirson's defending British, the Peirson was actually a doctor's house.

One legend of the pub is that, as the gunsmoke drifted away and Major Peirson lay dying, one punter emerged from the Cock & Bottle with a pitchfork and, incensed that his Island should be invaded, threatened to jab any Frenchman he found trying to escape or desert. Perhaps slightly more macabre is the story that the dead and the dying were carried to the basement of the Cock & Bottle to remove them from the field of battle.

There's nothing dead about the Cock & Bottle these days - with its cosy, historic interior and large sunny al-fresco area serving food and drinks all day and into the evening - it is always a-buzz with lively conversation and laughter.

The Royal Square itself has also changed. Formerly the market square or Le Vier Marchi, it was renamed when the statue of King George II was erected, in 1751, by Islanders grateful for a £200 gift from the King to build a new harbour. It’s said to this day that if you stand on the plinth you cannot be arrested for any crime and it's also the site of one of Jersey's most ancient traditions - the raising of the Clameur d'Haro, a right claimed by Islanders who believe a neighbour is doing them wrong. Perhaps a better solution would be to settle their differences over a quiet drink.

In its time the pub has been known as the Central (sandwiched between the Peirson and the former Chamber of Commerce building that was once a hotel), the Cosy Corner and finally reverting to the Cock & Bottle. Present owners Liberation Group decided to restore the name to reflect the pub's history and, of course, the fact that you can still get their range of award-winning ales on tap, or from a bottle!

Ironically, Liberation Group, which also owns the Peirson, has its headquarters in the building next door, meaning the company "occupies" the northern end of the Square, something the French never quite managed.