Savor the sights and scents of regency Jersey and meet the resident cook in this St. Helier stalwart that served as a gentleman’s club and YMCA hangout.
The Georgian House is a restored 18th-century building whose nostalgic displays reveal its diverse historic roles. Also known by its address, 16 New Street, the structure and its interior décor remain firmly planted in the era of smoking pipes, afternoon tea and gentlemen’s clubs. Immerse yourself in a delight for the senses in regency Jersey.
The house was initially built in typical Georgian design by the wealthy Durell family in the 1730s. Learn how it was converted, as fashions changed over the following century, into the regency style it exudes today. The Journeaux family who moved in replaced the windows and truncated the roof, among other renovations.
Admire the building’s rectangular, stone façade, with its majestic brown portal and symmetrical window layout. A black, pointed railing encloses a front garden with colorful floral displays.
The house’s interior is filled with period décor, evoking island life in the 18th and 19th centuries. Chat with the resident cook, dressed in old-fashioned attire, about her traditional recipes and culinary tips.
Learn the history of the building, which spent time as a rental property before becoming the Liberty Gentlemen’s Club and, later, the Jersey Young Men’s Christian Association.
Step inside the museum shop and peruse the selection of items produced in Jersey. You’ll find books, textiles and crafts as well as food here. Check for occasional events taking place in the house. These have included the performance of a walkabout show about Jane Austen.
There is a fee for admission to the house. Kids enter for half price. The site is open Wednesday through Friday from morning until late afternoon. It is closed in winter.
The Georgian House is a 10-minute walk north from the marina in the commercial core of St. Helier.
Explore the surrounding area to find St. Helier’s Town Hall, the Fort Regent and the Jersey Museum & Art Gallery.
