Philip De Carteret, 5th of St Ouen

Philip De Carteret, Seigneur of St Ouen, was born circa 1402, son of Philip.

During the Wars of the Roses, Queen Margaret, the wife of Henry VI, made an agreement with Pierre de Brézé, Comte de Maulevrier, the seneschal of Normandy, to raise an army, in aid of the Lancastrian cause, to capture Jersey and in the process to provide a refuge if it should be needed in the event of Yorkist success. The reward for de Brézé would be the Lordship of the Channel Islands.

At the time the Constable of Gorey Castle – which in the late 15th century became known as Mont Orgueil – was a Cornishman devoted to the Lancastrian cause. It is suggested that he may have co-operated with de Brézé in hatching a plot to give up the castle without a fight. In any event, in the summer of 1461 Jean de Carbonnel seized the old fortress without a fight.

For seven years afterwards men loyal to de Brézé and France held the castle and, in theory, the rest of the Island. In practice, life changed very little, the Bailiff remaining in office and the Royal Court continuing to sit. That said, there was dissension in the west, where Philippe de Carteret of St Ouen’s Manor deeply resented the presence of the French force.

In 1467 the situation in England had changed dramatically. York and the White Rose were in the ascendancy, Edward IV was on the throne, his rival, Henry VI, was in the Tower, and his wife, Marguerite, was an exile in France. Pierre de Brézé, meanwhile, had been killed in battle and Carbonnel had fallen from favour in his native country.

Philippe de Carteret saw that the French position had weakened and began to oppose them actively.

The French soldiers in turn were keen to capture de Carteret, and – so legend has it – found an opportunity one day when he went fishing at St Ouen’s Pond. They crept along to capture him, but Sir Philip saw them, and leapt on his black horse. He raced towards his manor, but the soldiers cut him off and he was forced to head for Le Val de la Charrière, where his route was blocked by a sunken road 18 feet (5.5 m) deep and 22 feet (6.7 m) wide. Spurring on his mount, his horse jumped the gulf and galloped on towards the Manor. It is said that once he reached home, and was safe, his faithful horse collapsed and died.

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Wikipedia