Ville-ès-Nouaux is a Neolithic archaeological site located in the parish of Saint Helier on the island of Jersey, in the Channel Islands. The site comprises two principal monuments: a gallery tomb (also referred to as a gallery grave or allée couverte) and a dolmen (cist-in-circle) surrounded by a stone circle.
Location and Setting
The site is situated in St Andrew's Park, along La Route de St Aubin, in the First Tower area of Saint Helier. Its coordinates are approximately 49°11′47″N 2°7′50″W.
The Gallery Tomb
The gallery tomb is a rectangular chamber oriented with its entrance facing south, measuring approximately 5.8 meters in length. It is one of only two surviving gallery graves in Jersey, the other being at La Couperon in Saint Martin. The monument dates from the late Neolithic period, with estimates ranging from approximately 3250 to 2250 BC.
The long chamber was discovered in 1869 by quarrymen seeking stone. By the time the Société Jersiaise became aware of the site, two of the capstones had already been broken up. Excavations revealed seven remaining capstones and two parallel rows of upright stones. Further excavation in 1883 uncovered the eastern end of the chamber and a row of curb stones to the north.
Archaeological findings within the gallery tomb included at least sixteen ceramic vessels, comprising nine Beaker-type pots (protected by stone slabs) and six Jersey bowls, along with an archer's wrist guard. The lower level of the chamber was paved with sea pebbles and contained few associated finds, while the upper level, also paved, contained the majority of the artifacts.
The Dolmen and Stone Circle
Adjacent to the gallery tomb stands a cist-in-circle monument dating from the Late Neolithic/Chalcolithic period (approximately 2850–2250 BC). The stone circle measures approximately 6.4 × 5.8 meters and encloses a small chamber measuring 1.2 × 1 meter, with a height of only about 30 cm. The chamber is covered by a stone slab supported by four load-bearing boulders. The circle, originally covered by a clay mound, is approximately 6 meters in diameter with dry stone rubble filling the spaces between the upright stones. At the center, five stones formed a capstoned cist. Excavations in 1883 found only a few flint chips, ashes, and earth within the dolmen.
Later Use
The site was subsequently used as a Bronze Age cemetery, where at least fourteen urns containing cremated human remains were buried in the vicinity of the tombs. These burials are characteristic of the late Bronze Age or early Iron Age.
Significance
Ville-ès-Nouaux is considered one of Jersey's most important Neolithic ritual sites. The presence of Beaker pottery and Jersey bowls indicates connections with broader Neolithic and Chalcolithic cultural networks across the Channel Islands and northwestern Europe. The site is a scheduled monument and is accessible to the public within St Andrew's Park.
