Saumarez Park Entrance

My blip today is of one of the pillars at the entrance to Saumarez park. It has on it three owls which are the crest for the Le Marchant family. The Le Marchants are an ancient Guernsey family, descended from Peter Le Marchant, who served as Lieutenant-Governor of Guernsey in the 13th century. The house in Saumarez park was built in 1721 for the Le Marchant's. The property passed to the de Saumarez family when Admiral James de Saumarez married Martha Le Marchant. The de Saumarez family expanded the estate right down to the coat at Grandes Rocques. The house and park were aquired by the States of Guernsey from the de Saumarez family in 1938.