Statue of The Toad
Charing Cross, St Helier, Jersey, JE2 3RP, Channel Islands.
Rating: 4.7 ★ (7 ratings)
Details
The Statue of The Toad, or Le Crapaud, is a well-known sculpture located in St Helier, Jersey. Created by artist Gordon Young in 2004, the bronze toad sits atop a nine-foot granite column. The term "crapaud," meaning toad in French and Jèrriais (the traditional language of Jersey), has historically been used by residents of other Channel Islands, particularly Guernsey, as a nickname for Jersey residents. This is because Jersey is the only Channel Island with a native toad population.
Rather than being an insult, the people of Jersey have embraced the "crapaud" moniker with a sense of ironic pride, and the toad has become a symbol for the island's residents. The sculpture itself was erected to celebrate 800 years of Jersey's special relationship with the English Crown. The column features inscriptions from the 1771 Code of Laws for the island of Jersey. The statue is a popular landmark and a must-see for visitors, often becoming a spot for photos.
Location
Opening Hours
Access at all times.
Contact
Jersey Public Sculpture Trust (Owner/Custodian). For 'Made in Jersey' (prints of the statue): [email protected], 07797 761299.
Rather than croak about their nickname, the people of Jersey take a certain ironic pride in their “crapaud” status, to the extent that the warty toad has been adopted as a symbol for the island’s residents. So proud are the Jersey people of their moniker that the capital of Saint Helier has boasted a public sculpture of the hoary creature since 2004. The work of artist Gordon Young, the crapaud squats proudly atop his nine-foot column in an area previously known for its marshland toads.
But the amicable amphibious association hasn’t always been friendly. According to an island legend, when Saint Samson of Dol arrived on Jersey, he found the people so unwelcoming that he sent all the toads and snakes from nearby Guernsey to their land. Jersey is the only island in the English Channel that has a population of native toads.