St Brelade is unique among the 12 parish churches in being removed from the centre of population, on the edge of St Brelade's Bay. The Town Church in St Helier used also to be on the coast, albeit in the centre of the town, but land reclamation has left it far from the shore.
Long ago residents of the area now called Les Quennevais wanted a church near their homes. The only problem was that the area designated for the church was said to be the fairies' special place. Nevertheless, the workmen dug the church foundations, and laid stones and tools ready for the next day's work. But when they arrived, their stones and tools had been moved - they were found a mile away, on the beach!
Deciding that it wasn't the best place for a church, the workmen moved all the stones and tools back to the original site. But the next morning, everything had been moved down to the beach again - and that's where you'll find St Brelade's Church today.
