‘Hidden’ shrine opens today

FORT HOMMET’S hidden gem, The Shrine Of the Sacred Heart, is to reopen for the season this weekend.

The Shrine of The Sacred Heart at Fort Hommet has had work done to it while closed over the winter and opens today. Pictured, left to right, are, Andy Le Galloudec, the nephew of Bert, who built the shrine, Ian Blanchard, has been involved in the restoration project since the 1970s, and Andy Walker, of Festung Guernsey, which helps out manning the shrine on open days. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 21040097)

The shrine, built of shells and hidden in a German searchlight bunker on the headland, is celebrating its 10th year since a team of volunteers restored the shrine to how it looked in the 1960s, using only memory, pencil markings and old pictures to do so.

The shrine was the creation of Hubert Le Galloudec, who gained permission from the States in 1960 to clear out the bunker and start his seashell creation, as a memorial to the slave workers who died during the Occupation.

Vandalism led to the shrine being closed by the States in the mid 1960s, and Mr Le Galloudec was not able to finish his creation.

Ian Blanchard, of The Shrine Committee, said the rare attraction had something to offer any visitor.

‘Being a bunker it offers military history,’ he said ‘But it also offers a place of peace out of a place of war.

‘We had a visitor from Germany, who was actually stationed here during the Occupation, and they couldn’t believe it.’

An ever-evolving project, the team has added a heart shaped centrepiece to the floor cross, with help from someone who had an original photograph.

The restoration team is asking for anyone who has any details of how the shrine looked before it fell into decay to get in touch.

The shrine will open today, from 2 until 4pm, and will continue to open at various times until October.

It will also be part of the Guernsey Heritage Festival, Occupation Liberation, which runs until 10 May.