‘The more you see, the richer the history here’ is
THE ‘next big thing’ in history has been in Guernsey, and making the most of the island’s rich past in a bid to encourage a younger generation of visitors.
Author and broadcaster Alice Loxton is best-known on social media, where she goes by the name of History Alice.
VisitGuernsey hopes that potential visitors’ interest in Guernsey will be encouraged by a series of films about the island’s history on social media, which will be seen by Ms Loxton’s army of followers, who number more than 2m.
It was well-known historian Dan Snow who described Ms Loxton as the ‘next big thing in history’.
She was invited to the island to help promote local historic landmarks as VisitGuernsey embarked on a heritage campaign in the run-up to the 80th anniversary of the Liberation from German Occupation, which the island will celebrate next year.
‘This was to encourage people to visit and help spread the word about Liberation Day and the upcoming D-Day commemorations,’ she said.
‘They have taken me to all the best sites and put me in touch with everyone I needed to speak to. I have to say, everyone has been absolutely delightful.’
Her four-day trip to the island included a busy programme of visits to loophole towers, Second World War bunkers, the German Underground Hospital and a tour of the Old Government House Hotel.
‘I also got to join the Liberation Day cavalcade as one of the passengers on the twinkle bus from 1954. That was a historic experience in its own right,’ she said.
Other highlights of her visit included seeing the oldest post box in the British Isles and bridging the gap between the Town Church and the Albion House, with a hand on each for an iconic photograph.
But she was in no doubt about the highlight of the trip.
‘I really liked Victor Hugo’s House. I thought that was really special.
‘I have been to his house in Paris, which is also just as strange and beautiful, but the gardens here I thought were amazing and so peaceful.’
Ms Loxton also visited the Little Chapel, the Mirus Battery and enjoyed a boat trip off the island’s coast.
‘The more you see, the richer you realise the history here is,’ she said.
Films from her trip will be popping up on social media over the next few weeks.
‘Everywhere from Instagram and Tik-Tok to X and threads. Just search for History Alice,’ she said.
