St. Michael's Mount Castle, Cornwall: Island Fortress
St. Michael's Mount Castle in Cornwall has a rich history dating back to the 12th century.
It is located on a tidal island called St. Michael's Mount, which is situated in Mount's Bay, near the town of Marazion.
St. Michael's Mount stands as one of the 43 unbridged tidal islands accessible by foot from mainland Britain.
To get there, you need to hop on a boat – or walk across the causeway during low tide – to a community where modern life meets over a thousand years of history.
Notably, a portion of the island earned recognition in 1995 as a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to its remarkable geological features.
The castle was originally built as a monastery by Benedictine monks in the 12th century, with construction beginning around the year 1135.
Over time, it evolved from a religious site into a fortified castle.
The castle underwent various modifications and expansions throughout the centuries, reflecting the changing needs and styles of its occupants.
During the medieval period, St. Michael's Mount Castle served as a strategic stronghold and was used for defence against invaders.
It changed hands several times between the English and the French during the Hundred Years' War.
Sir Henry de la Pomeroy captured the Mount in 1193, on behalf of Prince John, in the reign of King Richard, the leader of the previous occupants having 'died of fright' upon learning rumours of Richard's release from captivity.
The monastic buildings were built during the 12th century.
Various sources state that the earthquake of 1275 destroyed the original Priory Church, although this may be a misunderstanding of the term "St Michael's on the Mount" which referred to the church of St Michael atop Glastonbury Tor.
Syon Abbey, a monastery of the Bridgettine Order, acquired the Mount in 1424.
Some 20 years later, the Mount was granted by Henry VI to King's College, Cambridge on its foundation.
However, when Edward IV took the throne during the Wars of the Roses the Mount was returned to the Syon Abbey in 1462.
In the 15th century, the castle came into the possession of the St. Aubyn family, who transformed it into a noble residence.
They continued to expand and enhance the castle, adding features such as the chapel and the iconic granite causeway that connects the island to the mainland.
Little is known about the village before the beginning of the 18th century, save that there were a few fishermen's cottages and monastic cottages.
After improvements to the harbour in 1727, St Michael's Mount became a flourishing seaport.
In 1755, the Lisbon earthquake caused a tsunami to strike the Cornish coast over 1,000 miles away.
The sea rose six feet in 10 minutes at St Michael's Mount, ebbed at the same rate, and continued to rise and fall for five hours.
The 19th century French writer Arnold Boscowitz claimed that "great loss of life and property occurred upon the coasts of Cornwall."
By 1811, there were 53 houses and four streets. The pier was extended in 1821 and the population peaked in the same year, when the island had 221 people.
There were three schools, a Wesleyan chapel, and three public houses, mostly used by visiting sailors.
Following major improvements to nearby Penzance harbour, and the extension of the railway to Penzance in 1852, the village went into decline, and many of the houses and other buildings were demolished.
The Mount was fortified in World War II, during the invasion crisis of 1940–41 - three pillboxes can be seen to this day.
After the war, the decommissioned battleship HMS Warspite was beached near the mount, and was scrapped in place after attempts to refloat the wreck failed.
Sixty-five years after the Second World War, it was suggested based on interviews with contemporaries that the former Nazi Foreign Minister and one-time ambassador to London, Joachim von Ribbentrop, had intended to live at the mount after the planned German conquest.
Archived documents revealed that during his time in Britain in the 1930s, when he had proposed an alliance with Nazi Germany, von Ribbentrop frequently visited Cornwall.
Jack the Giant Killer
Open your eyes and ears to the stories that rise on the tide: from the Archangel Michael to Jack the Giant Killer.
The Cornish legend of Jack the Giant Killer is one the islanders know well.
A gruesome beast who terrorised the land, Cormoran the giant made the Mount his home, stealing cattle when his tummy began to rumble.
Only Jack, a young lad from Marazion – the town peering back at the Mount from the mainland – was brave enough to rid the town of its curse.
It’s said that one moonlit night, he made his way across the cobbled causeway to lay a trap, before luring the monster out with a blast on his horn.
What happened next takes a climb to the castle to discover. Will you be as bold as Jack and venture up the Mount to find the giant’s stone heart?
Today, St. Michael's Mount Castle is managed by the National Trust and remains a popular tourist attraction, welcoming visitors to explore its historic rooms, gardens, and panoramic views of the surrounding coastline.
Someone who recently visited the castle said: “We took the boat over and the view was so beautiful. It looks daunting, but it's not a bad climb.
“Wear sturdy shoes! It only takes about 10 ot 15 minutes to get up to the house. I had read a review that said it took 30 minutes to climb, but I can't imagine how.
”The view when you get to the top is a fabulous reward. It's amazing that the family still lives here. The tide report said we wouldn't be able to walk back across the causeway, but the tide went out & we got to walk.
”A very cool experience.”
Tickets can be purchased in advance via the National Trust website.
You can also explore the sub-tropical terraced garden and enjoy breath taking views of Mount’s Bay.
If you’d like to visit, the address is: Harbour View, Marazion TR17 0HS.
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