St. Michael's Mount - Castle on a Tidal Island

Article By: Dan Hill

4 years ago

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St. Michael's Mount - Castle on a Tidal Island

St. Michael's mount is a tidal island located just off the coast of the town of Marazion, in west Cornwall. When the tide is out, a stone walkway allows visitors to walk across the beach to the island. When the tide is in, an amphibious vehicle drives across the beach, and boats across to the island. The mount was the site of a monastery between the 8th and 11th centuries. If you've ever seen Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, France, you might do a double take, because St. Michael's Mount is its Cornish twin, and both sites were run by the Benedictine order of Mont Saint-Michel. That was, until the war-in-France and in 1424, St. Michael's Mount was then gifted to the the Abbess and Convent of Syon at Isleworth, Middlesex. Arriving at the 57 acre mount, you encounter a harbour and a small village with a cafe and a few small shops. The village itself was damaged back in 1755 when the Lisbon Earthquake caused a tsunami and a sudden rise of 2 metres in sea level. By the 19th century, a total of 53 houses were present in the village. In 1954, the Aubyn family gave a large portion of the Mount to The National Trust, and entrance is therefore free for members. Once inside the "paid for" area, you gain access to The Gardens and The Castle. The Castle is divided into a private residence of the St. Aubyn family (whose ancestors have dwelled here since 1650) and a 15th century chapel, set of rooms, stairwells and terraces to publicly explore. There are suits of armour, weapons of old, paintings and stories to explore, set in a "living museum" type arrangement. To reach the castle, you need to walk up a cobbled and windy path, which is steep in some places. There are some magnificent views from the top of the castle across to the mainland. The gardens are set around the base of the mount and are immaculately tendered - and well worth a visit. A family of 2 adults and up to 3 children costs 21 GBP. Children under 5 have free entrance. Photo Credits: Benjamin Elliot on unsplash.com Dan Hill