St Catherine's Island
| St Catherine's Island | |
 St Catherine's Island, Tenby. Taken from Castle Hill. | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Location: | 51°40’14"N, 4°41’32"W |
| Grid reference: | SN139003 |
| Data | |
| Website: | saintcatherinesisland.co.uk |
St Catherine's Island is a small tidal island linked to Tenby in Pembrokeshire, by Castle beach at low tide. The island, which is known colloquially as St Catherine's Rock, is the location of St Catherine's Fort.[1]
History
During the reign of Elizabeth I, the Earl of Pembroke (“Jasper”, the uncle of Henry VII) was the owner of St Catherine’s Island. Later, the ownership passed to the Corporation of Tenby, which took possession of a number of crown lands.[2] It is recorded in 1856 that a few sheep inhabited the island. An observer described them as “half wild sure footed creatures that run, turn and look, run again and leap from crag to crag almost with the agility of the Alpine Chamois”.[3]
For many centuries a tiny church was the only building on the Island. The remains of the church were demolished when St Catherine's Fort was constructed in 1867. It served as a zoo for a number of years.[4]
In April 2014 the island was opened to the public for the first time since 1979. The fort is currently running tours in which people are able to explore it.[5]
Geography
Formed from an outcrop of limestone, on average 80 ft high, the island is riddled with tidal caves. The island is approximately 650 ft long and 200 ft wide.[5]
The area below the high waterline at St Catherine's Island is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The stretch directly in front of the island is known as the Catterns.[6]
Gallery
A cave at the island; 1823
A view from the park just before sunset
Taken from the ferry to Caldey Island
From the headland in Tenby
St Catherine's Island with promenade, Tenby, Pembrokeshire
References
- ↑ Phillips, Alan (26 September 2013). Castles and Fortifications of Wales. Amberley Publishing Limited. p. 95. ISBN 978-1-4456-2484-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=kEeIAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT95.
- ↑ "Tenby's landmark St Catherine's Island to reopen as a tourist attraction". Wales Online. 27 May 2015. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/tenbys-landmark-st-catherines-island-9339294. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
- ↑ Gosse, Philip Henry (1856). Tenby: A Sea-side Holiday. John Van Voorst. p. 14. https://books.google.com/books?id=jwg5AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA14.
- ↑ Breverton, Terry (28 February 2013). The Welsh: The Biography. Amberley Publishing Limited. p. 553. ISBN 978-1-4456-1572-1. https://books.google.com/books?id=Cm6oAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT553.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "St Catherine's Island and Fort". BBC. 6 June 2014. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/wales/entries/325bc4a5-aea6-3b8d-ba95-b07c03575f92. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
- ↑ "St Catherine's Island and Fort". BBC. 6 June 2004. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/wales/entries/325bc4a5-aea6-3b8d-ba95-b07c03575f92. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about St Catherine's Island) |
