The Monastery of St Michael's Mount

This is one of the most distinctive and spectacular spots in Cornwall. The mount is only actually an island at high tide, but is joined to the mainland by a sandy causeway at low tide. A Celtic monastery existed on the Mount between the 8th and 11th centuries.

Then in 1050 Edward the Confessor granted the land to the Norman Benedictine Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel. However it was not until 1135- c.1150 that a Benedictine Monastery was built here. It started off with only 12 monks.

The Benedictine community here survived until 1425 when it was suppressed by Henry VI and given to a Brigittine community of nuns. After the 16th century reformation the land and property was looked after by a succession of governors on behalf of the King.