Mounts Bay Cornwall
by Terri Waters
Title
Mounts Bay Cornwall
Artist
Terri Waters
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
Mounts Bay, with Penzance at its centre, has recently been described as one of the 'Most Beautiful Bays in the World'. The great sweep of land surrounding this expanse of the sea - the first safe haven for sailors coming in from the Atlantic Ocean - runs from the Lizard Point to Lands End and includes both the resort town of Penzance and the smaller communities of Marazion, Newlyn and Mousehole with the dramatic sight of St. Michael's Mount dominating the view of the bay from almost any vantage point.
St Michael's Mount is located some 3 miles east of Penzance and is one of the treasures of Cornwall. Set on an island a few hundred yards off-shore from the ancient town of Marazion and in the heart of Mounts Bay, the castle - now maintained by the National Trust - has for centuries been the home of the St Aubyn family. Originally, the building was a Benedictine Priory which had religious links with the equally famous Mont St Michel in Normandy, France.
Subsequently, it became a fortified castle which saw action during the English Civil War and today still has a battery of cannon.
The island served as a major port in earlier times and is thought to be the island of Ictis which was the centre for the export of Cornish tin and copper to the Greeks and Romans in pre-historic times. Today, the Island and Castle are open to the public every weekday and most weekends during the summer and on a limited basis during the winter.
Uploaded
January 30th, 2014
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