A lifetime of Islands: Island 94

Wednesday, 4 May 2011

Island 94 - Lihou, Guernsey

Lihou is a tidal island situated off the north west coast of Guernsey. It is linked to L'Erée at low spring tides by a 570 metre long causeway, which is partially covered in slippery seaweed. The island is a haven for birds. No dogs (except assistance dogs) are permitted on the island or the causeway to protect the wildlife. There are no public toilets on the island.

Lihou, L'Erée headland, the shingle bank Les Anguillieres and a marine coastal zone around them, were designated a Ramsar (wetlands of international importance) site in 2006.

The remains of the 12th century Benedictine Priory of Notre Dame de Lihou can be seen on Lihou. It was a dative priory, which meant that dues were collected for its mother house - Mont St Michel in Normandy. The church was decorated with carved limestone from Caen in Normandy. It also had green and yellow floor tiles and painted window glass .

The priory only ever housed a couple of monks and their servants. By the mid-14th century they lived in a two storey house located adjacent to the church. The house had plastered walls, leaded windows with painted glass and a large fireplace.

The priory buildings were extended in the 14th and 15th centuries and there was a dovecote, to provide pigeon meat for the monks. In 1302 John de L'Espine, who was one of the monks, was murdered by Thomas Le Roer, who was the servant of Prior Nicholas Baddes. Thomas Le Roer was caught and executed.

The priory was deserted after the Reformation and was destroyed in 1759 to prevent the French from occupying the island during the Napoleonic Wars.

Lihou then changed hands many times. The island was purchased by the States of Guernsey in 1995 to secure permanent access to it for residents and visitors to Guernsey.

The only dwelling on the island is Lihou House, which was built in the 1960s on the site of an early-19th century farmhouse. The farmhouse had been destroyed during the Second World War when the occupying Germans used it for target practice. Lihou House later became derelict. It was restored by the Lihou Charitable Trust in 2005. It sleeps 30 people in 9 bedrooms and can be rented out by groups of people.