Island 237 - Elizabeth Castle, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands

Elizabeth Castle is located on a tidal island, formerly known as L'Islet in St Aubin's Bay adjacent to the town of St Helier.  The island can be accessed across a concrete causeway nearly a mile long from the beach at the eastern end of St Aubin's Bay for several hours either side of low tide.  The castle is maintained and run by Jersey Heritage and there is an admission charge.

An abbey dedicated to St Helier was founded on the island in 1155 but was soon downgraded to the status of a priory with about 6 monks.  It was abandoned before the 16th century.

By the late 16th century Mont Orgueil Castle at Gorey was no longer sufficient to guard Jersey from attack.  Queen Elizabeth I ordered the construction of Elizabeth Castle.  It was built in 1594 by Paul Ivy.  In 1600 Sir Walter Ralegh was appointed governor of Jersey.

During the English Civil War the island was besieged by parliamentarians for 50 days in 1651.  The royalists under governor Philip Carteret were forced to surrender after a mortar attack, during which the abbey church was destroyed.

King Charles II visited Elizabeth Castle twice - once as Prince of Wales in 1645 for 10 weeks with 300 of his servants.  His second visit was in 1649 after the execution of his father King Charles I when he came with the future James II.  He stayed for 6 months and then travelled on to exile in France in February 1650.  James stayed on for another 6 months and was made governor.

The castle was remodelled several times during the 17th century and again in the 1730s and 1740s by John Henry Bastide, a military engineer.  At this time the last remains of the abbey were removed.

In 1806 Fort Regent was built on the hill above St Helier and Elizabeth Castle was no longer the Jersey's principal defence.  The barracks were overcrowded and squalid until the mid 19th century when conditions were improved.

In 1923 the British Army sold Elizabeth Castle to the States of Jersey for £1,500.

During the Second World War 100 Germans lived in Elizabeth Castle.  Construction work on their bunkers was carried out by forced workers from Russia and other countries.

Barracks, Elizabeth Castle - view from the top of Elizabeth Castle

Site of the former abbey

 - destroyed by a mortar during the English Civil War

I'm not sure of the purpose of this building!

DUKW amphibious ferry used to transport visitors at all states of the tide

There are 2 of them named Charming Betty and Charming Nancy

West coast of Elizabeth Castle



Elizabeth Castle

Elizabeth from the parade ground of the barracks.

Elizabeth Castle
 

Harbour at Elizabeth Castle