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For many travellers to Guernsey, Castle Cornet will be first to greet them. A massive structure luring tourists through its gates. With an 800-year history; many of the islands most historical moments, Castle Cornet is a must-see. It offers food and drink and a display of cannon fire at high noon by gunners dressed in period uniform. You can’t visit Guernsey and not say hello to Castle Cornet.
Filmed: Summer 2022
Music: Solas Composer - • A Lowly Tarnished
Entry: Paid
---- Short History ----
- In 1066, when William Duke of Normandy became William I, King of England, the Channel Islands became possessions of the English Crown.
- In 1204, King John lost control of Normandy but the islands remained part of England.
- Following the loss of the Duchy of Normandy the tidal island was first fortified in the 13th century, between 1206 and 1256. This was to protect against the French.
- Timber and lead was sent from England to build the castle.
- At this time it consisted of a keep, a chapel, two courtyards and curtain walls.
- In 1338, the French captured the island and took Castle Cornet. They massacred the garrison stationed there.
- In 1340, the island was recaptured by the English but the castle was recaptured in 1345.
- The French had improved the defences of the castle.
- In 1358, the French captured the castle again, but only for a year. An island traitor was executed.
- In 1372, Owain Lawgoch a claimant to the Welsh throne, leading a free company on behalf of France, attacked Guernsey in an assault popularly called "La Descente des Aragousais". He never managed to capture the castle as it was too well defended.
- But the French would capture it again in 1380 for a short time before being evicted again.
- The maintenance and garrison were paid for from revenues raised in the island by the Warden (Keeper of the Castle) under royal warrant.
- In the 16th century, with the advent of cannons, the castle was remodelled.
- In 1547, after the French captured Sark, they attacked Guernsey and the castle again, but were met with heavy cannon fire from the castle.
- In 1627, King Charles I granted additional rights to Guernsey in order to reduce the runnings costs of the castle by the Crown.
- During the English Civil Wars (1642-1651) the castle was Royalist, whilst the island was Parliamentarian.
- The castle fired an estimated 10,000 cannon balls into the town of St Peter Port. The Royal Court had to relocate to Elizabeth College as many buildings in the town had been destroyed.
- The commissioners of the island were captured and imprisoned in the castle. But they made a rope out of flex and managed to escape Carey Tower and return to the island.
- Jersey was Royalist and in 1651 fell to Parliamentarian forces. Whilst there, Nicholas Robert of Guernsey managed to recover the Crown of England, that belonged to Charles I, and deliver it to the Governor of Castle Cornet.
- In 1651, two years after the execution of King Charles I, Castle Cornet surrendered, the last Royalist stronghold to do so. The Royal Crown was returned to London.
- After the war the castle served as a prison for parliamentary leader Major-General John Lambert. A garden within the castle bears his name.
- It also served as official resident of the Governor of Guernsey until 1672. But in that year, a bolt of lightning struck the magazine of the castle and destroyed the Great Hall, Chapel and some living courters. Many were killed, including the governor's wife and mother. Soon after, the governor's residence was moved to the island and the tower was never rebuilt.
- By 1800, the castle was considered inadequate as a garrison and Fort George replaced Castle Cornet as the main barracks for the island.
- During the Napoleonic Wars, the castle was upgraded. It also ceased to be the only prison on the island after a prison at St James Street was built in 1811.
- The castle also became integrated into the breakwater from the island.
- During WWII a small German garrison occupied the castle. They added concrete modifications to it.
- After the war it ceased to be a prison for the first time in its history.
- In 1947, the Crown gave the castle to Guernsey as a token of loyalty during both World Wars.
#Castle #Guernsey #Cornet
---- Further Reading ----
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_...
- www.museums.gov.gg/castlehistory
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28 сен 2022
