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NOTES ON ST. MICHAEL'S MOUNT. 

 By Thurstan C. Petkr. 



It is a strange fact, but a true one, that St. Michael's Mount 

 has received very little notice from this society. There have been 

 from time to time papers on its geology, and Sir Edward Smirke 

 some years ago printed in our Journal a very interesting copy of 

 an ancient "Extent" relating to it. But for the most part the 

 history of the Mount has been neglected by us. I purpose to-day 

 attempting, to some small extent, to remedy this omission, by 

 saying a few words touching its history as a religious establish- 

 ment, leaving its better known history as a fortress to be dealt 

 with by someone else. My paper has Kttle in it that is new, and 

 I have not by any means exhausted all the material even in such 

 books as Oliver's Monasticon. In dealing with this beautiful 

 great rock which forms a place of pilgrimage for so many of us, 

 the temptation to speak of its natural beauty, and to discuss 

 its remarkable geological features is very strong. Almost 

 irresistible, too, is the temptation to tell of the fights and 

 adventures of which it has been the scene. These were told 

 quite recently in a very graphic and interesting manner by 

 Major St. Aubyn in the Pall Mall Magazine, and cannot be 

 dealt with by me to-day. Nor can I stay to discuss that endless 

 source of difference — was this the ICTIS of the ancients? 

 Most answer this question in the affirmative in spite (as it 

 seems to me) of tremendous evidence to the contrary. 



The greatest temptation, however, is the folk-lore with which 

 the place abounds. Here is the very well*' by the side of which 

 "Jack the valiant Cornishman did slay the giant Cormoran"; 

 here too are the 'Giants' graves' which cover the victims of Jack's 

 valoTir ; and on the beach at the foot of the hill is the " Chapel 

 Rock " whereon once stood an oratory of which Leland speaks as 

 "a little chapel yn the sande nere by the towne toward the 

 Mount," and where (on what authority I know not) many of our 



* A fragment of brick wall just opposite the well is worth notice. It is 

 apparently Tudor, 



