 | | One of the defences built onto granite |
Mont Orgueil
When King Philippe Augustus invaded Normandy in the 13th century, King John of England ordered that money was raised to defend the islands. The castle was built at Mont Orgueil because of the prime position of the site. Sea and cliffs protected the castle on three sides. Also,the granite that the castle was built on meant that it was virtually impossible to undermine. New Weaponry  | | The lower level of Mont Orgueil |
By the 16th century, Mont Orgueil was out of date. New weapons were introduced, meaning that Mont Orgueil was now susceptible to attack from ship-mounted guns. A new castle needed to be built that was out of the range of new weapons like cannons and gunpowder. Elizabeth Castle Work began on Elizabeth Castle during the 1550's, when a gun platform was built on the highest part of the islet. 40 years later, Queen Elizabeth sent her military engineer over to construct a new castle. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries the castle developed and grew in size. By the 1640's the castle had been extended twice.  | | Elizabeth Castle |
Decommissioned Mont Orgueil remained the island's secondary defence until 1907, when it was given to the people of Jersey as an historic monument. Elizabeth Castle was bought by the States of Jersey in 1923, also for use as an historic monument. They have both continued in this capacity, except for a few years during the occupation when the Germans refortified both castles.
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