St Catherine's Island facts for kids
St Catherine's Island, Tenby. Taken from Castle Hill.
|
|
 St Catherine's Island
Location in Pembrokeshire
|
|
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Tenby |
| Coordinates | 51°40′14″N 4°41′32″W / 51.67056°N 4.69222°W |
| Length | 0.2 km (0.12 mi) |
| Width | 0.06 km (0.037 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 34 m (112 ft) |
| Administration | |
|
Wales
|
|
| County | Pembrokeshire |
St Catherine's Island (in Welsh: Ynys Catrin) is a small island near Tenby in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is a tidal island, which means you can walk to it from Castle beach when the tide is low. When the tide comes in, the island is surrounded by water. People often call it St Catherine's Rock. The island is famous for St Catherine's Fort, which stands on top of it.
Contents
History of St Catherine's Island
For a long time, St Catherine's Island belonged to the Earl of Pembroke. One famous owner was Jasper Tudor, who was the uncle of King Henry VII. The island stayed in his family until the time of Queen Elizabeth I. After that, the town of Tenby took over owning the island.
Early Buildings on the Island
For many centuries, the only building on the island was a tiny church. But in 1867, workers started building St Catherine's Fort. They had to remove the old church to make space for the new fort.
Animals and Visitors to the Island
In 1856, people noted that a few sheep lived on the island. These sheep were described as very wild and good at climbing. They could leap from rock to rock almost like mountain goats!
A family has owned the island since 1962. For a while, from 1968 to 1979, the island was even a zoo! In April 2014, St Catherine's Island opened to the public for visits and tours. It closed for a short time in 2016 but has been open for visitors since April 2017.
St Catherine's Island in TV Shows
In 2016, the island was used as a filming location for a popular TV show. It appeared in "The Final Problem", which was the last episode of the fourth series of the BBC TV show Sherlock. The island was made to look like a high-security prison in the episode.
Geography of St Catherine's Island
St Catherine's Island is made from a type of rock called limestone. It stands about 25 meters (82 feet) high. The island has many caves that fill with water when the tide comes in. The island is about 200 meters (656 feet) long and 60 meters (197 feet) wide.
The area around the island, especially the parts underwater at high tide, is a special protected area. It is called a Site of Special Scientific Interest. This means it is important for its natural features and wildlife. The part of the sea right in front of the island is known as the Catterns.
Images for kids
-
An island cave (around 1823)
-
View from the park
-
Viewed from the headland
-
The Promenade and St Catherine's Island
