St Ives; The Island

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; The Castle

In the civil parish of St Ives. In the historic county of Cornwall (Modern Authority of Cornwall, 1974 county of Cornwall).

Leland mentions blockhouse, on east side of peninsula, now vanished. Probably built in 1490, demolished around 1866. Saunders mentions an earthwork bulwark with granite revetment built across the neck of the Island in 1590's. This would seem to be a rebuilding of C15 blockhouse. Higham writes the defensive rampart across the neck was probably built before 1500 and considers this a town defence. However, as most of the town would not be within this rampart I think it was an outwork to the blockhouse, although clearly the town's people could have taken refuge behind such a rampart. Duffy writes there were two blockhouses.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SW521409

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 425195
Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record. In particular 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website, or elsewhere.

• Books
  • Duffy, Michael, 1999, 'Coastal Defences and Garrisons 1480-1914' in Kain, R. and Ravenhill, W., Historical Atlas of South-West England (University of Exeter Press) p158-60
    Higham, Robert A., 1999, 'Castles, Fortified Houses and Fortified Towns in the Middle Ages' in Kain, R. and Ravenhill, W., Historical Atlas of South-West England (University of Exeter Press) p136-43
    Salter, Mike, 1999, The Castles of Devon and Cornwall (Malvern) p47 [slight]
    Saunders, Andrew, 1997, Channel Defences (London; Batsford/English Heritage) p79, 81, 91, 117
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p77
    Sheppard, Peter, 1980, The historic towns of Cornwall: an archaeological survey (Truro) p8
    Henderson, Charles (edited by Rowse, A.L. and Henderson, M.I.), 1963 [original written 1935], Essays in Cornish history (Clarendon Press) p81 [plan]
    Matthews, John Hobson, 1884, A guide to St. Ives and its surroundings—scenery curiosities antiquities history and traditions (James Wearne, St. Ives) http://west-penwith.org.uk/ivesm3.htm#island
• Journal Articles
  • Preston-Jones, Ann and Rose, Peter, 1986, 'Medieval Cornwall' Cornish Archaeology Vol25 p135-185 http://www.cornisharchaeology.org.uk/documents/CA25-5s2.pdf
    Kenyon, J.R., 1981 'Early Artillery Fortifications in England and Wales: a Preliminary Survey and Re-appraisal' The Archaeological Journal Vol138 p219
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p70
    Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1910, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (Bell and Sons; London) Vol1 p192 http://www.archive.org/details/itineraryofjohnl01lelauoft