So what's so special about this island?

[charlie_cochrane]

I was walking last evening, near where we're renting a house on Jersey. We were struck by the sheer volume of fortifications in the area.



From right to left, a 13th century castle, a WWII gun emplacement and a Napoleonic War Martello Tower (turn the other way and you'll see five more Martellos within a couple of miles). Such a stunning amount of investment of effort for defending an island a few miles wide...

Comments

[crawling-angel.livejournal.com]

Of course, my tired eyes read fornications there, lol.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Are you perchance related to my middle daughter? *g*

[crawling-angel.livejournal.com]

Mummy! *clings*

[essayel.livejournal.com]

Fantastic, isn't it! There are so many places like that in the UK. Even where I work is a medieval castle incorporating a Norman motte, on the site of a Roman fort in the shadow of several Celtic hill forts. No Martello towers though we had Napoleonic War French POW officers held in the town.

So many STORIES!!! so little concentration!

[essayel.livejournal.com]

Oh and Rudolf Hess! Mustn't forget him.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

That's what I love - the whole landscape speaks history. So much inspiration. No time to write anything down!

[mzcalypso.livejournal.com]

But the island itself defends the mainland, right? So if there are fornications on both, it makes that much more trouble for an approaching enemy... and picturesque sites for tourists, later.

Looks like you're having gorgeous weather. We've gone from a clammy 15 degrees last night to a swampy 30 today (88% humidity!) massive thunderstorms, and another bunch of them on the way.

Picking up any good tidbits for future stories?

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

I think the key isn't in defending the mainland (it's a British island close to France so it's always defending itself) but in the fact that the islands can give command of a wide sector of the sea (they're in a sort of corner the Cherbourg peninsula makes).

Last two days have been gorgeous (sunburn despite copious creaming up) today drizzly on and off - been to a military band concert in the park in the rain. Dead British.

No inspiration yet but I suspect it's gestating...

[mzcalypso.livejournal.com]

I wasn't sure if it had always been British, but that makes sense.

Orlando and Jonty join St. Pepper's LHC Band...

[shezzawatto.livejournal.com]

I read St. as "saint". Oh dear.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

They won't be joining the Sergeant or the Saint at the rate I'm going. Having too much fun to write...