Visiting Elizabeth Castle: Jersey's Island Fortress

Elizabeth Castle is in St Aubin's Bay, just off the coast of St Helier on the island of Jersey. This historic fortress has been watching over the island for more than four centuries, and getting there is part of the adventure. You can risk the winding causeway at low tide or take a ride on one of the amphibious castle ferries.

I first explored the history of Elizabeth Castle when researching my book, Raleigh Tudor Adventurer. Walter Raleigh was appointed Governor of Jersey in 1600, and with typical flattery named the castle after the queen, calling it 'Fort Isabelle Bellissima' (Elizabeth the Most Beautiful).

Elizabeth Castle is a collection of fortifications with a rich history and hidden corners spread across a rocky tidal islet. Every section has its own story.

Sir Anthony Paulet, who handed over 

governorship to Raleigh in 1600

The castle was built in the late sixteenth century after the invention of gunpowder made Jersey's older fortress, Mont Orgueil, less effective as a defensive stronghold. The new castle was designed to protect the island and its harbour, and over the centuries served as a military base, a prison and a refuge during times of conflict.

Most people remember Walter Raleigh as the adventurer who searched for the mythical city of El Dorado, but few know he served as Governor of Jersey between 1600 and 1603.

Sir Walter recognised the strategic importance of Jersey and took a genuine interest in strengthening the island's defences. During his time as Governor, he inspected the fortifications and encouraged improvements to the castle's military capabilities. 

His influence can still be felt today.  As well as establishing hte lucrative Newfoundland fishing industry with a Jersey fishng fleet, he formalised the Jersey land register. This remains the basis of Jersey's property conveyancing system and is one of the oldest land registries in Europe. 

Standing on the ramparts and looking across St Aubin's Bay, it's easy to imagine Walter Raleigh considering how best to defend this small but important outpost of the English Crown. He is also credited with saving Mont Orgueil Castle from destruction when others suggested it be dismantled to provide materials for Elizabeth Castle.

Another of  Elizabeth Castle's significant events came several decades later during the English Civil War. While England was torn apart by fighting between Parliament and the Royalists, Jersey remained loyal to the Crown  - and Elizabeth Castle became one of the last Royalist strongholds.

In 1646, a young Prince Charles arrived in Jersey after his father, King Charles I, suffered a series of military defeats. At just sixteen years old, the future Charles II found himself living in exile. For several months, Elizabeth Castle became his home and a place of relative safety while events unfolded across the Channel.

It's strange to think that the man who would eventually reclaim the English throne once walked these same stone paths, looking out across the sea and wondering what the future held. Life in exile could not have been easy, but Jersey's loyalty provided an important sanctuary during one of the darkest periods in Royal history.

Visitors can still see the room in the Governor's House, which overlooks the castle's Parade Ground, and is traditionally associated with Charles II's stay. While it has naturally been restored over the centuries, standing inside offers a tangible connection with those turbulent years. 

Eventually, after years in exile across Europe, Charles II returned to England in 1660 as part of the Restoration, reclaiming the throne and ending the republican Commonwealth. Jersey's support was remembered, and the island retained a reputation for loyalty to the monarchy.

Elizabeth Castle is one of those rare places where the setting is every bit as memorable as the history. You arrive expecting an old fortress, but you leave having walked through centuries of stories involving explorers, kings, sieges and survival.

Whether you're interested in Sir Walter Raleigh's efforts to strengthen the island's defences or the remarkable tale of a teenage prince finding refuge before becoming Charles II, the castle brings history to life in a way that few attractions manage.

If Jersey is on your travel list, make sure Elizabeth Castle is too. It isn't just somewhere to tick off an itinerary. It's a place where every stone seems to have a story, and where the island's remarkable past is never far from view.

Tony Riches

Discover the real story of adventurer, courtier, explorer and poet, Sir Walter Raleigh, who has been called the last true Elizabethan: https://mybook.to/Raleigh