Caldey Island
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Caldey Island ( Welsh:''Ynys BÅ·r'') is a small island near
Tenby Tenby () is a seaside town and community (Wales), community in the county of Pembrokeshire, Wales. It lies within Carmarthen Bay. Notable features include of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th-century Tenby Town Walls, me ...
,
Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and otherwise by the sea. Haverfordwest is the largest town and ...
,
Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
, less than off the coast. With a
recorded history Recorded history or written history describes the historical events that have been recorded in a written form or other documented communication which are subsequently evaluated by historians using the historical method. For broader world h ...
going back over 1,500 years, it is one of the holy islands of Britain. A number of traditions inherited from
Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foot ...
times are observed by the Cistercian monks of Caldey Abbey, the owners of the island. The island's population consists of about 40 permanent residents and a varying number of Cistercian monks, known as
Trappists The Trappists, officially known as the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (, abbreviated as OCSO) and originally named the Order of Reformed Cistercians of Our Lady of La Trappe, are a Religious order (Catholic), Catholic religious o ...
. The monks' predecessors migrated there from Belgium in the early 20th century, taking over from Anglican Benedictines who had bought the island in 1906 and built the extant monastery and abbey but later got into financial difficulties. Today, the monks of Caldey Abbey rely on tourism and making perfumes and chocolate. The usual access to the island is by boat from
Tenby Harbour Tenby Harbour is a naturally sheltered and improved harbour for the town of Tenby in Pembrokeshire on the south coast of Wales. It lies within Carmarthen Bay and faces both the Atlantic Ocean and the Irish Sea. Boats sail from there to the offs ...
, to the north. In the spring and summer, visitors are ferried to Caldey, not only to visit the sacred sanctuary but also to view the island's rich wildlife. Following a rat eradication programme, red squirrels were introduced in 2016. Alongside rare breed sheep and cattle, the island has a diverse bird and plant life.


Name origins

The island was named ''Ynys BÅ·r'' after Saint Pyr, the sixth century saint, and Pyr is named as abbot of the monastery around the year 500 in the ''Life of St Samson''. This Welsh name has remained in use since medieval times, but the
Old Welsh Old Welsh () is the stage of the Welsh language from about 800 AD until the early 12th century when it developed into Middle Welsh.Koch, p. 1757. The preceding period, from the time Welsh became distinct from Common Brittonic around 550, ha ...
name of the island before St Pyr's day is unknown. Like those of many Welsh islands, Caldey's English name (sometimes spelled ''Caldy'') derives from the
Vikings Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9â ...
. ''Kald ey'' translates as "cold island", with the name appearing as 'Caldea' in the early 12th century, and Kaldey or Caldey by 1291.


History


Pre-history

Three caves have been discovered on the island and excavated to unearth archaeological finds: Nanna's Cave, Potter's Cave (1950) and Ogof-yr-Ychen ("Ox cave", 1970). In Nanna's Cave, human bones and shells were first found in 1911 and excavations continued in three more stages until the 1970s. Potter's Cave was found in 1950 by a monk named James Van Nedervelde, and excavations, which continued until 1970, initially revealed
stalagmite A stalagmite (, ; ; ) is a type of rock formation that rises from the floor of a cave due to the accumulation of material deposited on the floor from ceiling drippings. Stalagmites are typically composed of calcium carbonate, but may consist ...
s in which tools and animals were embedded. After removal of these finds, three human skeletons were found and carbon dated: two were dated to the
Middle Stone Age The Middle Stone Age (or MSA) was a period of African prehistory between the Early Stone Age and the Late Stone Age. It is generally considered to have begun around 280,000 years ago and ended around 50–25,000 years ago. The beginnings of ...
and one to the Romano–British period. Also found were a few artefacts from the late
Upper Paleolithic The Upper Paleolithic (or Upper Palaeolithic) is the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age. Very broadly, it dates to between 50,000 and 12,000 years ago (the beginning of the Holocene), according to some theories ...
period. In Ogof–yr-Ychen, the bones of humans whose burials date between 7590 BC and 5710 BC were found. Stable isotope ratio tests revealed that they lived on marine food. A very few earlier neolithic bowls and shells have also been found in the caves. All the finds were carbon dated and have been preserved in the Abbey of Caldey Island or in Tenby Museum and Art Gallery.


Recorded history

A Celtic monastery was first established on the island in the sixth century, and the island thrived during the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
. Following the Norman Conquest, Robert fitz Martin, Lord of Cemais, gave the island to his mother Geva. In the 12th century, Caldey Priory (now a Grade I
listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...
) was established by Tironensian monks as a daughter house of St. Dogmaels Abbey, and lasted to the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536. The north side of Caldey Island is made up of grey
limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...
, a desirable building material. The 19th century seems to have been the height of limestone quarrying on the island; some of the limestone was taken to the Annery kiln in the district of
Torridge Torridge may refer to: * Torridge District Torridge is a Non-metropolitan district, local government district in north-west Devon, England. Its council is based in the town of Bideford. The district also includes the towns of Great Torringt ...
in north Devon for processing. The current abbey was built in 1910 by Anglican Benedictine monks but financial problems beginning in 1925 led to the 1929 purchase of the property by Belgian
Cistercians The Cistercians (), officially the Order of Cistercians (, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, as well as the contri ...
. It is considered to be the most complete example of the
Arts and Crafts The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the Decorative arts, decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and ...
style in the country, and was the largest project of John Coates Carter. At the time of building, the abbey was called "the greatest phenomenon in the Anglican community at the present time". The roofs are of white
roughcast Roughcast and pebbledash are durable coarse plaster surfaces used on outside walls. They consists of lime and sometimes cement mixed with sand, small gravel and often pebbles or shells. The materials are mixed into a slurry and are then throw ...
with red tiling, and the abbey church has five side-windows and on the south a "tapering" tower with primitive crenellations. Caldey Island and St. Margaret’s Island have together formed an ecclesiastical district for as long as the locals can remember, with 20 Cistercian monks living at the monastery . The Census Reports of the County of Pembroke record it as an ecclesiastical district for administrative purposes. The Caldey Island Act 1990 added the island to
Dyfed Dyfed () is a preserved county in southwestern Wales, covering the modern counties Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire. It is mostly rural area with a coastline on the Irish Sea and the Bristol Channel. Between 1974 and 1996, Dyfed w ...
and South Pembrokeshire, and to Pembrokeshire parliamentary constituency.


Child sexual abuse

There have been many cases involving
child sexual abuse Child sexual abuse (CSA), also called child molestation, is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include engaging in Human sexual activity, sexual activit ...
linked to the island, over more than fifty years. Father Thaddeus Kotik was found to have sexually abused six girls on the island between 1972 and 1987 in a 2017 civil court case. In 2011 a fugitive charged with possessing indecent images of children was arrested at the abbey after living there for seven years. Two other men, Father John Shannon and John Cronin, convicted of sexual offences involving children have also been linked to Caldey Island. In 2017
Welsh Conservatives The Welsh Conservatives (), also known as the Welsh Conservative Party (), is the branch of the United Kingdom Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party that operates in Wales. At United Kingdom general elections, Westminster elections, it is ...
children's spokesman,
Darren Millar Darren David Millar (born 1976) is a Welsh politician who has served as the leader of the Welsh Conservatives since December 2024, and Member of the Senedd (MS) for Clwyd West since 2007. Background Millar was born and grew up in Towyn. Pol ...
, called for an independent inquiry into historical child sexual abuse on the island. In April 2024 Caldey Abbey commissioned an independent review into the historical child sexual abuse, led by leading social worker and former assistant police and crime commissioner at South Wales Police, Jan Pickles OBE, which was completed, and published in December 2024. The island now works with The Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA), and has appointed a safeguarding officer to ensure such events are not allowed to repeat and ensure the island is safe for visitors in the present and future. In December 2024, the abbot, Father Jan Rossey, apologised for the abuse and its cover-up. Monks have agreed to a 'no touch' policy for visitors and will report any accidental physical contact, as recommended by the independent review.


Geography

Caldey Island is about long and in width at its widest. It has an area of and its highest elevation is . The island lies in
Carmarthen Bay Carmarthen Bay () is an inlet of the South Wales coast, including notable beaches such as Pendine Sands and Cefn Sidan sands. Carmarthen Bay is partially within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee list C ...
on the northern side of the
Bristol Channel The Bristol Channel (, literal translation: "Severn Sea") is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales (from Pembrokeshire to the Vale of Glamorgan) and South West England (from Devon to North Somerset). It extends ...
in the county of
Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and otherwise by the sea. Haverfordwest is the largest town and ...
, a little over south of
Tenby Tenby () is a seaside town and community (Wales), community in the county of Pembrokeshire, Wales. It lies within Carmarthen Bay. Notable features include of sandy beaches and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 13th-century Tenby Town Walls, me ...
on the mainland of southwest Wales. It is separated from the mainland by Caldey Sound. A fleet of traditional wooden boats ferry passengers from Tenby to Caldey Island in the spring and summer months when the weather allows. Boats depart roughly every twenty minutes from the harbour at high tide, while at low tide they depart from Castle Beach. Caldey Island consists of two islands which are separated at high tide: Caldey Island and Little Caldey Island. Little Caldey Island is also known as St Margaret's Island or St Margaret's Isle, and lies off the north-western point of Caldey Island. It acquired its name in the 17th century, and is known for its seals and bird sanctuary. The island is mostly used for grazing.


Climate

The average high and low temperatures for Caldey Island, along with wind speeds for each month of the year, are given in the following table. The absolute maximum temperature recorded is in August and the absolute minimum recorded is in February.


Wildlife

Caldey Island is known for its flowers, many of which are rarely found in other areas of the United Kingdom. The island also has many species of birds that are prevalent in the summer months. The country's largest colony of cormorants is located at St Margaret's Island. Following a two-year rat eradication programme,
red squirrel The red squirrel (''Sciurus vulgaris''), also called Eurasian red squirrel, is a species of tree squirrel in the genus ''Sciurus''. It is an arboreal and primarily herbivorous rodent and common throughout Eurasia. Taxonomy There have been ...
s were introduced in 2016 and by 2018 were breeding successfully and there are now around 50 on the island.


Economy and services

The island's economic activity is supported by tourism and the sale of chocolate. The main income comes from tourism. The monastery opened an Internet shop in 2001 to sell products online. Their lavender perfume is said to be "simply the best lavender soliflore on earth" by the perfume critic
Luca Turin Luca Turin (born 20 November 1953) is a biophysicist and writer with a long-standing interest in bioelectronics, the sense of smell, perfumery, and the fragrance industry. Early life and education Turin was born in Beirut, Lebanon on 20 November ...
. Caldey Island provides a spiritual retreat that accommodates up to 750 guests a year. This facility is currently undergoing an extensive refurbishment and is due to be open again in Easter 2024. The island has a functioning post office including a museum of the island's history. The island has its own postage stamps and its own monetary unit named after the local fish, the dab. There is a colonial-style tea shop on the green, and an underground reservoir near the lighthouse, supplied by a spring. This provides water to the gardens and the people. For handling emergencies, the island
Land Rover Land Rover is a brand of predominantly four-wheel drive, off-road capable vehicles, owned by British multinational car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), since 2008 a subsidiary of India's Tata Motors. JLR builds Land Rovers in Brazil ...
is shared between the fire service, the coastguard, and the police. There is a volunteer fire service operated by the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, with access to two
fire engine A fire engine or fire truck (also spelled firetruck) is a vehicle, usually a specially designed or modified truck, that functions as a firefighting apparatus. The primary purposes of a fire engine include transporting firefighters and water to ...
s, one being a 4x4 rural firefighting unit that was airlifted to the island by the
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...
. The last reported major fire on the island was in 1940 when the monastery was damaged. The island has two cranes, one on Tenby Harbour the other on the island. These cranes are used to lift heavier items or livestock onto the boat to be transported to and from the island. The island also has some basic farming equipment including two tractors, used for the upkeep of the land and transportation of heavy goods.


Landmarks

Tourist attractions on Caldey Island include the recently restored 13th-century church of
St Illtyd St Illtyd is a hamlet near Aberbeeg, in southeast Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It is situated on the mountain road between Pontypool and Abertillery in Blaenau Gwent. It rests at about 1200 feet above sea level. The ...
, an
ogham Ogham (also ogam and ogom, , Modern Irish: ; , later ) is an Early Medieval alphabet used primarily to write the early Irish language (in the "orthodox" inscriptions, 4th to 6th centuries AD), and later the Old Irish language ( scholastic ...
cross from the sixth century, a Norman chapel, and Caldey Abbey, completed in 1910. Caldey Lighthouse was built in 1829. The light was intended to help coastal traffic trading limestone and coal to mid- and North
Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
but the light also helped long-distance and North American traffic identify the
Bristol Channel The Bristol Channel (, literal translation: "Severn Sea") is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales (from Pembrokeshire to the Vale of Glamorgan) and South West England (from Devon to North Somerset). It extends ...
and avoid confusion with the
English Channel The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...
. The lighthouse is a squat, round, brick-lined limestone
tower A tower is a tall Nonbuilding structure, structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from guyed mast, masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting ...
of 17 m (56 ft), with walls 0.9 m (3 ft) thick at the base and thick at the top. The light stands 64 m (210 ft) above high-water mark. The lighthouse was automated in 1929. The former oil store for the lighthouse is a listed structure. The lighthouse keeper's cottages that flank the lighthouse are two-storey, with hipped roofs, octagonal chimneys and a one-storey linking corridor. The cottages were built around 1868–70 by T. C. Harvey.


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * *


External links


Official Caldey Island website

RCAHMW/Coflein listings



The monks installed a television set
as a 'one-off' to watch the funeral of
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

Photos of Caldey Island and surrounding area on geograph.org.uk
*https://www.caldeyislandsurvivors.org/petition P-05-954 Petition for a public inquiry by the Welsh Government into the historic child abuse on Caldey Island, Correspondence – Petition Coordinator to Committee, 22.10.21. {{Authority control Islands of Pembrokeshire Carmarthen Bay Islands of the Bristol Channel Private islands of the United Kingdom