If there ever was an island that would qualify as a treasure island by circumstances, then that Island would be Lundy Island off the coast of the Unighted Kingdom.
The name Lundy is derived from old Norse meaning "Puffin" after the birds that haunted the Island for eons. Mankind itself has haunted this windswept block of granite Island that sticks out like a sword into the Bristol channel for thousands of years.
On the island there are the remains of stone circle huts dating back over 2000 years. A ancient cemetery on Beacon hill has graves and headstones dating back to 5th and 6th century. The island was repeatedly attacked in the 9th and 10 century by the Vikings.
The first piratical owners of Lundy which anything is known were the de Marisco family, who, in the 12th century became very ambitious and powerful. They recognised in the island a stronghold that could be held against all-comers, and hold it they did. Twice it was granted to the Knights Templar, but they were unable to take possession of it.
In 1235, William de Marisco became implicated in the attempted murder of Henry III, and when suspicion rested on him, he promptly fled to Lundy. For the next few years he had a right royal time of being a pirate cheifton of his own private realm. He fortified the island and built a stronghold at the only landing place in the ten miles of coastline.
Piracy, rapine, murder and even sorties against the English realm became the order of the day. Some victims of his piracy would be taken back to be held for ransom at Lundy. Others used as slaves, and those who proved troublesome were simply thrown over the cliff to the rocks hundreds of feet below.
Time ran out for De Marisco when he plotted to murder the king. The King was advised by his nobles that the island was impregnable to ordinary assault, and the only hope of obtaining possession was by stratagem.
The kings men scaled the castle walls William was captured together with sixteen of his chief accomplices. In the manner of his end there was certainly poetic justice, for he was hung, suspended on a hook, disembowelled, his bowels burnt and then his body drawn and quartered, a quarter being sent as a present and a warning to each of the four principle cities of the kingdom. No pity need be wasted on William, for it was the sort of thing his victims had suffered for years.
Lundy was then seized by the King. But within forty years the Marisco family were again in possession, but for a period which proved comparatively short. They then passed out of the island's history.
Lundy once again beacame a pirates lair in the 15th century a tall pirate of French Flemish origin used the island as his Hideout. Until he was captured and hung at St Donants Castle on the Welsh coast.
The use of Lundy as a launch pad for piracy was on the rise once again during the reign of Elizabeth I, following a rapid increase in the volume of shipping in the Bristol Channel.
In 1564 the Queen wrote to Sir Peter Carew instructing him to organize a foray to the island to rid it of this scourge.
for as much as that coast of Devonshire and Cornwall is by report much haunted with pyratts and Rovers...to cause one or two apt vessels to be made ready with all speed in some ports there about. Perhaps there was a period of relative peace on the island for a while, as Lundy was thought secure enough in 1618 for Grenville to offer it to Sir Lewis Stukeley as a refuge to isolate him from the odium caused by his arrest and betrayal of Sir Walter Raleigh on return from his ill-fated voyage to Guiana. By this time a social outcast, Stukeley died insane on Lundy in 1620
Around 1625 The Barbary pirates lead by Jan Janszoon used Lundy as a base for thier pirate attacks on the Devon Coast where they captured main landers and sold them off for slaves in africa. It is said they flew the Moorish flag apon the island for a time.
The 1630s seem to have been the heyday of the island's use as a pirate lair. The notorious Captain John Nutt made it one of his headquarters, styling himself Admiral, and leaving his 'Vice Admiral', one John Smith, in charge there. Captain John and William Nutt who had been involved with piratical activites across the Atlantic in New Found land.
Legend tells of a treasure cave where Captain John Nutt concealed a vast treasure only acessable at low tide. Strange as this is there was 2 young adventurers in 1867 went looking for this cave and vanished. It was not until about 40 odd years later the fate of these islanders was found, two skelentons were found the upper part of sea cave were they had been trapped by a rockfall.
During the English civil war of the 1640's the island was the last Royalist stronghold to surrender to Oliver Cromwell. If King Charles had fled to Lundy Island he may of Kept his head?
The next rogue to haunt Lundy as a man called Thomas Benson. He was a Member of Parliament for Barnstaple in 1747. All the world has a sneaking regard for a rogue, if he be a pleasant and clever one, and Thomas, who ran a black market in galley slaves, was certainly a rogue with a quick wit and many qualities which could be admired.
A member of an old Bideford family, who had become wealthy as merchants trading with countries of Europe and the Colonies, he inherited a fortune. He quickly consolidated his position as a man of affairs by entering Parliament, becoming a popular figure in the County and presenting a piece of Plate to the Barnstaple Corporation.
Undoubtedly with his eyes on the main chance, Benson then leased Lundy from its owner, Lord Gower, at a rent of ?60 per annum and from then on it was easy. With his family record of merchants and traders behind him, he contracted with the Government to transport a shipload of convicts to Virginia.
They were duly loaded and the vessel containing them set sail, but not to America as was the understanding! Benson had the vessel brought round to his island home and set the convicts ashore under guard. From then on they became his personal slaves.
Among the works carried out by the convicts slaves was the great cave now called Benson's cave, which was excavated in the cliff face below the keep of the castle, as a store for the merchandise gained in his widespread smuggling activities.
There is still much of the cave to be seen, for it has easily withstood the years and penetrates the cliff some 60 feet, being eight feet wide and twelve feet in height.
Local legend, supported by an old map in the Athanaeum Museum at Barnstaple, has it that in Benson's day the cave had two forks, one on each side and perhaps that is where some of the old smugglers' ill-gotten gains still lie. There is no substantial evidence, however, that the cave ever extended farther than can be now seen.
Benson's undoing was when he got caught in an insurance fraud. He had insured a ship inwhich he landed the cargo on Lundy island then scuttled the ship off the coast. Word got out of his swindle and he fled to spain.
There are many hidden sea caves on Lundy. Some are the deepest and longest sea caves in Great Britain. Names as the mouse hole and trap, Mermaid hole, Benson's cave and seals hole is only a few. One cave you can sail a small boat through and in the middle of this sea cave there is fresh water spring bubbling up from the sea floor.
Another cave has a deep bell like chamber and when the stormy seas are high you can feel the ground vibrate from the impact of the waves. The coast of the island is littered with hundreds of shipwrecks. 2 18th century vesssels were have been known to carry gold coin and diamonds. Their treasure has never been recovered and perhaps the treasure have been washed into the dark sea caves?
Lundy's most famous shipwreck was the HMS Montagu. Which was wrecked in 1906! The three-year-old battleship had been undertaking trials with a new radio and had moved away from Lundy until contact with the Isles of Scilly was made. On her return in fog she ran aground on Shutter Rock and, despite the slow speed she was travelling, became stuck. All attempts to refloat her failed, and salvage continued until 1922 after which the wreck finally broke up and sank.
Today in summer you can take a day trip on a ferry to visit the island. Or the more adventurous can even stay on the island. The old castle has been remodelled into a holiday rental. In the quite time after the day trippers have left you can feel the history seep into your bones as the evening mist takes hold.
Lundy with all of her history of pirates, caves and shipwrecks on an Island half mile wide by 3 miles long. If there is any island to find treasure by chance then Lundy would be it. They say Cocos Island is Costa Rica's island of treasure, then Lundy island is Britain's Island of treasure.
And perhaps one day, one of those legendry treasures of this amazing little Island will reveal itself?
Hardluck
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