Icart Point

Icart Point

Icart Point is a point of southern Guernsey, located west of Jerbourg Point and east of Petit Port, Moulin Huet and Saint's Bay.^[1] It is in the parish of Saint Martin, Guernsey

A German fortification Wildstandnest Ikart was built on the headland during 1942–3.^[2] Also on the headland is Saints Bay Hotel.^[3] Jaonnet Bay was the site of a British Commando raid during World War II.^[4]

There are various walking paths around the point which offer "a rocky, flowery headland and dramatic views".^[5] The soil is underlain by Icart Gneiss, an augen gneiss of granitic composition containing potassium feldspar. This was formed from a granite dated at 2,018 million years ago using U-Pb dating on zircon grains.^[6][7]

A race horse has also been named Icart Point.^[8]

Saint's Bay

Saint's Bay, directly to the east of Icart Point contains No 14 Guernsey loophole towers, built in the 1780s to help defend the Island.^[9] Between 2015 and 2018 the tower was restored by local volunteers. Rubbish was cleaned out and timbers restored or replaced. The firing steps which had been on each floor were recreated. The work was carried out using materials as close to those originally used in the 1780s as possible.^[10]

Saint's Bay Right Battery and magazine are protected monuments.^[11]

The name "Saint's bay" has an origin going back 1,000 years, Archbishop Mauger, uncle to William the Conqueror. Mauger was deposed from his archbishopric at the council of Lisieux, around 1054. Mauger was banished from Rouen to the Isle of Guernsey. He landed at Saint's bay.^[12]

La Marcherie is a house which was demolished in 1944. It was admired by Victor Hugo.^[13]

Icart Bay

To the west is La Moye Point, separated from Icart Point by Icart Bay.^[14]

Goat Crags

Goat Crags is used for climbing.^[15]

References

1. Ansted, David Thomas; Latham, Robert Gordon (1865). The Channel Islands, by D.T. Ansted and R.G. Latham. W. H. Allen & Company. p. 47. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
2. Strappini, Richard (2004). St Martin, Guernsey, Channel Islands, a parish history from 1204. p. 132.
3. "The Saints Bay Hotel Guernsey". The Saints Bay Hotel Guernsey. Archived from the original on 2 September 2019. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
4. "Icart Point". The Sarnian. Archived from the original on 23 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
5. Dillon, Paddy (2016). Walking on Guernsey: Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and Herm. Cicerone Press. p. 52. ISBN 9781783623624.
6. Keppie, J. Duncan (2012). Pre-Mesozoic Geology in France and Related Areas: and Related Areas. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 9783642849152.
7. Power, G.M. (1997). Great britain: Channel islands. In: Encyclopedia of European and Asian Regional Geology. Springer. doi:10.1007/1-4020-4495-X_36. ISBN 978-0-412-74040-4. Archived from the original on 9 June 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
8. "Icart Point Horse Profile". Sporting Life. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
9. "Fortifications span 1,000 years in the Forest". BBC. Archived from the original on 27 January 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
10. "Loop tower labour of love". Bailiwick Express Guernsey News. 4 April 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
11. "PM320 Saint's Bay Right Battery and magazine". Statyes of Guernsey. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
12. A Companion to the Island of Guernsey ... compiled from the best authors ... With a map of the island. Collins, 1835. p. 121.
13. "Victor Hugo and Guernsey: Lost things: La Marcherie". Priaulx Library. Archived from the original on 25 November 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
14. The Channel Islands. Forgotten Books. p. 47. ISBN 978-1-4510-0100-6. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
15. "Icart Point - Goat Crags and Kid Island". UK Climbing. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2020.

49.42°N 2.56°W / 49.42; -2.56