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Caldey Island

Coordinates: 51°38′N 4°41′W / 51.64°N 4.69°W / 51.64; -4.69
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Caldey Island
The south coast of Caldey Island
Caldey Island is located in Pembrokeshire
Caldey Island
Caldey Island
Location within Pembrokeshire
Population40 (2011)[1]
Principal area
Preserved county
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townTENBY
Postcode districtSA70
Dialling code01834
PoliceDyfed-Powys
FireMid and West Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament
List of places
UK
Wales
Pembrokeshire
51°38′N 4°41′W / 51.64°N 4.69°W / 51.64; -4.69
Map of Caldey Island
Caldey Ogham Stone, 6th century
Caldey Island Act 1990
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to provide for the islands of Caldey and St. Margaret's in the county of Dyfed to be included in the district of South Pembrokeshire for the purposes of local, parliamentary and European elections and for the purposes of local taxation; to include those islands in the districts of the Pembrokeshire coroner and the Pembrokeshire Health Authority; and for connected purposes.
Citation1990 c. 44
Dates
Royal assent1 November 1990
Text of the Caldey Island Act 1990 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

Caldey Island (Welsh:Ynys Bŷr) is a small island near Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales, less than 1 mile (1.6 km) off the coast.[2] With a recorded history going back over 1,500 years, it is one of the holy islands of Britain. A number of traditions inherited from Celtic times are observed by the Cistercian monks of Caldey Abbey, the owners of the island.[3]

The island's population consists of about 40 permanent residents and a varying number of Cistercian monks,[4] known as Trappists. 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.[5] 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, 2.5 miles (4.0 km) 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.[6] 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

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The island was named Ynys Bŷr after Saint Pyr, the sixth century saint,[7] 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 name of the island before St Pyr's day is unknown.[8]

Like those of many Welsh islands, Caldey's English name (sometimes spelled Caldy) derives from the Vikings. Kald ey translates as "cold island", with the name appearing as 'Caldea' in the early 12th century, and Kaldey or Caldey by 1291.[9]

History

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Pre-history

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Caldey Island monastery, reflected in the pond

Three caves have been discovered on the island and excavated to unearth archaeological finds: Nanna's Cave,[10] Potter's Cave (1950) and Ogof-yr-Ychen ("Ox cave", 1970).[11] In Nanna's Cave, human bones and shells were first found in 1911 and excavations continued in three more stages until the 1970s.[10] Potter's Cave was found in 1950 by a monk named James Van Nedervelde, and excavations, which continued until 1970, initially revealed stalagmites 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 and one to the Romano–British period. Also found were a few artefacts from the late Upper Paleolithic period. In Ogof–yr-Ychen, the bones of humans whose burials date between 7590 BC and 5710 BC were found.[12] Stable isotope ratio tests revealed that they lived on marine food.[11] 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.[10]

Recorded history

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Caldey Island Priory

A Celtic monastery was first established on the island in the sixth century, and the island thrived during the Middle Ages.[13][14] Following the Norman Conquest, Robert fitz Martin, Lord of Cemais, gave the island to his mother Geva.[15] In the 12th century, Caldey Priory (now a Grade I listed building[16]) was established by Tironensian monks as a daughter house of St. Dogmaels Abbey, and lasted to the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536.[17]

The north side of Caldey Island is made up of grey limestone, a desirable building material.[18] 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 in north Devon for processing.[19]

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.[20] It is considered to be the most complete example of the Arts and Crafts 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 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 as of 2007.[21] The Census Reports of the County of Pembroke record it as an ecclesiastical district for administrative purposes.[22]

The Caldey Island Act 1990 added the island to Dyfed and South Pembrokeshire, and to Pembrokeshire parliamentary constituency.[23]

Child sexual abuse

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See also: Caldey Abbey § Child abuse lawsuit

There have been many cases involving child sexual abuse linked to the island, over more than fifty years.[24] Father Thaddeus Kotik was found to have sexually abused six girls on the island between 1972 and 1987 in a 2017 civil court case.[25] In 2011 a fugitive charged with possessing indecent images of children was arrested at the abbey after living there for seven years.[26][27] Two other men, Father John Shannon and John Cronin, convicted of sexual offences involving children have also been linked to Caldey Island.[28] In 2017 Welsh Conservatives children's spokesman, Darren Millar, called for an independent inquiry into historical child sexual abuse on the island.[29] 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.[30] 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.[31]

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.[32]

Geography

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Caldey Island is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long and 1 mile (1.6 km) in width at its widest. It has an area of 538 acres (2.18 km2) and its highest elevation is 197 feet (60 m). The island lies in Carmarthen Bay on the northern side of the Bristol Channel in the county of Pembrokeshire, a little over 2.5 miles (4 km) south of Tenby on the mainland of southwest Wales.[5][20] 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.[14] Boats depart roughly every twenty minutes from the harbour at high tide, while at low tide they depart from Castle Beach.[21]

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,[33] and is known for its seals and bird sanctuary.[5]

The island is mostly used for grazing.[citation needed]

Climate

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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 33 °C (91 °F) in August and the absolute minimum recorded is −9 °C (16 °F) in February.[34]

Climate data for Caldey Island, Wales
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 8
(46) 		8
(46) 		10
(50) 		12
(54) 		15
(59) 		17
(63) 		20
(68) 		20
(68) 		17
(63) 		14
(57) 		11
(52) 		8
(46) 		20
(68)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 3
(37) 		3
(37) 		5
(41) 		5
(41) 		8
(46) 		10
(50) 		13
(55) 		12
(54) 		10
(50) 		8
(46) 		5
(41) 		3
(37) 		3
(37)
Source: Weatherbase [34]

Retrieved on 5 June 2013

Maximum Recorded Wind Speed[34]
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
65 km/h 59 km/h 59 km/h 59 km/h 56 km/h 48 km/h 43 km/h 46 km/h 44 km/h 67 km/h 61 km/h 61 km/h
40 mph 37 mph 37 mph 37 mph 35 mph 30 mph 27 mph 29 mph 27 mph 42 mph 38 mph 38 mph

Wildlife

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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.[18] The country's largest colony of cormorants is located at St Margaret's Island.[21] Following a two-year rat eradication programme, red squirrels were introduced in 2016[35] and by 2018 were breeding successfully and there are now around 50 on the island.[36]

Economy and services

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Caldey Post Office and Museum

The island's economic activity is supported by tourism and the sale of chocolate.[4] The main income comes from tourism. The monastery opened an Internet shop in 2001 to sell products online.[37] Their lavender perfume is said to be "simply the best lavender soliflore on earth" by the perfume critic Luca Turin.[38]

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.[13] The island has a functioning post office including a museum of the island's history.[39] The island has its own postage stamps and its own monetary unit named after the local fish, the dab.[20] 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.[40]

For handling emergencies, the island Land Rover 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,[41] with access to two fire engines, one being a 4x4 rural firefighting unit that was airlifted to the island by the Royal Air Force.[42][43][44] The last reported major fire on the island was in 1940 when the monastery was damaged.[4]

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

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Caldey Lighthouse

Tourist attractions on Caldey Island include the recently restored 13th-century church of St Illtyd,[45] an ogham cross from the sixth century, a Norman chapel, and Caldey Abbey, completed in 1910.[46]

Caldey Lighthouse was built in 1829. The light was intended to help coastal traffic trading limestone and coal to mid- and North Wales but the light also helped long-distance and North American traffic identify the Bristol Channel and avoid confusion with the English Channel.[citation needed] The lighthouse is a squat, round, brick-lined limestone tower of 17 m (56 ft), with walls 0.9 m (3 ft) thick at the base and 2 ft 6 in (0.76 m) 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.[47] 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

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  1. ^ "Community population 2011". Retrieved 20 April 2011.
  2. ^ Hastings 2000, p. 64.
  3. ^ "Caldey Island". Caldey Island.co.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  4. ^ a b c "Caldey Island monks and residents get new 999 vehicle". BBC News. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  5. ^ a b c "Caldey Island". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  6. ^ Christopher Howells (March 2011). Caldey Island: The Story of a Holy Island. Graffeg. ISBN 978-1-905582-14-3. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  7. ^ Royal 1977, p. 37.
  8. ^ Thomas, Charles. "Lundy's Lost Name (Island Studies (1997))" (PDF). Lundy.Org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  9. ^ Manwaring 2008, p. 71.
  10. ^ a b c Burrow 2003, p. 237.
  11. ^ a b Burrow 2003, p. 56.
  12. ^ Burrow 2003, p. 21.
  13. ^ a b Williams 2001, p. 294.
  14. ^ a b "Caldey Island Pembrokeshire Wales". Caldey-island.co.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  15. ^ "Cistercian Way - Caldey Island". Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  16. ^ Cadw. "Caldey Priory, including church and monastery remains (Grade I) (5932)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  17. ^ "Caldey (Priory)". Monastic Wales. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  18. ^ a b Huntington 1908, p. 323.
  19. ^ "Caldey Island". Charles Wilmott - M0OXO. Archived from the original on 16 December 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  20. ^ a b c HeathMichell 2006, p. 53.
  21. ^ a b c Atkinson & Wilson 2007, p. 167.
  22. ^ Royal 1977, p. 35.
  23. ^ "Caldey Island Act 1990". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  24. ^ Sarah-Jane Absalom (21 July 2023). "Police confirm enquiries are currently under way at Caldey Island". Western Telegraph. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  25. ^ Amanda Gearing (17 November 2017). "Revealed: monk who abused children on 'crime free' Caldey Island for decades". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  26. ^ "Caldey Island: Sex offender evaded justice at abbey". BBC News. 25 November 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  27. ^ Amanda Gearing; Steven Morris (24 November 2017). "Sex offender hid in Caldey Island abbey for seven years". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  28. ^ Tom Sinclair (19 July 2023). "Islander says police are investigating new Caldey Island child sex assault claim". Pembrokeshire Herald. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  29. ^ "Caldey Island abuse inquiry call by Darren Millar AM". BBC News. 29 November 2017.
  30. ^ Pickles, Jan (1 December 2024). THE CALDEY ABBEY REVIEW INTO ALLEGATIONS OF NON-RECENT CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE WITHIN THE MONASTIC COMMUNITY OF CALDEY ABBEY ON CALDEY ISLAND, PEMBROKESHIRE (PDF) (Report). Whilst this Review has been commissioned by Caldey Abbey and is being paid for by Caldey Abbey, the output and recommendations will be those freely and independently formed by the independent Reviewer.
  31. ^ "Safeguarding on Caldey Island". Caldey Island Estate. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  32. ^ Morris, Steven (10 December 2024). "Caldey Island abuse report: monks agree to 'no touch' policy for visitors". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  33. ^ Royal 1977, pp. 36 & 37.
  34. ^ a b c "Local Weather: Caldey Island Climate History". Myweather2.com. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  35. ^ "British Wildlife Centre – Red squirrel release". Inside Ecology. 27 October 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  36. ^ Paul Evans (7 July 2018). "Red squirrel success story on Caldey Island". Tenby Observer. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  37. ^ "Monks get internet shopping habit". BBC News. BBC. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  38. ^ "Perfumes: The Guide by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez, David Sexton". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  39. ^ "Caldey Island Post Office, Wales. c 1950". Flickr. 23 November 2009. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  40. ^ HeathMichell 2006, pp. 53–56.
  41. ^ "Western Division - Pembrokeshire Stations". Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
  42. ^ "Caldey Island's new fire engine flown in by helicopter". BBC News. 24 January 2017.
  43. ^ Sincleair, Tom (24 January 2017). "New fire engine airlifted to CaldeyIsland". The Pembrokeshire Herald.
  44. ^ "A huge helicopter airlifted a fire engine three miles across the sea to Caldey Island's monks". Wales Online. 24 January 2017.
  45. ^ "Major restoration project for 13th century Caldey Island church". Western Telegraph. 7 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  46. ^ "Caldey Island – Visit Me in Wales". Wales.me. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  47. ^ Cadw. "Former oil store at Caldey Lighthouse (Grade II) (18025)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 21 July 2019.

Bibliography

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