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The compass on Mont Orgueil castle
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So far we know of only one other carved compass like
this outside the four countries of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Faeroe Islands. That is
the one on a stone parapet at the top of Mont Orgueil castle on the esat coast of Jersey.
It is next to the look out tower and as the initials are carved in English as
opposed to french it would seem to indicate that they were carved by the English speaking
garrison rather than the local French speaking population. It is about a foot
across.
Doug Ford, Head of Education Services, Jersey Museums Service infomes me that
they are still re-evaluating the history of the castle. Therefor he would suggest that
this part of the castle was part of the 1790s rebuilt. This, he says, would fit in
with the French Revolutionary/ Napoleonic war period and of course at this period the
castle was used as the base of a counter-revolutionary spy network headed by Philippe
D'Auvergne.
The coast of Normandy is only 18 kilometres away.
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| Position of the compass. | The compass with the english letters for North, East, South and West. |
For an excellent view of the castles panorama view
take a look at the following page.