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  • belstone nine maidensThe 'dancing stones' legend mentions a circle of nine round this Bronze age burial chamber; in reality there are more
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  • the oxenham omen how a catchpenny pamphlet and an unsent letter combined to propagate a myth concerning the death of members of an ancient Devon family
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introducing some Lundy mammals

Lundy has some unusual fauna that were introduced to the island at various times. Here is a selection.

soay sheep

The soay sheep has a good head for heights and is sure of foot. They are in their element clambering fearlessly on narrow cliff ledges. They may also appear on the menu at the Marisco Tavern. Warning to dyslexic vegetarians; these cuddly looking beasties must not be confused with the humble soya bean!

Lundy pony

The Lundy pony is a tall and sturdily built quadruped. They were bred originally by crossing New Forest pony mares with an Arabian stallion. This one is seen browsing in front of St Helena's Church, built by the Rev Hudson Heaven in 1896. He was the second generation of the Heaven dynasty that owned the island from 1836 to 1918. Not surprisingly, Lundy became known as "the Kingdom of Heaven".

wild goats

Only a distant glimpse here of a small gathering of the island's rather shy feral goats. They are skillful climbers like soay sheep, and are characteristically seen defying gravity on the cliffs. Tibbetts can be seen in the distance on the right. This is a former Admiralty lookout, now converted to holiday accommodation for the intrepid. It is the most isolated property on the island and has no mains electricity. A powerful torch is essential, as it is a long and tortuous journey in the dark to Tibbetts from the Marisco Tavern at closing time.

sika deer