Ramsey Island
Encyclopedia
Ramsey Island is an island
about 1 km off the coast of the St David's
peninsula
in Pembrokeshire
on the northern side of St Brides Bay, in southwest Wales
.
In Welsh the island is named after Saint David
(Dewi Sant), the patron saint
of Wales
. It was the home of his confessor, Saint Justinian
. The nearest town, strictly a city
, is St David's
.
Ramsey Island is less than 3.2 km (2 mi) long and its highest point is 136 metres (446 ft) above sea level
at Carnllundain. It is the third largest island in Wales, after Anglesey
and Holy Island
. and the largest offshore island.
s, coastal scenery and heathland. Ramsey has the most important Grey Seal
breeding colony in southern Britain, with over 400 seal pups born each autumn. It is one of the best sites in Wales to see Choughs
.
Other breeding species include Ravens
, Common Buzzard
s, Peregrines
, Northern Wheatear
s, gulls, auks, Manx Shearwater
s, Razorbill
s and Guillemots
.
With a permanent population of just two human residents (the RSPB warden and his wife who live in a farmhouse there), the island is otherwise uninhabited. Tourist boats sail to and around the island (7 days a week, Easter-31 October) from Saint Justinian
's RNLI lifeboat
station on the mainland.
Ramsey Island is surrounded by a number of smaller islands, islets and rock clusters, including:
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
about 1 km off the coast of the St David's
St David's
St Davids , is a city and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Lying on the River Alun on St David's Peninsula, it is Britain's smallest city in terms of both size and population, the final resting place of Saint David, the country's patron saint, and the de facto ecclesiastical capital of...
peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
in Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
on the northern side of St Brides Bay, in southwest Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
In Welsh the island is named after Saint David
Saint David
Saint David was a Welsh Bishop during the 6th century; he was later regarded as a saint and as the patron saint of Wales. David was a native of Wales, and a relatively large amount of information is known about his life. However, his birth date is still uncertain, as suggestions range from 462 to...
(Dewi Sant), the patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. It was the home of his confessor, Saint Justinian
Justinian of Ramsey Island
Saint Justinian was a 6th century hermit who lived on Ramsey Island, near St. David's, in the Welsh county of Pembrokeshire.-Traditional life:...
. The nearest town, strictly a city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
, is St David's
St David's
St Davids , is a city and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Lying on the River Alun on St David's Peninsula, it is Britain's smallest city in terms of both size and population, the final resting place of Saint David, the country's patron saint, and the de facto ecclesiastical capital of...
.
Ramsey Island is less than 3.2 km (2 mi) long and its highest point is 136 metres (446 ft) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
at Carnllundain. It is the third largest island in Wales, after Anglesey
Anglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
and Holy Island
Holy Island, Anglesey
Holy Island Cybi') is an island on the western side of the larger Isle of Anglesey, North Wales, from which it is separated by a narrow, winding channel. It is called "Holy" because of the high concentration of standing stones, burial chambers and other religious sites on the small island. The...
. and the largest offshore island.
Nature Reserve
Owned and managed by the RSPB , the island has spectacular bird cliffBird cliff
Bird cliffs are steep cliffs with numerous small shelves which serve as nesting locations for bird colonies. Bird cliffs are found on islands in the North Atlantic and Arctic, such as the Faroe Islands, the Svalbard archipelago and on islands off Northern Norway...
s, coastal scenery and heathland. Ramsey has the most important Grey Seal
Grey Seal
The grey seal is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is a large seal of the family Phocidae or "true seals". It is the only species classified in the genus Halichoerus...
breeding colony in southern Britain, with over 400 seal pups born each autumn. It is one of the best sites in Wales to see Choughs
Red-billed Chough
The Red-billed Chough or Chough , Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, is a bird in the crow family; it is one of only two species in the genus Pyrrhocorax...
.
Other breeding species include Ravens
Common Raven
The Common Raven , also known as the Northern Raven, is a large, all-black passerine bird. Found across the northern hemisphere, it is the most widely distributed of all corvids...
, Common Buzzard
Common Buzzard
The Common Buzzard is a medium to large bird of prey, whose range covers most of Europe and extends into Asia. It is usually resident all year, except in the coldest parts of its range, and in the case of one subspecies.-Description:...
s, Peregrines
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
, Northern Wheatear
Northern Wheatear
The Northern Wheatear or Wheatear is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae...
s, gulls, auks, Manx Shearwater
Manx Shearwater
The Manx Shearwater is a medium-sized shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. The scientific name of this species records a name shift: Manx Shearwaters were called Manks Puffins in the 17th century. Puffin is an Anglo-Norman word for the cured carcasses of nestling shearwaters...
s, Razorbill
Razorbill
The Razorbill is colonial seabird that will only come to land in order to breed. It is the largest living member of the Auk family. This agile bird will choose only one partner for life and females will lay one egg per year. Razorbills will nest along coastal cliffs in enclosed or slightly exposed...
s and Guillemots
Common Guillemot
The Common Murre or Common Guillemot is a large auk. It is also known as the Thin-billed Murre in North America. It has a circumpolar distribution, occurring in low-Arctic and boreal waters in the North-Atlantic and North Pacific...
.
With a permanent population of just two human residents (the RSPB warden and his wife who live in a farmhouse there), the island is otherwise uninhabited. Tourist boats sail to and around the island (7 days a week, Easter-31 October) from Saint Justinian
Saint Justinian
Saint Justinian is the name of:*Byzantine emperor Justinian I , saint in the Eastern Orthodox tradition*Saint Justinian of Ramsey Island , hermit who lived on Ramsey Island, near St. David's, Pembrokeshire, Wales*Saint Lawrence Justinian , Bishop and first Patriarch of Venice...
's RNLI lifeboat
Lifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...
station on the mainland.
Ramsey Island is surrounded by a number of smaller islands, islets and rock clusters, including:
- Bancyn-ffald
- The BitchesThe BitchesThe Bitches are a tidal race and set of rocks between Ramsey Island and the west Welsh coastline near St. Davids. It is a popular tourist destination and playspot for extreme sports enthusiasts such as whitewater kayakers and surfers.-Formation:...
tidal race - The Bishops and ClerksBishops and ClerksThe Bishops and Clerks are a group of rocks and islets situated 1 to 2 miles west of Ramsey Island, Pembrokeshire, Wales.They include:*Carreg Rhoson*Carreg-trai*Cribog*Daufraich*Llechau-isaf*Llechau-uchaf*Maen Daufraich*Maen Rhoson*Moelyn...
group, including:- Carreg Rhoson and Maen Rhoson
- Carreg-trai
- Cribog
- Daufraich and Maen Daufraich
- EmsgerEmsgerEmsger or South Bishop is the largest of the Bishops and Clerks group of islets and rocks, situated west of Ramsey Island, Pembrokeshire, Wales.Its name can also be shown as Em-sger, Emskir or Emskyr...
or South Bishop - Llechau-isaf and Llechau-uchaf
- Moelyn
- North Bishop
- Carreg-gwylan
- Meini DuonMeini DuonMeini Duon is the name given to three sea rocks south of Ramsey Island, Pembrokeshire, Wales.- External links :...
- The Bitches
- TrwynmynachdyTrwynmynachdyTrwynmynachdy is a rock situated south-west of Ramsey Island, Pembrokeshire, Wales.- External links :...
- Ynys BeryYnys BeryYnys Bery is a small island south of Ramsey Island, Pembrokeshire, Wales.It is the site of a shipwreck: the S.S. Graffoe struck Ramsey Island and sank at the northern end of Ynys Bery in 1903. It lies at a depth of 15 metres, and is one of many Pembrokeshire wrecks popular with divers...
- Ynys CantwrYnys CantwrYnys Cantwr is a small tidal island south of Ramsey Island, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Its highest point is 55 metres.- External links :*...
- Ynys Eilun and Pont yr Eilun
- Ynys GwelltogYnys GwelltogYnys Gwelltog is a small tidal island south of Ramsey Island, Pembrokeshire, Wales.Its highest point is 53 metres. Ynys Gwelltog translates as 'Grassy Island'.- External links :...
External links
- www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Ramsey Island and surrounding area
- RSPB website
- RSPB ferry to Ramsey Island
- Ramsey Island RSPB Nature Reserve
- CPRW description
- JNCC description – includes map of GB showing location