Window in the Rock
250FT DROP – WARNING
In the 1850s, Rev Collings was Seigneur of Sark. He inherited the title from his Mother Marie in 1853.
His mother brought the Fief in 1852 from Pierre Le Pelley (The 2nd one) who was forced to sell to repay the debts of his father. Debts which accrued through the folly to mine Silver.
He encouraged this further, seeing the benefit of having additional revenue stream. To this end, he reputedly had the Window in the rock blasted into the cliffs above Port Du Moulin to frame the view of Les Autlets. It is also used to haul Vraic (brown seaweed) up from the beach and used as fertiliser. Also used to haul other goods shipped in the bay below.
Les Autlets and Tintageux are masses of detached angular rocks resembling altars or tables andare good nesting sites for Guillemots and Oyster Catchers. These rocks have been famously painted by the likes of Toplis and Ethel Cheesewright.
SAIGNEE BAY
There is a natural blow hole which blows continuously 1 hour either side of high tide during a strong NW Gale. There is a larger entrance at the bottom and a smaller hole at the top: pressure builds inside the cave and water pushes the air and water through the smaller hole in the top. Toplis depicted this natural phenomenon in a watercolour.
By the 1870s, Sark had around 5,000 visitors a year.
