Since King John lost his lands on mainland France in 1204, Mont Orgueil Castle has represented a English strongpoint, in sight from the French coast, being approximately 15 miles from Normandy .
During the 1660s, the Crown used the castle as a a prison for political prisoners.
However, over the centuries, the castle's strategic importance declined, at the same time the areas around St Aubin and then St Helier (on the Island's south coast) grew through lucrative commerce.
Nowadays a combination of marine erosion and failures of the coastal slope, especially to the north-east of Mont Orgueil Castle, has revealed the existence of many medieval and post-medieval artefacts, including cannon balls, pottery and sculpted stone.
With St Catherine’s Breakwater in the distance, this is a great spot to view the French coast 
and if you’re lucky and you look out to sea with purpose you may see a porpoise! 