Faith

One of the archaeologists was David Nicolas Mery, curator of archaeological collections at Avranches, Normandy, whose specialist area of study is Mont Saint Michel.

He knew that links existed between St Michael's Mount in Cornwall and Mont Saint Michel, but was curious as to whether these links extend to the Channel Islands, and our own Vale Church, or 'The Church of St Michel Du Valle' to give it its full name.

The team of archaeologists at Vale Church

Vale Church's architecture and style are certainly similar to the other two, and David suggests the same masons who worked on Mont Saint Michel and St Michael's Mount may have travelled to Guernsey.

But that is not all, he also believes that there is another link between the three in the form of the tin trade.

Tin was an important commodity in the 12th century and was moved between France and the UK via the Channel Islands. Much of the tin was sourced in Cornwall, and was used for plates and cups among other things.

Guernsey provided a stopping point between the UK and France, and the tax-free ports owned by the monks.

John McCormack is a Channel Islands archaeologist and architectural historian. He agreed that Guernsey was part of the link between Mont Saint Michel and St Michael's Mount, explaining that the Vale church would have been ideally placed, as it was separated from the mainland of Guernsey, and provided a sheltered harbour, in the form of Grande Harvre.

St Michael's Mount and causeway in Cornwall

He added: "It was an estate which belonged to Le Mont Saint Michel from about the 1150s onwards".

John explained: "The abbot of Mont Saint Michel came here and he visited Lihou Island, he came to the Vale church, and presumably he came here to dedicate, consecrate, or at least check up on his recent acquisitions and the two churches that had just been built".

James St Aubyn was also part of the discussions – he lives at St Michael's Mount in Cornwall and said, "I found it fascinating to try and trace the history about which an awful lot is unknown still”

He was curious about the similarities between the three places, and the links between them.