A small island in the United Kingdom has its own king and a total of only 10 inhabitants. Located just off the coast of Cumbria's Furness Peninsula, Piel Island is home to an array of wildlife, but people can only visit the island for six months of the year. It can be reached by a ferry that runs from April to September, or on a guided walk on the sands. According to the BBCthe island is also home to the ruins of the 14th century Piel Castle, as well as a pub, which has been in the region for over 200 years.
For years, Piel Island has attracted interest from all over the world because of its unique character. Although a handful of families currently live on the island, it is believed that people have lived there for more than 3,000 years. For some the magic is the island's history, for others it's the pub.
One of the island's main attractions is Piel Castle, which was built in the 14th century. According to The guard, it was built by the monks of Furness Abbey to deter Scottish raiders. The castle is located on the south-eastern tip of the Isle of Piel and is visible from Morecambe Bay. Experts have noted that the island and its castle were silent witnesses to important episodes in English history.
In addition to the old castle, Piel Island is also home to a pub called the Ship Inn. Interestingly, every time the pub gets a new landlord, they are crowned 'King' of the island. According to the BBCThis tradition goes back to an event in the 15th century when Lambert Simney attempted to usurp the English throne.
In 1947, an army hoping to overthrow Henry VII landed on the island with a 10-year-old boy named Lambert Simnel, who was promoted to be the rightful heir to the English throne but was actually of humble origins. The men camped on the island overnight before leaving for London. However, the rebellion was crushed at the Battle of Stoke Field, near Newark in Nottinghamshire. It was in the 19th century that the patrons of the Ship Inn took inspiration from the story and decided that Piel Island should have its own monarch.
It is notable that last year 33-year-old Aaron Sanderson became owner of the Ship Inn and the “King of Piel”. He was anointed with ale as part of his coronation on the 50-hectare island of Piel.
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