Historic cannons from St Michael's Mount airlifted for preservation

This week, a helicopter hoisted a collection of historic artillery from the tidal island of St Michael's Mount, kicking off a meticulously organized restoration program intended to safeguard the weapons for posterity.

Located off Cornwall’s coast, St Michael's Mount is a well‑known landmark celebrated for its medieval castle, chapel and the striking tide‑dependent causeway that attracts thousands of tourists annually. The cannons, integral to the island’s 18th‑ and 19th‑century defensive history, have endured prolonged exposure to the corrosive sea‑air, hastening rust and deterioration.

After evaluating the guns, conservation experts determined that extracting them from the site offered the best chance to stop additional decay. Using a helicopter to move the hefty metalwork allowed the team to bypass the difficulties of ferrying the pieces across the causeway and navigating the castle’s cramped interior.

The task employed a specially configured lift helicopter and a crew of heritage engineers who fastened each cannon with bespoke slings. After lift‑off, the artillery was delivered to a dedicated workshop where specialists will clean, stabilise, treat the metal, replace absent fittings, and thoroughly document each piece.

This extraction forms part of a wider initiative to protect coastal historic assets threatened by the growing effects of climate change. Once restored, the cannons may be exhibited again on the mount after conservation finishes, or placed in a nearby museum, providing visitors a concrete connection to the island’s martial heritage.

Although officials have not released a precise schedule, they anticipate the restoration will span several months, after which a decision on the cannons’ ultimate location will be taken. The undertaking highlights heritage organisations’ continued dedication to safeguarding and interpreting England’s historic artillery and other vulnerable cultural treasures.