Burgh Island

About

Burgh Island is an iconic landmark on the South Devon coast, located directly opposite Bigbury on Sea beach. Burgh Island is separated from the mainland by a tidal beach, only accessible on foot across the beach at low tide, or via sea tractor when the tide is high.

The infamous Burgh Island Hotel sits on the island, an art-deco inspired island retreat that has housed some very famous guests, including Agatha Christie.  Burgh Island features (under different names) in two of her most well known novels: And Then There Were None and Evil Under The Sun. Every year during the Agatha Christie Festival the Burgh Island Hotel hosts an 'in costume' lunch, and visitors can see the actual spots on the island that made their way into Dame Agatha's books.

The early history of Burgh Island is somewhat unknown however the remains of a chapel sit on the Island known as Huer’s Hut. Originally it is thought that the chapel was where fishermen would keep a watch for shoals of pilchard. When spotted the fishermen would make a ‘cry’ to alert other local fishermen of Bigbury. This is where the term Hue and Cry developed.