Mount, formerly one of the most celebrated state-prisons of France. It is a rock situated in the middle of the Bay of Avranche, and is only accessible at low water. Nature has completely fortified one side, by its craggy and almost perpendicular descent, which renders it impracticable to ascend it by any address or courage. The other parts are surrounded by walls fenced with semircular towers after the Gothic manner, but sufficiently strong, together with the advantage of its situation, to render it impregnable to any attack. At the foot of the mountain begins a street or town, which winds round its base to a considerable height. Above are chambers where state-prisoners are kept, and where there are other buildings intended for residence. On the summit is erected the abbey itself, occupying a prodigious space of ground, and of a strength and solidity equal to its enormous size; since it has for many centuries withstood all the injuries of the weather, to which it is so much exposed. In an apartment called the Salle de Chevalerie, the knights of St Michael used to meet in solemn convocation on important occasions. They were the defenders and guardians of this mountain and abbey, as those of the Temple, and of St John of Jerusalem, were of the holy sepulchre. The hall in which they met is very spacious, but rude and barbarous.

Michael's Mount, St, in the county of Cornwall, and in the corner of Mount's Bay, is a very high rock, only divided by the tide from the main land, so that it is land and island twice a day. The town here was burned by the French in the reign of Henry VIII. At the bottom of this mount, in digging for tin, there have been found spear-heads, battle-axes, and swords, of brass, all wrapt up in linen. The county is contracted here into a sort of isthmus. Large trees have been driven in by the sea between this mount and Penzance.