Cormoran the Giant

Cormoran the giant of St Michaels Mount was one of the most fearsome giants to have inhabited Cornwall. He made his home atop of the mount and when he wasn’t hurling stones at other giants, he made a general nuisance of himself by stealing livestock and terrifying the locals.

A reward was offered in return for killing the giant and a young boy called Jack from Marazion – the town peering back at the mount from the main land was brave enough to came forward to rid the town of its curse. One night, when Cormoran was sleeping, Jack made his way across the cobbled causeway to the Mount and dug a deep pit halfway up one side and disguised it with a cover of sticks and straw.

In the morning, Jack blew on his horn to wake the giant from his slumber. The giant came running down the side of the Mount but could not see Jack as the sun was in his eyes and, not noticing the hole, fell into it. Jack than struck the giant with a mortal blow with his pick and filled the pit with earth, all that remained was his stone heart. Jack became a local hero, and from then on was known as Jack the Giant Killer.

Set in the cobbled path, leading up to the castle on St Michael’s Mount is this heart-shaped rock. Legend states that this stone is the petrified heart of the giant Cormoran. The legend continues that if you put your ear near enough to the heart stone you will hear the giant’s heatbeat….