St Michael's Mount replacing the pack horses which had previously been used. Its steep gradient renders it unsafe for passenger-use, thus The National Trust has made it out-of-bounds for public access. The causeway between the mount and Marazion was improved in 1879 by raising it by with sand and stones from the surrounding area. Repairs were completed in March 2016 following damage from the 2014 winter storms. Some studies indicate that any rise in ocean waters as well as existing natural erosion would put some of the Cornwall coast at risk, including St. Michael's Mount. Until recent times both the mount and the
Mount Saint Michael careful records of seismic activity. Mount St. Michael soon gained international acknowledgement as an important seismographic center. At this time the 700 acre (2.8 km) farm provided all the food needed for the seminary. Jesuit brothers, farmers, tailors, bakers, cobblers, bee keepers and horticulturists, saw to the material needs of the community and the formation of the candidates placed in their charge. It was said to be one of the finest Jesuit houses of study in the world. In the 1960s the Jesuit order experienced a drastic drop in the number of vocations and Mount St. Michael closed its doors