Tresco

Tresco ( _kw. Ynys Skaw), is the second largest island of the Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, UK. It is convert|735|acre|km2 in size, measuring approximately 3.5km by 1.75km.

Geology

It offers a variety of scenery, from the rugged granite outcrops and heathland of the wild north coast to the magnificent shell-strewn beaches in the east and south. The variety of its scenery and geomorphology is in part down to the effects of the last ice age, when the Devensian ice sheet clipped the north side of the island leaving deformation till deposits.

Description

The island belongs to the Duchy of Cornwall and is leased to the Dorrien-Smith estate, which runs it as a timeshare business. The main habitations are the villages of New Grimsby and Old Grimsby in the centre of the island, where there is a shop and post office, an art gallery, a pub, and a hotel, all of which are owned and run by the Tresco Estate. In the south of the island are the famous sub-tropical Tresco Abbey Gardens and Tresco Heliport.

The character of Tresco is noticeably different from that of the other islands in the Scilly archipelago: it is primarily an upmarket holiday resort, where virtually all activity and employment is tourist-related. This contrasts with the relatively unspoilt atmosphere of the rest of the Isles of Scilly, where, although tourism remains important, it does not dominate to the same extent.

Church

See St. Nicholas' Church, Tresco.

Population

"These figures constitute permanent residents only. ""A large number of seasonal staff also reside on the island during the summer period."
* 1841 - 430
* 1861 - 399
* 1871 - 266
* 1891 - 315
* 1901 - 331
* 1911 - 315
* 1921 - 217
* 1931 - 248
* 1951 - 243
* 1961 - 283
* 1971 - 246
* 1991 - 170
* 2001 - 180

Recent developments

Since 2001, the island has hosted a marathon run organised in aid of Cystic Fibrosis. The course consists of 7.5 laps around the island. The event is always held on the same day as the London Marathon.

Late 2007 saw the completion of the Abbey Farm development - a complete rebuild of the Abbey Farm / Shed area, which served as a Sea Plane base during the First World War. New rental cottages, swimming pool and health centre and the "Flying Boat Club" bistro and restaurant are now available to selected Scillonians, all timeshare members and their guests.

Transport

Tresco is a car-free island. Farm tractors with passenger trailers are used to transport overnighting visitors to and from Tresco Heliport and from the various boat quays. There are a few golf carts for disabled visitors.

British International Helicopters operate from Tresco Heliport providing a year-round helicopter service to Penzance Heliport (up to five flights a day Mon-Sat in summer, Mon-Fri in winter).

Bryher Boats run passenger boat services to and from the other inhabited islands, as well as occasional circular sightseeing tours. Boat timings and the quay they depart from are decided daily and are displayed on notice boards around the island the evening before. The most commonly-used quays are New Grimsby and Old Grimsby; however during low tides it is sometimes necessary to use Carn Near to the south of the island (most day trip boats from St. Mary's use this quay regardless of tidal conditions due to its proximity to St. Mary's). Very occasionally, due to very low tides, it is necessary to use the beach near to Blockhouse castle.

Old buildings and monuments on Tresco

* King Charles's Castle dates from 1550-54, and was occupied by the Royalists during the English Civil War. It was later partially demolished to provide the building materials for Cromwell's Castle.
* A coastal tower known as Cromwell's Castle, was built 1651-52 with gun platform added c. 1740 by Abraham Tovey, Master Gunner.
* The Old Blockhouse gun tower protecting Old Grimsby harbour, vigorously defended during the Civil War. It was probably built between 1548 and 1552.
* Monument to Augustus Smith above Appletree Bay on the south west of the island.
* Arch from the wall of the mediæval monastery in Tresco Abbey Gardens.
* Oliver's Battery, in the south of the island, by the Carn Near quay, erected shortly after the capture of Tresco by Parliamentary forces in the English Civil War. It was built by Admiral Robert Blake.

Tresco in fiction

Because of its stunning and unique geography, plus its violent and fascinating history, Tresco has often featured in fiction. Especially famous are the books of author Sam Llewellyn, who is directly descended from island founder Augustus Smith.

* Flora Castledine, lead character of the Georgie Gale novel "Tread Softly", was born and brought up on the Isles of Scilly. Tresco is mentioned several times.
* "Why the Whales Came" by Michael Morpurgo is set in the Isles of Scilly and features Tresco several times.
* "Hell Bay", by Sam Llewellyn, is set on Tresco and fictionalises the events leading up to Augustus Smith taking ownership of the island.
* "The Sea Garden", also by Sam Llewellyn, is set on a fictional island based heavily on Tresco. It features a stunning Sea Garden much like the Tresco Abbey Gardens and the history of the fictional island draws heavily from the real history of the island.
* "Storm Islands", by Ann Quinton, is a mystery novel set on Tresco and in the Isles of Scilly.

Tresco in film and television

* In the 1989 BBC adaptation of "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader", the scenes on the Lone Islands were filmed on Tresco.

ee also

* List of shipwrecks of the Isles of Scilly

External links

* [http://www.ios-wildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife.html Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust]

References

Van Der Meer, Menzies & Rose, 2003, "Subglacial till: the deforming glacier bed", In: Quaternary Science Reviews Vol 22, pp. 1659-1685.