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{{Short description|Group of islands off the south-westernmost point of mainland Britain}}{{redirect|Scilly|the region of Italy|Sicily|the place in Surrey|Scilly Isles, Surrey|the atoll in the Society Islands, sometimes called “Scilly Atoll“|Manuae (Society Islands)}}{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}

factoids

{{convertkmabbr=on}} southwest of the Cornish peninsula}}49N20region:GB_type:isle|display=inline,title}}| grid_reference = SV8912| archipelago = British Isles| waterbody = Celtic SeaAtlantic Ocean5 inhabited, 140 others}}St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly >Tresco, Isles of Scilly >St Martin’s, Isles of Scilly >Bryher, Isles of Scilly >St Agnes}}GSS=E06000053}}(List of English districts by areaGSS=E06000053}})}}Telegraph, Isles of Scilly>Telegraph | elevation_m =51| country = United Kingdom| country_admin_divisions_title = StatusSui generis Unitary authority>unitaryCountries of the United Kingdom>Country| country_admin_divisions_1 = EnglandRegions of England>RegionSouth West England>South WestCeremonial counties of England>Ceremonial county| country_admin_divisions_3 = CornwallEnglish language>English, Cornish| country_capital_and_largest_city = Hugh Town| country_largest_city_population = 985 as of mid-2019 est.Local government in England#Councillors and mayors>LeadershipRobert Francis}}NEW APPOINTMENTS FOR COUNCILLORS 2019 | COUNCIL OF THE ISLES OF SCILLY>URL=HTTPS://SCILLY.GOV.UK/NEWS/NEW-APPOINTMENTS-COUNCILLORS-2019WEBSITE=SCILLY.GOV.UK, | country1_leader_title = ExecutiveWEBSITE=SCILLY.GOV.UK, List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 2015>MPDerek Thomas (politician)>Derek Thomas (C)GSS=E06000053}}GSS=E06000053}}{{United Kingdom district population citation}}GSS=E06000053}}| demonym = ScillonianWhite British2.4% Other White0.3% Mixed (United Kingdom ethnicity category)>MixedISLES OF SCILLY ETHNIC GROUPS >URL=HTTP://WWW.NEIGHBOURHOOD.STATISTICS.GOV.UK/DISSEMINATION/LEADTABLEVIEW.DO?A=7&B=276909&C=TR21+0LW&D=13&E=15&G=431427&I=1X1003X1004&M=0&R=0&S=1354783423692&ENC=1&DSFAMILYID=47 ACCESS-DATE=6 DECEMBER 2012 ARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20130728041324/HTTP://WWW.NEIGHBOURHOOD.STATISTICS.GOV.UK/DISSEMINATION/LEADTABLEVIEW.DO?A=7&B=276909&C=TR21+0LW&D=13&E=15&G=431427&I=1X1003X1004&M=0&R=0&S=1354783423692&ENC=1&DSFAMILYID=47, dead, | module = {{Designation list| embed = yes| designation1 = Ramsar| designation1_date = 13 August 2001RAMSAR CONVENTION>RAMSAR SITES INFORMATION SERVICEACCESS-DATE=25 APRIL 2018, }}www.scilly.gov.uk/}}}}The Isles of Scilly ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|ɪ|l|i}} {{respell|SIL|ee}}; , , or )ENCYCLOPEDIA, Harris, Steve, 2018, enys, 109, A Learner’s Cornish Dictionary, Ors Sempel, 978-0-9930764-3-5, is an archipelago off the southwestern tip of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. One of the islands, St Agnes, is over {{convert|4|mi|km|0|abbr=off|spell=on}} further south than the most southerly point of the British mainland at Lizard Point.The total population of the islands at the 2021 United Kingdom census was 2,100 (rounded to the nearest 100).WEB, Build a custom area profile - Census 2021, ONS,www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/customprofiles/draw/, 2024-03-27, www.ons.gov.uk, en, Scilly forms part of the ceremonial county of Cornwall, and some services are combined with those of Cornwall. However, since 1890, the islands have had a separate local authority. Since the passing of the Isles of Scilly Order 1930, this authority has had the status of a county council, and today it is known as the Council of the Isles of Scilly.The adjective “Scillonian” is sometimes used for people or things related to the archipelago. The Duchy of Cornwall owns most of the freehold land on the islands. Tourism is a major part of the local economy, along with agriculture—particularly the production of cut flowers.

Etymology

Historically, the Isles of Scilly were known in Latin as Insulae Sillinae,BOOK, Holmes, T. Rice,books.google.com/books?id=liDDDwAAQBAJ&dq=insulae+Sillinae&pg=PT680, Ancient Britain and the Invasions of Julius Caesar, 22 November 2019, Good Press, en, Silina or Siluruni,BOOK, Müller, Johann Wilhelm,books.google.com/books?id=7zrjJpuL7ZQC&dq=insulae+Sillinae&pg=RA3-PA110, Lexicon manuale, geographiam antiquam et mediam cum Lat. tum Germ. illustrans, 1831, la, corresponding to Greek forms Σίλυρες and Σύρινες.BOOK, Ptolemy,books.google.com/books?id=qmw0AQAAMAAJ&dq=%25CE%25A3%25CE%25AF%25CE%25BB%25CF%2585%25CF%2581%25CE%25B5%25CF%2582&pg=PA101, GeōgraphikÄ“ hyphÄ“uÄ“sis: pars 1. Lib. I-III, 1883, A. Firmin Didot, la, Note on p. 101, In the Late Middle Ages they were known to European navigators as Sorlingas (Spanish, Portuguese)BOOK,books.google.com/books?id=6LwBAAAAYAAJ&dq=sorlingas+islas&pg=PA518, Derrotero de las islas Antillas: de las costas de Tierra Firme, y de las del seno Mejicano, 1820, Imprenta Real, es, or Sorlingues (French). In the Cornish language, the Isles of Scilly is .BOOK,www.worldcat.org/oclc/434563955, An gerlyver meur : Cornish-English, English-Cornish dictionary, 2009, Cornish Language Board, Ken George, 978-1-902917-84-9, 2nd, Cornwall, 609, 434563955, The etymology is unknown.BOOK, Mills, A. D.,www.worldcat.org/oclc/54381298, A dictionary of British place-names, 2003, Oxford University Press, 978-0-19-173944-6, Oxford, 54381298, 408, Some authors suggest the Latin Sillinae is derived or related to solis insulae, “the Isles of the Sun”.BOOK, Fishwick, Mark,books.google.com/books?id=7dQREAAAQBAJ&dq=insulae+Sillinae&pg=PT376, West Country Cruising Companion: A yachtsman’s pilot and cruising guide to ports and harbours from Portland Bill to Padstow, including the Isles of Scilly, 2021, Fernhurst Books Limited, 978-1-912621-18-7, en,

History

{{History of the British Isles}}

Early history

The islands may correspond to the Cassiterides (’Tin Isles’) believed by some to have been visited by the Phoenicians, and mentioned by the Greeks. While Cornwall is an ancient tin-mining region,JOURNAL, Champion, Timothy, The appropriation of the Phoenicians in British imperial ideology, Nations and Nationalism, 7, 4, 451–65, 10.1111/1469-8219.00027, 2001, there is no evidence of substantial tin mining activity on the islands.During the Late Roman Empire, the islands may have been a place of exile. At least one Tiberianus from Hispania and the bishop Instantius are known to have been condemned near 385 to banishment in the isles, in the sequence of priscillianists’ prosecution.BOOK, Chadwick, Henry, Priscillian of Avila, 1976, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 9780198266433, 144–145, The isles were off the coast of the Brittonic Celtic kingdom of Dumnonia and later its offshoot, Kernow (Cornwall), until ca. 570 when the modern Midlands, and in 577 the Severn Valley similarly both fell into Anglo Saxon control, splitting the remaining Britons into 3 separate regions in the West (Cornwall), Wales and Cumbria/Ystrad Clyd (Strathclyde).The Islands may have been a part of these polities until the short lived conquest by the English in the 10th century AD was cut short by the Norman conquest.It is likely that until relatively recent times the islands were much larger and perhaps joined into one island named Ennor. Rising sea levels flooded the central plain around 400–500 AD, forming the current 55 islands and islets, if an island is defined as “land surrounded by water at high tide and supporting land vegetation”.BOOK, Bowley, Rex Lyon, Bowley, Ernest Lyon, 2004, The Fortunate Islands: The Story of the Isles of Scilly, Ninth, St. Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, Bowley Publications, 978-0-900184-40-6, Originally written by Ernest Lyon Bowley and published in 1945 by W. P. Kennedy. The word ’ is a contraction of the Old CornishWEB, Duncan, Steve, 1 January 2000, Scillonian Dictionary,www.scillyarchive.com/page/scillonian_dictionary.html, 23 December 2016, ’ (’, mutated to ’), meaning ‘the land’ or the ‘great island’.BOOK, Charles, Thomas, 1985, Exploration of a Drowned Landscape: Archaeology and History of the Isles of Scilly, London, Batsford, 978-0-7134-4852-8,books.google.com/books?id=5Qd8AAAAIAAJ, Google Books, Evidence for the older large island includes:

• A description written during Roman times designates Scilly “” in the singular, indicating either a single island or an island much bigger than any of the others.BOOK, Duck, R. W.,www.worldcat.org/oclc/1145888878, This shrinking land : climate change and Britain’s coasts, 2011, 978-1-4744-6785-8, Dundee, 14, 1145888878,
• Remains of a prehistoric farm have been found on Nornour, which is now a small rocky skerry far too small for farming.JOURNAL, Dudley, Dorothy, Excavations on Nor’Nour in the Isles of Scilly, 1962–6, The Archaeological Journal, CXXIV, 1967, ; (includes the description of over 250 Roman fibulae found at the site) There once was an Iron Age British community here that extended into Roman times. This community was likely formed by immigrants from Brittany, probably the Veneti who were active in the tin trade that originated in mining activity in Cornwall and Devon.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}
• At certain low tides the sea becomes shallow enough for people to walk between some of the islands.WEB,www.scillytoday.com/2013/08/22/scillys-unique-inter-island-walk-sets-off-this-morning/, Scilly’s Unique Inter Island Walk Sets Off This Morning, Scilly Today, 22 August 2013, 9 June 2015, This is possibly one of the sources for stories of drowned lands, e.g. Lyonesse.
• Ancient field walls are visible below the high tide line off some of the islands, such as Samson.
• Some of the Cornish language place names also appear to reflect past shorelines, and former land areas.BOOK, Weatherhill, Craig, Craig Weatherhill, 2007, Cornish Placenames and Language, Wilmslow, Sigma Leisure,
• The whole of southern England has been steadily sinking in opposition to post-glacial rebound in Scotland: this has caused the rias (drowned river valleys) on the southern Cornish coast, e.g. River Fal and the Tamar Estuary.

Offshore, midway between Land’s End and the Isles of Scilly, is the supposed location of the mythical lost land of Lyonesse, referred to in Arthurian literature, of which Tristan is said to have been a prince. This may be a folk memory of inundated lands, but this legend is also common among the Brythonic peoples; the legend of Ys is a parallel and cognate legend in Brittany as is that of in Wales.Scilly has been identified as the place of exile of two heretical 4th century bishops, Instantius and Tiberianus, who were followers of Priscillian.WEB,www.ccel.org/ccel/wace/biodict.html?term=Priscillianus%20and%20Priscillianism,%20Priscillian, Priscillianus and Priscillianism, Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of Sixth Century, 11 December 2010,

Norse and Norman period

File:Peter nicolai arbo, olaf tryggvasson king.jpg|thumb|Olaf Tryggvason, who visited the islands in 986. It is said an encounter with a cleric there led him to Christianise NorwayNorwayFile:EmpireNorth.JPG|thumb|At the time of King Cnut, the Isles of Scilly fell outside England’s rule, as did Cornwall and Wales.]]In 995, Olaf Tryggvason became King Olaf I of Norway. Born {{circa}} 960, Olaf had raided various European cities and fought in several wars. In 986 he met a Christian seer on the Isles of Scilly. He was probably a follower of Priscillian and part of the tiny Christian community that was exiled here from Spain by Emperor Maximus for Priscillianism.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}} In Snorri Sturluson’s Royal Sagas of Norway, it is stated that this seer told him:Thou wilt become a renowned king, and do celebrated deeds. Many men wilt thou bring to faith and baptism, and both to thy own and others’ good; and that thou mayst have no doubt of the truth of this answer, listen to these tokens. When thou comest to thy ships many of thy people will conspire against thee, and then a battle will follow in which many of thy men will fall, and thou wilt be wounded almost to death, and carried upon a shield to thy ship; yet after seven days thou shalt be well of thy wounds, and immediately thou shalt let thyself be baptised.BOOK, Sturlason, Snorri, King Olaf Trygvason’s Saga, 1225, Heimskringla, non, The legend continues that, as the seer foretold, Olaf was attacked by a group of mutineers upon returning to his ships. As soon as he had recovered from his wounds, he let himself be baptised. He then stopped raiding Christian cities, and lived in England and Ireland. In 995, he used an opportunity to return to Norway. When he arrived, the Haakon Jarl was facing a revolt. Olaf Tryggvason persuaded the rebels to accept him as their king, and Jarl Haakon was murdered by his own slave, while he was hiding from the rebels in a pig sty.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}With the Norman Conquest, the Isles of Scilly came more under centralised Norman control. About 20 years later, the Domesday survey was conducted. The islands would have formed part of the “Exeter Domesday” circuit, which included Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, and Wiltshire.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}In the mid-12th century, there was reportedly a Viking attack on the Isles of Scilly, called by the Norse,BOOK, Anderson, Joseph, 1893, Orkneyinga saga, Jón A., Hjaltalin, Gilbert, Goudie, Edinburgh, James Thin and Mercat Press, 1990, reprint, 9780901824257, recorded in the —Sweyn Asleifsson “went south, under Ireland, and seized a barge belonging to some monks in Syllingar and plundered it.” (Chap LXXIII)...the three chiefs—Swein, Þorbjörn and Eirik—went out on a plundering expedition. They went first to the Suðreyar [Hebrides], and all along the west to the Syllingar, where they gained a great victory in Maríuhöfn on Columba’s-mass [9 June], and took much booty. Then they returned to the Orkneys.“” literally means “Mary’s Harbour/Haven”. The name does not make it clear if it referred to a harbour on a larger island than today’s St Mary’s, or a whole island.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}It is generally considered that Cornwall, and possibly the Isles of Scilly, came under the dominion of the English Crown for a period until the Norman conquest, late in the reign of Æthelstan ({{abbr|r.|reigned}} 924–939). In early times one group of islands was in the possession of a confederacy of hermits. King Henry I (r. 1100–35) gave it to the abbey of Tavistock who established a priory on Tresco, which was abolished at the Reformation.BOOK, The Cornish Church Guide, Henderson, Charles, Truro, Oscar Blackford, 1925, 194,

Later Middle Ages and early modern period

File:Kernow Hundreds.png|thumb|Scilly was one of the Hundreds of CornwallHundreds of Cornwall(File:Scilly-bartholomew02 large.jpg|thumb|Scilly Isles: map by John Bartholomew (1874))At the turn of the 14th century, the Abbot and convent of Tavistock Abbey petitioned the king,stat[ing] that they hold certain isles in the sea between Cornwall and Ireland, of which the largest is called Scilly, to which ships come passing between France, Normandy, Spain, Bayonne, Gascony, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Cornwall: and, because they feel that in the event of a war breaking out between the kings of England and France, or between any of the other places mentioned, they would not have enough power to do justice to these sailors, they ask that they might exchange these islands for lands in Devon, saving the churches on the islands appropriated to them.WEB,www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=7710638&queryType=1&resultcount=7, Petitioners: Abbot and convent of Tavistock. Addressees: King and council., 25 November 2014, The National Archives (United Kingdom), The National Archives, William le Poer, coroner of Scilly, is recorded in 1305 as being worried about the extent of wrecking in the islands, and sending a petition to the King. The names provide a wide variety of origins, e.g. Robert and Henry Sage (English), Richard de Tregenestre (Cornish), Ace de Veldre (French), Davy Gogch (possibly Welsh, or Cornish), and Adam le Fuiz Yaldicz (possibly Spanish).{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}It is not known at what point the islanders stopped speaking the Cornish language, but the language seems to have gone into decline in Cornwall beginning in the Late Middle Ages; it was still dominant between the islands and Bodmin at the time of the Reformation, but it suffered an accelerated decline thereafter. The islands appear to have lost the old Bryttonic (Celtic P) language before parts of Penwith on the mainland, in contrast to its Welsh sister language. Cornish is not directly linked to Irish or Scottish Gaelic which falls into the Celtic Q group of languages .{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}During the English Civil War, the Parliamentarians captured the isles, only to see their garrison mutiny and return the isles to the Royalists. By 1651 the Royalist governor, Sir John Grenville, was using the islands as a base for privateering raids on Commonwealth and Dutch shipping. The Dutch admiral Maarten Tromp sailed to the isles and on arriving on 30 May 1651 demanded compensation. In the absence of compensation or a satisfactory reply, he declared war on England in June. It was during this period that the disputed Three Hundred and Thirty Five Years’ War started between the isles and the Netherlands.In June 1651, Admiral Robert Blake recaptured the isles for the Parliamentarians. Blake’s initial attack on Old Grimsby failed, but the next attacks succeeded in taking Tresco and Bryher. Blake placed a battery on Tresco to fire on St Mary’s, but one of the guns exploded, killing its crew and injuring Blake. A second battery proved more successful. Subsequently, Grenville and Blake negotiated terms that permitted the Royalists to surrender honourably. The Parliamentary forces then set to fortifying the islands. They built Cromwell’s Castle—a gun platform on the west side of Tresco—using materials scavenged from an earlier gun platform further up the hill. Although this poorly sited earlier platform dated back to the 1550s, it is now referred to as King Charles’s Castle.The Isles of Scilly served as a place of exile during the English Civil War. Among those exiled there was Unitarian Jon Biddle.BOOK, Worden, Blair, 2012,books.google.com/books?id=evIKK1WdYdcC&pg=PA79, God’s Instruments: Political Conduct in the England of Oliver Cromwell, Oxford University Press, 79–81, 9780199570492, During the night of 22 October 1707, the isles were the scene of one of the worst maritime disasters in British history, when out of a fleet of 21 Royal Navy ships headed from Gibraltar to Portsmouth, six were driven onto the cliffs. Four of the ships sank or capsized, with at least 1,450 dead, including the commanding admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell.There is evidence of inundation by the tsunami caused by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake.JOURNAL, Banerjee, D., Scilly Isles, UK: optical dating of a possible tsunami deposit from the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, Quaternary Science Reviews, 1 December 2001, 20, 5–9, 715–718,www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277379100000421, 30 March 2015, 10.1016/s0277-3791(00)00042-1, etal, 2001QSRv...20..715B,

Geography

File:Isles of Scilly NASA.jpg|thumb|The Isles of Scilly, viewed from the International Space StationInternational Space Station(File:Scilly Isles Locator Map.png|thumb|Location of the Isles of Scilly (circled))File:Scilly wards parishes.png|thumb|The five wards (which are also the civil parishes) of the Isles of Scilly; red is St Agnes, blue is Bryher, orange is Tresco, green is St Martin’s, and grey is St Mary’s.]]The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago of five inhabited islands (six if Gugh is counted separately from St Agnes) and numerous other small rocky islets (around 140 in total) lying {{convert|45|km|nmi|frac=2|abbr=off}} off Land’s End.BOOK, Natural Wonders of the World, Reader’s Digest Association, Inc, 1980, 978-0-89577-087-5, Scheffel, Richard L., United States of America, 340, Wernet, Susan J., The islands’ position produces a place of great contrast; the ameliorating effect of the sea, greatly influenced by the North Atlantic Current, means they rarely have frost or snow, which allows local farmers to grow flowers well ahead of those in mainland Britain. The chief agricultural product is cut flowers, mostly daffodils. Exposure to Atlantic winds also means that spectacular winter gales lash the islands from time to time. {{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}This is reflected in the landscape, most clearly seen on Tresco where the lush Abbey Gardens on the sheltered southern end of the island contrast with the low heather and bare rock sculpted by the wind on the exposed northern end.BOOK, Mumford, Clive,www.worldcat.org/oclc/859198, Portrait of the Isles of Scilly, Robert Hale, 1980, 0-7091-1718-3, 3rd, London, 188–189, en, 859198, Natural England has designated the Isles of Scilly as National Character Area 158.WEB,www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/158_Isles_of_scilly_tcm6-32162.pdf, NCA 158: Isles of Scilly Key Facts & Data, www.naturalengland.org.uk., 8 September 2013, As part of a 2002 marketing campaign, the plant conservation charity Plantlife chose sea thrift (Armeria maritima) as the “county flower” of the islands.WEB, Thorgrim, 14 December 2003, Nornour, The Megalithic Portal,www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=7614, 5 May 2021, WEB,www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/plantlife-discovering-plants-county-flowers-england-islesofscilly.htm, County flower of Isles of Scilly, Plantlife International â€“ The Wild Plant Conservation Charity, 7 April 2006, dead,www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/plantlife-discovering-plants-county-flowers-england-islesofscilly.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20070318142059www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/plantlife-discovering-plants-county-flowers-england-islesofscilly.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20070318142059www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/plantlife-discovering-plants-county-flowers-england-islesofscilly.htm, 18 March 2007, {|class=“wikitable sortable“!rowspan=2|Island!rowspan=2| Population(Census 2001)! colspan=2| Area{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}! colspan=2| Density{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}! rowspan=2| Main settlement{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}! km2! sq mi! per km2! per sq miSt Mary’s, Isles of Scilly>St Mary’s style="text-align:right;”6.582sortable=on}} {{convert/km2sortable=on}} Hugh TownTresco, Isles of Scilly>Tresco style="text-align:right;”2.972sortable=on}} {{convert/km2sortable=on}} New GrimsbySt Martin’s, Isles of Scilly>St Martin’s (with White Island, Isles of Scilly)> 142 {{convertkm2disp=table60.0disp=tableHigher Town, Isles of Scilly>Higher TownSt. Agnes, Isles of Scilly>St Agnes (with Gugh, Isles of Scilly) > 73 {{convertkm2disp=table49.3disp=tableMiddle Town, St Agnes>Middle TownBryher, Isles of Scilly>Bryher (with Gweal, Isles of Scilly)> 92 {{convertkm2disp=table70.0disp=table| The TownSamson, Isles of Scilly>Samson style="text-align:right;”0.382sortable=on}} style="text-align:right;”|  Annet, Isles of Scilly>Annet style="text-align:right;”0.212sortable=on}} style="text-align:right;”| St Helen’s, Isles of Scilly>St. Helen’s style="text-align:right;”0.202sortable=on}} style="text-align:right;”|  Teän> â€“ {{convertkm2disp=table -  Great Ganilly> â€“ {{convertkm2disp=table -   â€“ {{convertkm2disp=table -  !Isles of Scilly!! style="text-align:right;“| 2,153 ! {{convert|16.37|km2|2|disp=table|sortable=on}}!  !!  !!Hugh Town(1) Inhabited until 1855.BOOK, Bowley, R. L.,www.worldcat.org/oclc/60559326, The Fortunate Islands: The story of the Isles of Scilly, Bowley Publications, 2004, 0-900184-40-X, 9th, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, 96, en, 60559326, In 1975 the islands were designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The designation covers the entire archipelago, including the uninhabited islands and rocks, and is the smallest such area in the UK. The islands of Annet and Samson have large terneries and the islands are well populated by seals. The Isles of Scilly are the only British haunt of the lesser white-toothed shrew (Crocidura suaveolens), where it is known locally as a ”teak” or ”teke”.MAGAZINE, Robinson, H.W., 1925, A New British Animal Discovered in Scilly, Scillonian, 4, 123–124, The islands are famous among birdwatchers for the large variety of rare and migratory birds that visit the islands. The peak time of year for sightings is generally in the autumn.WEB, 2 March 2016, Birdwatching - The Isles of Scilly,www.cornwalls.co.uk/wildlife/birdwatching/isles_of_scilly.htm, 22 May 2022, Cornwall Guide, en,

Tidal influx

The tidal range at the Isles of Scilly is high for an open sea location; the maximum for St Mary’s is {{convert|5.99|m|ftin|frac=2|abbr=on}}. Additionally, the inter-island waters are mostly shallow, which at spring tides allows for dry land walking between several of the islands. Many of the northern islands can be reached from Tresco, including Bryher, Samson and St Martin’s (requires very low tides). From St Martin’s White Island, Little Ganilly and Great Arthur are reachable. Although the sound between St Mary’s and Tresco, The Road, is fairly shallow, it never becomes totally dry, but according to some sources it should be possible to wade at extreme low tides. Around St Mary’s several minor islands become accessible, including Taylor’s Island on the west coast and Tolls Island on the east coast. From Saint Agnes, Gugh becomes accessible at each low tide, via a tombolo.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

Climate

The Isles of Scilly have an oceanic (Köppen: Cfb), or humid subtropical (Trewartha: Cf) climate.WEB, Subtropical Cornwall climate could mean exotic new crops, 12 July 2016, University of Exeter,www.exeter.ac.uk/news/featurednews/title_528495_en.html, The average annual temperature is {{convert|12.0|°C|F|1|abbr=on}}, the warmest place in the British Isles.NEWS, Hickman, Leo, 10 April 2011, Isles of Scilly turn heat on Jersey over ‘warmest place in Britain’ claim, The Guardian,www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/apr/10/isles-of-scilly-jersey-warmest-britain, The Met Office officially recognises Scilly as the warmest place in the UK., Winters are, by far, the warmest in the UK due to the moderating effects of the North Atlantic Drift of the Gulf Stream.JOURNAL, Killingley, Eileen, 2011, Bromeliads of Tresco Abbey Garden, Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, England, Journal of the Bromeliad Society, 61, 6, 268–276,go.gale.com/ps/anonymous?id=GALE|A610341900, While the Scillies do have the warming influence of the Gulf Stream they are also subject to cold winter gales., JOURNAL, Cooper, Leslie H. N., 1961, The oceanography of the Celtic Sea. I. Wind drift, Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 41, 2, 223–233, 10.1017/S0025315400023870, 86325502,plymsea.ac.uk/2131/1/The_oceanography_of_the_Celtic_Sea__I._Wind_drift.pdf, Despite being on exactly the same latitude as Winnipeg in Canada, snow and frost are extremely rare. The maximum snowfall was {{convert|23|cm|in|frac=2|abbr=on}} on 12 January 1987.WEB,www.metoffice.gov.uk/media/pdf/c/n/MetLIB_13_013_FactSheet_7_Final.pdf, Fact Sheet – South West England, 17, Met Office,www.metoffice.gov.uk/media/pdf/c/n/MetLIB_13_013_FactSheet_7_Final.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20140524004028www.metoffice.gov.uk/media/pdf/c/n/MetLIB_13_013_FactSheet_7_Final.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20140524004028www.metoffice.gov.uk/media/pdf/c/n/MetLIB_13_013_FactSheet_7_Final.pdf, 24 May 2014, Summer heat is moderated by the Atlantic Ocean and summer temperatures are not as warm as on the mainland. However, the Isles are one of the sunniest areas in the southwest with an average of seven hours per day in May. The lowest temperature ever recorded was {{convert|-7.2|°C|F|1|abbr=on}} and the highest was {{convert|27.8|°C|F|1|abbr=on}}.WEB, Extreme Temperatures Around the World: world highest lowest recorded temperatures, Maximiliano Herrera,www.mherrera.org/temp.htm, The isles have never recorded a temperature below freezing in the months from May to November inclusive. Precipitation (the overwhelming majority of which is rain) averages about {{Convert|35|in|mm|abbr=on}} per year. The wettest months are from October to January, while April and May are the driest months.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}{{Isles of Scilly weatherbox}}

Geology

(File:The Victoria history of the county of Cornwall (1906) (14754540266).jpg|thumb|right|Geological map of western Cornwall, with the Isles of Scilly (inset))All the islands of Scilly are all composed of granite rock of Early Permian age, an exposed part of the Cornubian batholith.BOOK, Barrow, George, 1906, The Geology of the Isles of Scilly, Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain. England and Wales (New Series) No. 357, HM Stationery Office,books.google.com/books?id=prYMAAAAYAAJ, JOURNAL, Darbyshire, D. P. Fiona, Shepherd, Thomas J., 1994, Nd and Sr isotope constraints on the origin of the Cornubian batholith, SW England, Journal of the Geological Society, 151, 5, 795, 10.1144/gsjgs.151.5.0795, 1994JGSoc.151..795D, 128417340,jgs.lyellcollection.org/cgi/content/abstract/151/5/795, The Irish Sea Glacier terminated just to the north of the Isles of Scilly during the last ice age.JOURNAL, Hiemstra, John F., etal, New evidence for a grounded Irish Sea glaciation of the Isles of Scilly, UK, Quaternary Science Reviews, February 2006, 25, 3–4, 299–309,www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277379105000491, 29 March 2015, 10.1016/j.quascirev.2005.01.013, 2006QSRv...25..299H, 1885/20102, 131144622, free, JOURNAL, Scourse, James D., 1991, Late Pleistocene Stratigraphy and Palaeobotany of the Isles of Scilly, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences, 334, 1271, 405–448,rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/334/1271/405.short, 10.1098/rstb.1991.0125, 1991RSPTB.334..405S, 29 March 2015,

Ancient monuments and historic buildings

{{prose|date=January 2023}}(File:Isles of Scilly Ancient Monuments Map O’Neil 1949.jpg|thumb|Map of ancient monuments on the Isles of ScillyBOOK, B.H.St.J., O’Neil, Ancient Monuments of the Isles of Scilly. Ministry of Works Official Guide-book, 1949, Her Majesty’s Stationery Office (HMSO), 561729732,archive.org/details/isles-of-scilly, )Historic sites on the Isles of Scilly include:{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

• Bant’s Carn, a Bronze Age entrance grave
• Halangy Down Ancient Village
• Porth Hellick Down Burial Chamber
• Innisidgen Lower and Upper Burial Chambers
• The Old Blockhouse
• King Charles’s Castle
• Harry’s Walls, an unfinished artillery fort
• Garrison Tower
• Cromwell’s Castle

Flora

The Isles of Scilly have been a famous location for flower farming for centuries, and in that time horticultural flora has become a mainstay of the Scilonian economy.Due to the oceanic climate or humid subtropical found on the Isles of Scilly the isles have the unique ability to grow a multitude of plants found around the world. Perhaps the most prominently grown flower on the Isles are the scented Narcissi or Narcissus, commonly known as the daffodil. There are flower farms on the isles of St. Agnes, St. Mary’s, as well as St. Martin’s and Bryher. The scented Narcissi are grown October through April, scented pinks or Dianthus are the second most notably grown flower on the isles which are in full bloom from May through September. Summer time on the Isles provides the temperate conditions for the blossom of many more types of plant. Bermuda Buttercup or Oxalis pes-caprae are very often found growing in bulb fields. In early summer, Digitalis colloquially known as foxgloves grow amongst hedgerows and bramble.Other common sprouting plants throughout the summer season include:

• Ixia maculata
• Iris pseudacorus
• Lythrum salicaria
• Oenanthe crocata

In saturated areas you might observe:

• Anagallis tenella
• Mentha aquatica
• Stellaria alsine
• Triadenum

Hedgerows were planted a century ago as windbreaks to protect the crop fields and to survive a battering from storms and sea spray it is necessary to have sturdy roots and be a species that can withstand salt and gusts.A many species of exotic plants have been brought in over the years including some trees; however there are still few remaining native tree species on the Isles of Scilly: these include elm, elder, hawthorn and grey sallow.

Fauna

{{expand section|date=March 2024}}Scilly is situated far into the Atlantic Ocean, so many North American vagrant birds will make first European landfall in the archipelago.Scilly is responsible for many firsts for Britain, and is particularly good at producing vagrant American passerines. If an extremely rare bird turns up, the island will see a significant increase in numbers of birders.

Government

(File:Baner ynysek Syllan.svg|thumb|The Scillonian Cross, the flag of the Isles of Scilly.)File:Flag of Cornwall.svg|thumb|Saint Piran’s Cross, the flag of Cornwall. The Isles of Scilly were one of the Hundreds of Cornwall, and although they have been administratively separate since 1890, they are still part of the ceremonial county of CornwallCornwall

Governors of Scilly

Historically, the Isles of Scilly were primarily ruled by a Proprietor/Governor. The governor was a military commission made by the monarch in consultation with the Admiralty in recognition of the islands’ strategic position. The office of Governor was pre-eminent in military law but not in civil law, where the magistracy was vested in the Proprietor, who had a leasehold from the Duchy of Cornwall of the islands’ land area. Usually the Proprietor served as Governor, although, according to Robert Heath, a Major Bennett was Governor for a short time before Proprietor Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin was commissioned on 7 July 1733. The Proprietor/Governor was non-resident, delegating the military functions to a Lieutenant-Governor and the civil functions to a Council of twelve residents.BOOK, Woodley, George, A View of the Present State of the Scilly Islands, 1822, F. C. and J. Rivington; Longman; Carthew, County Library, Truro, London, 93–104,books.google.com/books?id=YadfAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA89, en, Of the Civil, Military, and Ecclesiastical Government of the Scilly Islands, An early governor of Scilly was Thomas Godolphin, whose son Francis received a lease on the Isles in 1568. The Godolphins and their Osborne relatives held this position until 1831, when George Osbourne, 6th Duke of Leeds surrendered the lease to the islands, with them then returning to direct rule from the Duchy of Cornwall. In 1834 Augustus Smith acquired the lease from the Duchy for £20,000, and created the title Lord Proprietor of the Isles of Scilly. The lease remained in his family until it expired for most of the Isles in 1920 when ownership reverted to back to the Duchy of Cornwall. Today, the Dorrien-Smith family still holds the lease for the island of Tresco.BOOK, Bowley, R. L., The Fortunate Islands, Bowley Publications, 2004, 0-900184-40-X, 9th, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, En,

National government

Politically, the islands are part of England, one of the four countries of the United Kingdom.LEGISLATION UK, act, 1978, 30, Interpretation Act 1978, 1, “England” means, subject to any alteration of boundaries under Part IV of the Local Government Act 1972, the area consisting of the counties established by section 1 of that Act, Greater London and the Isles of Scilly. [1st April 1974]., 16 February 2024, They are represented in the UK Parliament as part of the St Ives constituency. As part of the United Kingdom, the islands were part of the European Union and were represented in the European Parliament as part of the multi-member South West England constituency.WEB, Your MP and MEPs {{!, Council of the ISLES OF SCILLY |url=https://scilly.gov.uk/council/your-mp |access-date=29 January 2023 |website=scilly.gov.uk}}

Local government

{{See also|Council of the Isles of Scilly}}Historically, the Isles of Scilly were administered as one of the hundreds of Cornwall, although the Cornwall quarter sessions had limited jurisdiction there. For judicial purposes, shrievalty purposes, and lieutenancy purposes, the Isles of Scilly are “deemed to form part of the county of Cornwall”.Local Government Act 1972 (1972 c.70) section 216(2)The Local Government Act 1888 allowed the Local Government Board to establish in the Isles of Scilly “councils and other local authorities separate from those of the county of Cornwall“... “for the application to the islands of any act touching local government.” Accordingly, in 1890 the Isles of Scilly Rural District Council (the RDC) was formed as a sui generis unitary authority, outside the administrative county of Cornwall. Cornwall County Council provided some services to the Isles, for which the RDC made financial contributions. The Isles of Scilly Order 1930WEB,www.legislation.gov.uk/uksro/1930/216/pdfs/uksro_19300216_en.pdf, Isles of Scilly Order 1930, The National Archives, granted the council the “powers, duties and liabilities” of a county council. Section 265 of the Local Government Act 1972 allowed for the continued existence of the RDC, but renamed as the Council of the Isles of Scilly.WEB, Isles of Scilly Cornwall through time,www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp?u_id=10076742&c_id=10171878, visionofbritain.org.uk, 19 January 2007, WEB, Isles of Scilly RD Cornwall through time,www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10026210&c_id=10001043, visionofbritain.org.uk, 19 January 2007, dead,www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10026210&c_id=10001043," title="web.archive.org/web/20070506230150www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10026210&c_id=10001043,">web.archive.org/web/20070506230150www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10026210&c_id=10001043, 6 May 2007, This unusual status also means that much administrative law (for example relating to the functions of local authorities, the health service and other public bodies) that applies in the rest of England applies in modified form in the islands.Examples include the Health and Social Care Act 2003, section 198 and the Environment Act 1995, section 117.With a total population of just over 2,000, the council represents fewer inhabitants than many English parish councils, and is by far the smallest English unitary council. {{As of|2015}}, 130 people are employed full-time by the councilLeijser, Theo (2015) Scilly Now & Then no. 77 p. 35 to provide local services (including water supply and air traffic control). These numbers are significant, in that almost 10% of the adult population of the islands is directly linked to the council, as an employee or a councillor.WEB, Council of the Isles of Scilly Corporate Assessment December 2002, Audit Commission (United Kingdom), Audit Commission,www.audit-commission.gov.uk/Products/CPA-CORP-ASSESS-REPORT/5B3C6E84-EA60-4359-A9F5-4A0FC538812D/IslesofScillyCARpt.pdf, 21 January 2007, The Council consists of 16 elected councillors, 12 of whom are returned by the ward of St Mary’s, and one from each of four “off-island” wards (St Martin’s, St Agnes, Bryher, and Tresco). The latest elections took place on 6 May 2021; all 15 councillors elected were independents.WEB, Elections | Council of the ISLES OF SCILLY,www.scilly.gov.uk/council-democracy/elections, 10 February 2023, www.scilly.gov.uk, One seat, for the island of Bryher, received no nominations and remained vacant until filled by a further independent councillor on 28 May.WEB, Councillors and Committees | Council of the ISLES OF SCILLY,committees.scilly.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=50001335, 10 February 2023, committees.scilly.gov.uk, The council is headquartered at Town Hall, by The Parade park in Hugh Town, and also performs the administrative functions of the AONB PartnershipWEB,www.ios-aonb.info, Welcome to the Isles of Scilly Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Isles of Scilly Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), 9 June 2015, and the Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority.WEB,www.scillyifca.gov.uk, Welcome to the Isles of Scilly Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority, Isles of Scilly IFCA, Some aspects of local government are shared with Cornwall, including health, and the Council of the Isles of Scilly together with Cornwall Council form a Local Enterprise Partnership. In July 2015 a devolution deal was announced by the government under which Cornwall Council and the Council of the Isles of Scilly are to create a plan to bring health and social care services together under local control. The Local Enterprise Partnership is also to be bolstered.NEWS, Cornwall devolution: First county with new powers,www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-33542592, 27 August 2015, BBC News Online, 16 July 2015,

Flags

File:St Mary’s Church, Hugh Town.JPG|thumb|The Scillonian Cross flying above St Mary’s Church in Hugh Town.]]Two flags are used to represent Scilly, The Scillonian Cross, selected by readers of Scilly News in a 2002 vote and then registered with the Flag Institute as the flag of the islands,WEB,news.scillyarchive.com/2003/04/how_do_you_get_a_scillonian_cross.html,news.scillyarchive.com/2003/04/how_do_you_get_a_scillonian_cross.html," title="archive.today/20130411190218news.scillyarchive.com/2003/04/how_do_you_get_a_scillonian_cross.html,">archive.today/20130411190218news.scillyarchive.com/2003/04/how_do_you_get_a_scillonian_cross.html, dead, 11 April 2013, How Do You Get A Scillonian Cross, Scilly Archive, 16 January 2007, WEB,www.flaginstitute.org/wp/flags/islesofscilly/, Isles of Scilly – The Flag Institute, The Flag Institute, 25 July 2017, and the flag of the Council of the Isles of Scilly, which incorporates the council’s logo and represents the council.WEB,www.fotw.info/flags/gb-co-is.html, Isles of Scilly (United Kingdom), fotw.net, 16 January 2007, An adapted version of the old Board of Ordnance flag has also been used, after it was left behind when munitions were removed from the isles. The “Cornish Ensign” (the Cornish cross with the Union Jack in the canton) has also been used.WEB,www.fotw.info/flags/gb-corn.html, Cornwall (United Kingdom), fotw.net, 16 January 2007, dead,web.archive.org/web/20070117170419/https://www.fotw.info/flags/gb-corn.html, 17 January 2007,

Emergency services

The Isles of Scilly form part of the Devon and Cornwall Police force area. There is a police station in Hugh Town.BOOK, Taylor, Colin,www.worldcat.org/oclc/974938409, The life of a Scilly sergeant, 2017, 978-1-78475-515-7, London, 974938409, The Cornwall Air Ambulance helicopter provides cover to the islands.Busy week for Cornwall Air Ambulance Scilly TodayThe islands have their own independent fire brigade – the Isles of Scilly Fire and Rescue Service – which is staffed entirely by retained firefighters on all the inhabited islands.WEB, Fire & Rescue {{!, Council of the ISLES OF SCILLY |url=https://scilly.gov.uk/community-safety/fire-rescue |access-date=9 January 2022 |website=scilly.gov.uk}}The emergency ambulance service is provided by the South Western Ambulance Service with full-time paramedics employed to cover the islands working with emergency care attendants.WEB, Welcome to SWASFT -,www.swast.nhs.uk/welcome/about-us/welcome-to-south-western-ambulance-service-nhs-foundation-trust-swasft, 9 January 2022, www.swast.nhs.uk,

Education

File:Five Islands Academy.jpg|thumb|Five Islands AcademyFive Islands AcademyEducation is available on the islands up to age 16. There is one school, the Five Islands Academy, which provides primary schooling at sites on St Agnes, St Mary’s, St Martin’s and Tresco, and secondary schooling at a site on St Mary’s, with secondary students from outside St Mary’s living at a school boarding house (Mundesley House) during the week.WEB, Welcome to The Five Islands Academy {{!, Five Islands Academy |url=https://www.fiveislands.scilly.sch.uk/welcome-to-the-five-islands-academy/ |access-date=9 January 2022 |website=www.fiveislands.scilly.sch.uk |archive-date=9 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220109174904www.fiveislands.scilly.sch.uk/welcome-to-the-five-islands-academy/ |url-status=dead }} Sixteen- to eighteen-year-olds are entitled to a free sixth form place at a state school or sixth form college on the mainland, and are provided with free flights and a grant towards accommodation.WEB, Schools & Colleges {{!, Council of the ISLES OF SCILLY |url=https://www.scilly.gov.uk/childrens-services/schools-colleges |access-date=9 January 2022 |website=www.scilly.gov.uk}}

Economy

Historical context

Since the mid-18th century the Scillonian economy has relied on trade with the mainland and beyond as a means of sustaining its population. Over the years the nature of this trade has varied, due to wider economic and political factors that have seen the rise and fall of industries, such as kelp harvesting, pilotage, smuggling, fishing, shipbuilding and, latterly flower farming. In a 1987 study of the Scillonian economy, Neate found that many farms on the islands were struggling to remain profitable due to increasing costs and strong competition from overseas producers, with resulting diversification into tourism. Statistics suggest that agriculture on the islands now represents less than 2% of all employment.Gibson, F, My Scillionian Home... its past, its present, its future, St Ives, 1980Isles of Scilly Integrated Area Plan 2001–2004, Isles of Scilly Partnership 2001Neate, S, The role of tourism in sustaining farm structures and communities on the Isles of Scilly in M Bouquet and M Winter (eds) Who From Their Labours Rest? Conflict and practice in rural tourism Aldershot, 1987

Tourism

File:St Martins Daymark.jpg|thumb|The Daymark (daylight version of a lighthouse) on St Martins, the nearest point to the mainland of CornwallCornwallToday, tourism is estimated to account for 85% of the islands’ income. The islands have been successful in attracting this investment due to their special environment, favourable summer climate, relaxed culture, efficient co-ordination of tourism providers and good transport links by sea and air to the mainland, uncommon in scale to similar-sized island communities.Isles of Scilly Local Plan: A 2020 Vision, Council of the Isles of Scilly, 2004Isles of Scilly 2004, imagine..., Isles of Scilly Tourist Board, 2004The islands’ economy is highly dependent on tourism, even by the standards of other island communities. “The concentration [on] a small number of sectors is typical of most similarly sized UK island communities. However, it is the degree of concentration, which is distinctive along with the overall importance of tourism within the economy as a whole and the very limited manufacturing base that stands out”.Tourism is also a highly seasonal industry owing to its reliance on outdoor recreation, and the lower number of tourists in winter results in a significant constriction of the islands’ commercial activities. However, the tourist season benefits from an extended period of business in October when many birdwatchers (“twitchers“) arrive.{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}}

Ornithology

Because of its position, Scilly is the first landing for many migrant birds, including extreme rarities from North America and Siberia. Scilly is situated far into the Atlantic Ocean, so many American vagrant birds will make first European landfall in the archipelago.BOOK, Bowley, Rex Lyon,www.worldcat.org/oclc/1158345082, The Scilly guidebook : Isles of Scilly standard guidebook, 2006, Bowley Publications, 978-0-900184-44-4, 56th, Isles of Scilly, 44–49, en, 1158345082, If an extremely rare bird turns up, the island will see a significant increase in numbers of birdwatchers. This type of birding, chasing after rare birds, is called “twitching”.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}}The islands are home to ornithologist Will Wagstaff.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

Employment

The predominance of tourism means that “tourism is by far the main sector throughout each of the individual islands, in terms of employment... [and] this is much greater than other remote and rural areas in the United Kingdom”. Tourism accounts for approximately 63% of all employment.Businesses dependent on tourism, with the exception of a few hotels, tend to be small enterprises typically employing fewer than four people; many of these are family run, suggesting an entrepreneurial culture among the local population. However, much of the work generated by this, with the exception of management, is low skilled and thus poorly paid, especially for those involved in cleaning, catering and retail.J.Urry, The Tourist Gaze (2nd edition), London, 2002Because of the seasonality of tourism, many jobs on the islands are seasonal and part-time, so work cannot be guaranteed throughout the year. Some islanders take up other temporary jobs ‘out of season’ to compensate for this. Due to a lack of local casual labour at peak holiday times, many of the larger employers accommodate guest workers.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

Taxation

The islands were not subject to income tax until 1954, and there was no motor vehicle excise duty levied until 1971.NEWS,www.independent.co.uk/travel/travel-living-in-a-world-of-their-own-on-the-shortest-day-of-the-year-simon-calder-took-the-high-road-to-shetland-and-frank-barrett-took-the-low-road-to-the-scillies-as-britains-extremities-made-ready-for-christmas-1469283.html, Travel: Living in a world of their own: On the shortest day of the year, Simon Calder took the high road to Shetland and Frank Barrett took the low road to the Scillies, as Britain’s extremities made ready for Christmas, The Independent, London, 24 December 1993, The Council Tax is set by the Local Authority in order to meet their budget requirements. The Valuation Office Agency values properties for the purpose of council tax.WEB, Council Tax {{!, Council of the ISLES OF SCILLY |url=https://www.scilly.gov.uk/council-democracy/council-finances/council-tax |access-date=24 May 2022 |website=www.scilly.gov.uk}} The amount of council tax you have to pay depends on the band of your property as shown on the graph below. The valuation is based on what the property would have been worth in 1991.{| class=“wikitable“|+Isles of Scilly Valuation (01/04/1991)!Band:!Property Valuation:!Average Tax:|A|≤ £40,000|£1,087|B|£40,001 - £52,000|£1,268|C|£52,001 - £68,000|£1,450|D|£68,001 - £88,000|£1,631|E|£88,001 - £120,000|£1,993|F|£120,001 - £160,000|£2,356|G|£160,001 - £320,000|£2,718|H|> £320,000|£3,262Source 1: Council of the Isles of ScillySource 2: Isles of Scilly Council Tax

Transport

(File:Electric golf buggy on St Marys.jpg|thumb|An electric golf buggy on St Mary’s; these are road licensed and available for hire, as are bicycles, for use on public roads on the island.)File:RMV Scillonian III docked at St Mary’s harbour.jpg|thumb|Scillonian IIIScillonian IIISt Mary’s is the only island with a significant road network and the only island with classified roads - the A3110, A3111 and A3112. St Agnes and St Martin’s also have public highways adopted by the local authority.{{Ordnance Survey|access-date=9 February 2022}} In 2005 there were 619 registered vehicles on the island. The island also has taxis and a tour bus. Vehicles on the islands are exempt from annual MOT tests.Motor Vehicles (tests) Regulations 1981 (SI 1981/1694)WEB,www.scilly.gov.uk/Council%20of%20the%20Isles%20of%20Scilly/Planning/IOS%20Sustainable%20Energy%20Strategy%20final.pdf, A Sustainable Energy Strategy for the Isles of Scilly, Council of the Isles of Scilly, November 2007, 21 August 2010, 13, 21, dead,www.scilly.gov.uk/Council%20of%20the%20Isles%20of%20Scilly/Planning/IOS%20Sustainable%20Energy%20Strategy%20final.pdf," title="web.archive.org/web/20120118162937www.scilly.gov.uk/Council%20of%20the%20Isles%20of%20Scilly/Planning/IOS%20Sustainable%20Energy%20Strategy%20final.pdf,">web.archive.org/web/20120118162937www.scilly.gov.uk/Council%20of%20the%20Isles%20of%20Scilly/Planning/IOS%20Sustainable%20Energy%20Strategy%20final.pdf, 18 January 2012, Fixed-wing aircraft services, operated by Isles of Scilly Skybus, operate from Land’s End, Newquay and Exeter to St Mary’s Airport.WEB,www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk/timetable_skybus.asp, Skybus Timetables, Skybus, 8 September 2014, dead,www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk/timetable_skybus.asp," title="web.archive.org/web/20131116023855www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk/timetable_skybus.asp,">web.archive.org/web/20131116023855www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk/timetable_skybus.asp, 16 November 2013, A scheduled helicopter service has operated from a new Penzance Heliport to both St Mary’s Airport and Tresco Heliport since 2020. The helicopter is the only direct flight to the island of Tresco.WEB, Home {{!, Penzance Helicopters |url=https://penzancehelicopters.co.uk/ |access-date=26 January 2021 |website=penzancehelicopters.co.uk}}By sea, the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company provides a passenger and cargo service from Penzance to St Mary’s, which is currently operated by the Scillonian III passenger ferry, supported until summer 2017 by the Gry Maritha cargo vessel and now by the Mali Rose. The other islands are linked to St. Mary’s by a network of inter-island launches.WEB,www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk/sea.htm, Isles of Scilly Travel â€“ Travel by sea, Isles of Scilly Travel, 17 January 2007, St Mary’s Harbour is the principal harbour of the Isles of Scilly, and is located in Hugh Town.BOOK, Mumford, Clive, Portrait of the Isles of Scilly, Robert Hale, 1980, 0-7091-1718-3, 3rd, 138, en,

Tenure

A majority of the freehold land of the islands is the property of the Duchy of Cornwall, with a few exceptions, including much of Hugh Town on St Mary’s, which was sold to the inhabitants in 1949. The duchy also holds {{convert|3921|acre|ha|0|abbr=off}} as duchy property, part of the duchy’s landholding.WEB,www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0605/feature3/index.html, Prince Charles not your typical radical, Sandy Mitchell, National Geographic (magazine), National Geographic, National Geographic Society, May 2006, 96–115; map ref 104, 26 September 2010, 6 August 2007,www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0605/feature3/index.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20070806015630www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0605/feature3/index.html,">web.archive.org/web/20070806015630www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0605/feature3/index.html, dead, All the uninhabited islands, islets and rocks and much of the untenanted land on the inhabited islands is managed by the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, which leases these lands from the Duchy for the rent of one daffodil per year.WEB,duchyofcornwall.org/newton-park-estate.html, Isles of Scilly, Duchy of Cornwall, 8 June 2017, In particular, The Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, which manages around 60 per cent of the area of the Isles, including the uninhabited islands, plays an important role in protecting wildlife and their habitats. The Trust pays a rent to the Duchy of one daffodil per year!, Limited housing availability is a contentious yet critical issue for the Isles of Scilly, especially as it affects the feasibility of residency on the islands. Few properties are privately owned, with many units being let by the Duchy of Cornwall, the council and a few by housing associations. The management of these subsequently affects the possibility of residency on the islands.Martin D, ‘Heaven and Hell’, in Inside Housing, 31 October 2004Housing demand outstrips supply, a problem compounded by restrictions on further development designed to protect the islands’ unique environment and prevent the infrastructural carrying capacity from being exceeded. This has pushed up the prices of the few private properties that become available and, significantly for the majority of the islands’ populations, it has also affected the rental sector where rates have likewise drastically increased.Sub Regional Housing Markets in the South West, South West Housing Board, 2004S. Fleming et al., “In from the cold” A report on Cornwall’s Affordable Housing Crisis, Liberal Democrats, Penzance, 2003High housing costs pose significant problems for the local population, especially as local incomes (in Cornwall) are only 70% of the national average, whilst house prices are almost £5,000 higher than the national average. This in turn affects the retention of ‘key workers’ and the younger generation, which consequently affects the viability of schools and other essential community services.The limited access to housing provokes strong local politics. It is often assumed that tourism is to blame for this, attracting newcomers to the area who can afford to outbid locals for available housing. Many buildings are used for tourist accommodation which reduces the number available for local residents. Second homes are also thought to account for a significant proportion of the housing stock, leaving many buildings empty for much of the year.The Cornishman, “Islanders in dispute with Duchy over housing policy”, 19 August 2004In December 2021, the Council bought a property to ease the housing crisis, which would be converted into 3 affordable homes.NEWS, 4 December 2021, Scilly Isles council buys house to tackle housing crisis, en-GB, BBC News,www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-59532005, 20 January 2022, The council also, in January 2022, declared a housing crisis, due to the housing crisis placing the islands in “real danger of putting essential services at risk, such as the hospital and school”. The council also highlighted that 15 households would be homeless by March and would face having to move from the Islands.NEWS, 20 January 2022, The Council of the Isles of Scilly declares housing crisis, en-GB, BBC News,www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-60069854, 20 January 2022,

Notable people

• John Godolphin (1617–1678), an English jurist and writer, and Judge of the High Court of Admiralty.DNB, Godolphin, John, 22, 41, 1,
• Sam Llewellyn (born 1948 in Tresco), a British author of literature for children and adults.

Culture

People

According to the 2001 UK census, 97% of the population of the islands are white British, with nearly 93% of the inhabitants born in the islands, in mainland Cornwall or elsewhere in England.WEB, Isles of Scilly – Country of Birth,www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=276909&c=TR21+0LW&d=13&e=13&g=431427&i=1x1003x1004&m=0&r=0&s=1354783435942&enc=1&dsFamilyId=11, Office for National Statistics, 6 December 2012, 19 November 2015,www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=276909&c=TR21+0LW&d=13&e=13&g=431427&i=1x1003x1004&m=0&r=0&s=1354783435942&enc=1&dsFamilyId=11," title="web.archive.org/web/20151119173711www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=276909&c=TR21+0LW&d=13&e=13&g=431427&i=1x1003x1004&m=0&r=0&s=1354783435942&enc=1&dsFamilyId=11,">web.archive.org/web/20151119173711www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=276909&c=TR21+0LW&d=13&e=13&g=431427&i=1x1003x1004&m=0&r=0&s=1354783435942&enc=1&dsFamilyId=11, dead, Following EU enlargement in 2004, a number of central Europeans moved to the island, joining the Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans who traditionally made up most of the islands’ overseas workers. In 2005, their numbers were estimated at nearly 100 out of a total population of just over 2,000.NEWS, East Europeans in the Isles of Scilly,www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/jan/23/britishidentity.features111, 6 December 2012, The Guardian, 23 January 2006, The Isles have also been referred to as “the land that crime forgot”, reflecting lower crime levels than national averages.JOURNAL, Mawby, R.I., The Land that Crime Forgot? Auditing the Isles of Scilly, Crime Prevention and Community Safety, 2002, 4, 2, 39–53,www.palgrave-journals.com/cpcs/journal/v4/n2/abs/8140122a.html, 29 March 2015, 10.1057/palgrave.cpcs.8140122, 159581320,

Sport

One continuing legacy of the isles’ past is gig racing, wherein fast rowing boats (“gigs“) with crews of six (or in one case, seven) race between the main islands. Gig racing has been said to derive from the race to collect salvage from shipwrecks on the rocks around Scilly, but the race was actually to deliver a pilot onto incoming vessels, to guide them through the hazardous reefs and shallows. (The boats are correctly termed “pilot gigs“). The World Pilot Gig Championships are held annually over the May Day bank holiday weekend. The event originally involved crews from the Islands and a few crews from mainland Cornwall, but in the intervening years the number of gigs attending has increased, with crews coming from all over the South-West and further afield.WEB,www.worldgigs.co.uk/, World Pilot Gig Championships â€“ Isles of Scilly, Rick Persich, Chairman World Pilot Gigs Championships Committee, 26 September 2010, 23 April 2010,www.worldgigs.co.uk/," title="web.archive.org/web/20100423112035www.worldgigs.co.uk/,">web.archive.org/web/20100423112035www.worldgigs.co.uk/, dead, The Isles of Scilly is home to what is reportedly the smallest football league in the world, the Isles of Scilly Football League.NEWS, Smith, Rory, 22 December 2016, Welcome to the World’s Smallest Soccer League. Both Teams Are Here., The New York Times,www.nytimes.com/2016/12/21/sports/soccer/smallest-soccer-league-scilly.html?_r=0, In December 2006, Sport England published a survey which revealed that residents of the Isles of Scilly were the most active in England in sports and other fitness activities. 32% of the population participate at least three times a week for 30 minutes or more.WEB,www.sportengland.org/national_factsheet_appendix_(all_las_ranked)_v2.xls, Active People Survey â€“ national factsheet appendix, Microsoft Excel, Sport England, 16 January 2007, dead,www.sportengland.org/national_factsheet_appendix_(all_las_ranked)_v2.xls," title="web.archive.org/web/20070315220153www.sportengland.org/national_factsheet_appendix_(all_las_ranked)_v2.xls,">web.archive.org/web/20070315220153www.sportengland.org/national_factsheet_appendix_(all_las_ranked)_v2.xls, 15 March 2007, There is a golf club with a nine-hole course (each with two tees) situated on the island of St Mary’s, near Porthloo and Telegraph, which was founded in 1904.WEB,www.islesofscillygolfclub.co.uk, Isles of Scilly Golf Club, 9 June 2015, dead,www.islesofscillygolfclub.co.uk/," title="web.archive.org/web/20150531014903www.islesofscillygolfclub.co.uk/,">web.archive.org/web/20150531014903www.islesofscillygolfclub.co.uk/, 31 May 2015,

Media

The islands are served by the Halangy Down radio and television transmitter on St Mary’s north of Telegraph at {{Coord|49.932505|-6.305358}}. It is a relay of the main transmitter at Redruth (Cornwall) that broadcasts BBC South West, ITV West Country, BBC Radio 1, 2, 3, 4 and BBC Radio Cornwall and the range of Freeview television and BBC radio channels known as ‘Freeview Light’.WEB,ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Isles_of_Scilly, Freeview Light on the Isles of Scilly (Isles Of Scilly, England) transmitter, 1 May 2004, UK Free TV, 25 November 2023, WEB,www.ukfree.tv/maps.php?of=freeviewlight, ukfreetv-Full-Freeview vs Freeview Light: map, 8 September 2014, 8 September 2014,www.ukfree.tv/maps.php?of=freeviewlight," title="web.archive.org/web/20140908180555www.ukfree.tv/maps.php?of=freeviewlight,">web.archive.org/web/20140908180555www.ukfree.tv/maps.php?of=freeviewlight, dead, Radio Scilly, a community radio station, was launched in September 2007. In January 2020, Radio Scilly was rebranded as Islands FM.NEWS, Community station Radio Scilly rebrands to Islands FM, 25 June 2020, Community Ragio Today,radiotoday.co.uk/2020/06/community-station-radio-scilly-rebrands-to-islands-fm/,web.archive.org/web/20210403104554/https://radiotoday.co.uk/2020/06/community-station-radio-scilly-rebrands-to-islands-fm/, 3 April 2021, live, WEB, About Islands FM, Islands FM 107.9,www.islandsfm.org/about,web.archive.org/web/20200810094534/https://www.islandsfm.org/about, 10 August 2020, live, The Isles of Scilly were featured on the TV programme Seven Natural Wonders as one of the wonders of South West England. Since 2007 the islands have featured in the BBC series An Island Parish, following various real-life stories and featuring in particular the newly appointed Chaplain to the Isles of Scilly. A 12-part series was filmed in 2007 and first broadcast on BBC2 in January 2008.WEB,www.bbc.co.uk/bbctwo/listings/programmes.shtml?day=yesterday&service_id=4224&filename=20070115/20070115_2030_4224_16817_30, An Island Parish, BBC, 16 January 2007, After Reverend David Easton left the islands in 2009, the series continued under the same name but focused elsewhere.WEB,www.scillytoday.com/2015/07/08/former-methodist-minister-returns-for-visit/, Former Methodist Minister Returns For Visit, The Scillonian, 8 July 2015, 11 August 2016,

See also

• List of shipwrecks of the Isles of Scilly
• List of extreme points of the United Kingdom
• Three Hundred and Thirty Five Years’ War

References

{{reflist|30em}}

Further reading

• BOOK, Woodley, George, 1822, A View of the Present State of the Scilly Islands: exhibiting their vast importance to the British empire, the improvements of which they are susceptible, and a particular account of the means lately adopted for the amelioration of the condition of the inhabitants, by the establishment and extension of their fisheries, London, Rivington,
• BOOK, O’Neil, B. H. St. J., Ancient Monuments of the Isles of Scilly. Ministry of Works Official Guide-book, 1949, His Majesty’s Stationery Office (HMSO), 561729732,archive.org/details/isles-of-scilly,
• Isles of Scilly Guidebook by Friendly Guides (2021) {{ISBN|978-1-904645-34-4}}
• A Study of the Historic Coastal and Marine Environment of the Isles of Scilly. Cornwall Archaeological Unit, Cornwall Council, ed. by D. Charman et al. (Truro: Cornwall Archaeological Unit, Cornwall Council, 2015)

External links

{{Sister project links|voy= Isles of Scilly | Isles of Scilly}}

• Council of the Isles of Scilly
• {{oscoor gbx|SV898130}}

{{Isles of Scilly}}{{Cornwall}}{{AONBs in England}}{{SW England}}{{British Isles}}{{authority control}}

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