Isles of Scilly
Author(s): Jeremy Lake
The Isles of Scilly comprise over 150 granite islands scattered across 200sq km, set out in the Atlantic some 40km south-west of Land’s End. Of these islands, only about 50 support vegetation and only five – St Mary’s, St Agnes, St Martin’s, Tresco and Bryher – are currently inhabited, covering a total area of just over 14sq km. The islands display a striking diversity of landscapes, some very ancient, including lowland heath, small pastures enclosed by stone walls and banks, tiny hedged bulb fields and a varied coastline. The richness of the archaeology and landscape is reflected in a very high density of designations; 129 listed buildings, over 250 scheduled monuments, some 900 identified historic assets in total, the entire Character Area is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Heritage Coast, Conservation Area and Special Area of Conservation. The urban area is limited to the small town of Hugh Town on St Mary’s, and woodland cover is minimal (although the thick shelter-belts and hedges have significant landscape impact in specific areas).
- Report Number:
- 162/2020
- Series:
- Research Report
- Pages:
- 12
- Keywords:
- Landscape Farmstead Historic
