View source for St Mary's, Isles of Scilly

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2025}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2011}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country = England
| static_image_name = Portcressa Beach St Marys Isles of Scilly.jpg
| static_image_caption = Porthcressa, showing part of Hugh Town
| coordinates = {{coord|49.922|-6.297|display=inline,title}}
| official_name = St Mary's
| cornish_name = An Nor
| population = 1,723
| population_ref = (2011)<ref name=ons>[http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=11128887&c=Mary&d=16&e=61&g=6410894&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1452792596266&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2491 Neighbourhood Statistics] Census 2011: St Mary's CP: Population density</ref>
| civil_parish = St Mary's
| unitary_england = [[Isles of Scilly]]
| lieutenancy_england = [[Cornwall]]
| metropolitan_borough = 
| metropolitan_county = 
| region = South West England
| constituency_westminster = [[St Ives (UK Parliament constituency)|St Ives]]
| post_town = ISLES OF SCILLY
| postcode_district = TR21
| postcode_area = TR
| dial_code = 01720
| os_grid_reference = SV915115
| area_total_km2 = 6.58
}}
'''St Mary's''' ({{langx|kw|An Nor||the land}})<ref>{{cite web |title=St Mary's (island) (EN) - Henwyn Tyller |url=https://www.akademikernewek.org.uk/place-names/content/st-marys-island |website=[[Akademi Kernewek]] |access-date=25 June 2025}}</ref> is the largest and most populous island of the [[Isles of Scilly]], an archipelago off the southwest coast of [[Cornwall]] in England, United Kingdom.

==Description==
[[File:St Mary's island Scilly.svg|thumb|left|St Mary's (in red) and the other Isles of Scilly]]
St Mary's has an area of {{convert|6.58|km2|mi2}}<ref name=ons/> — 40 percent of the total land area of the Isles of Scilly — this includes four small [[tidal island]]s which connect with St Mary's at low tide: Toll's Island, Taylor's Island, Newford Island and the island at [[Innisidgen]].

With a population of 1,723 (out of a total population for Scilly of 2,203)<ref name=ons/> St Mary's is relatively densely populated, with twice the average population density of the Isles of Scilly as a whole. The majority of St Mary's residents live in the western half of the island, with Hugh Town alone having a population of 1,097.

The main settlement, [[Hugh Town]] ''([[Cornish language|Cornish]]: Tre Huw)'', was sold to the inhabitants by the Crown in 1949 (it had belonged to the [[Duchy of Cornwall]] — which still owns much of the rest of the island). Other settlements on the island are [[Old Town, Isles of Scilly|Old Town]], [[Porthloo]], [[Pelistry]], [[Trenoweth, Isles of Scilly|Trenoweth]], [[Holy Vale]], [[Maypole, Isles of Scilly|Maypole]], [[Normandy, Isles of Scilly|Normandy]], [[Longstone, Isles of Scilly|Longstone]], [[Rocky Hill, Isles of Scilly|Rocky Hill]] and [[Telegraph, Isles of Scilly|Telegraph]].

The island became the home of [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|British Prime Minister]] [[Harold Wilson]] and his final resting place after his death in 1995. His grave is at the cemetery at [[St Mary's Old Church, St Mary's|Old Town Church]].

===Civil parish and ward===
St Mary's is one of the five [[civil parishes in England|civil parishes]] of the Isles of Scilly, which are also [[Wards and electoral divisions of the United Kingdom|wards]]. St Mary's returns 12 councillors to the Council of the Isles of Scilly; this compares with 1 councillor for each of the four "off-island" wards. The civil parish is not functional however, and there is no [[parish councils in England|council]] or [[parish meeting|meeting]].

==Transport==
St Mary's is the only island of the Isles of Scilly with a significant road network and the only island with public highways, including three [[Great Britain road numbering scheme#A roads|A roads]] (measuring {{convert|4+3/4|mi|km|round=0.5|abbr=off|disp=or}} in total length) which are numbered in [[A roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme|Zone 3 of the British numbering scheme]] (the [[A3110 road|A3110]], A3111 and A3112); these 'A' roads are generally [[country lane]]s in nature. Roads and streets across Scilly have very few signs or markings, and route numbers are not marked at all.

In 2005 there were 619 cars and vans on St Mary's; the island also has [[taxicab|taxis]] and a conducted [[bus]] tour. Vehicles in Scilly are exempt from annual [[MOT test]]s.<ref>Motor Vehicles (tests) Regulations 1981 (SI 1981/1694)</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scilly.gov.uk/Council%20of%20the%20Isles%20of%20Scilly/Planning/IOS%20Sustainable%20Energy%20Strategy%20final.pdf|title=A Sustainable Energy Strategy for the Isles of Scilly|publisher=Council of the Isles of Scilly|date=November 2007|access-date=21 August 2010|pages=13, 21|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118162937/http://www.scilly.gov.uk/Council%20of%20the%20Isles%20of%20Scilly/Planning/IOS%20Sustainable%20Energy%20Strategy%20final.pdf|archive-date=18 January 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.scillyonline.co.uk/travel.html | title = Travel Information | publisher = ScillyOnLine | access-date = 2012-05-10}}</ref>

By air, the island is served by [[St Mary's Airport (Isles of Scilly)|St Mary's Airport]]. [[Fixed-wing aircraft]] services are scheduled, operated by [[Isles of Scilly Skybus]], to and from [[Land's End Airport|Land's End]], [[Newquay Cornwall Airport|Newquay]], and (except in winter) [[Exeter International Airport|Exeter]].<ref>[https://www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk Skybus]</ref> [[Helicopter]] services were operated by [[British International Helicopters]], from [[Penzance Heliport]];<ref name="bih">{{cite web| url = http://www.islesofscillyhelicopter.com/ | title = British International home page | publisher=British International Ltd. | access-date =17 January 2007 }}</ref> this service, which started in 1964 (then operated by BEA Helicopters),<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Bao|first1=Phil Lo|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z5JZ9GBTZwwC&pg=PA157|title=BEAline to the Islands: The Story of Air Services to Offshore Communities of the British Isles by British European Airways, Its Predecessors and Successors|last2=Hutchison|first2=Iain|date=2002|publisher=kea publishing|isbn=978-0-9518958-4-9|language=en}}</ref> ceased at the end of October 2012.

Helicopter flights resumed in 2020 with the launch of the Penzance Helicopter service.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Villa-Clarke |first=Angelina |title=The New Penzance Helicopter Service To The Isles Of Scilly Will Whisk You Off Your Feet |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/angelinavillaclarke/2021/08/28/the-new-penzance-helicopter-service-to-the-isles-of-scilly-will-whisk-you-off-your-feet/ |access-date=2022-06-09 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>

By sea, the [[Isles of Scilly Steamship Company]] provides a passenger and cargo service from [[Penzance]], which is currently operated by the ''[[Scillonian III]]'' passenger ferry, supported by the ''[[Gry Maritha]]'' cargo vessel. The other islands are linked to St. Mary's by a network of inter-island [[Launch (boat)|launches]].<ref name=ioss>{{cite web| url = http://www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk/sea.htm | title = Isles of Scilly Travel&nbsp;– Travel by sea | publisher=Isles of Scilly Travel | access-date =17 January 2007 }}</ref> The main harbour of St Mary's (and the Isles of Scilly) is at Hugh Town, and is called [[St Mary's Harbour]]. Further slipways and small quays exist around the island, at natural harbour sites, such as at Old Town, Pendrathen, [[Watermill Cove]], and [[Porthloo]].

===RNLI===
{{Main|St Mary's Lifeboat Station}}
[[File:Hugh Town Harbour, St Mary's - geograph.org.uk - 1197680.jpg|thumb|right|The harbour at Hugh Town, looking east; the quay is where the ''Scillonian III'' berths.]]
There has been an [[RNLI]] lifeboat station on St Mary's since 1837. The first two lifeboats were kept in a boathouse on the town beach at Hugh Town. Following closure in 1855 the lifeboat station was re-opened in 1874 and a boathouse was built on the beach at [[Porth Cressa]]. In 1899 a new boathouse and slipway were built at [[Carn Thomas]] and the first motor boat arrived in 1919.

The lifeboatmen of St Mary's have earned 26 [[Awards of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution#Medal of the RNLI|RNLI medals for bravery]], comprising one gold, nine silver and 16 bronze, the last awarded in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/st-marys-lifeboat-station |title=St Mary's Lifeboat Station: history |publisher=RNLI |access-date=6 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706180009/https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/st-marys-lifeboat-station/station-history-st-marys|archive-date=6 July 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Churches==
There are [[Anglican]] churches such as [[St Mary's Church, St Mary's]] and [[St Mary's Old Church, St Mary's]].

[[John Wesley]] preached here on 13 September 1743. The Wesleyan Methodist Society was established in 1788 and the [[Wesleyan Methodist Church, Hugh Town, Isles of Scilly|first chapel erected in 1790]]. This was replaced in 1828. The present [[St Mary's Methodist Church, Isles of Scilly|Methodist church]] was built in 1899 by A.J. Trenear in [[Hugh Town]] and is part of the Isles of Scilly Methodist Circuit.

==Cornish Wrestling==
Captain James Williams White (1826-1903), the champion [[Cornish wrestling|Cornish wrestler]],<ref name="TA02011903">''Personal'', The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA), 2 January 1903, p4.</ref> was born on St Mary's and after emigrating lived in [[Burra, South Australia]], from 1856.<ref name="TET02011903">''BRIGHTON REGATTA AND SPORTS'', The Express and Telegraph (Adelaide, SA), 2 January 1903, p2.</ref>

==Landmarks==
===Telegraph Tower===
The tower on Newford Down, now known as Telegraph Tower, was built in 1814 to serve as an Admiralty Telegraph Station, but it had closed by 1816.<ref name="Defending Scilly">{{cite book |last1=Bowden |first1=Mark |last2=Brodie |first2=Allan |title=Defending Scilly |date=2011 |publisher=English Heritage |location=Swindon |isbn=978-1-84802-043-6}}</ref> The building then reverted to the custody of the landowner - the [[George Osborne, 6th Duke of Leeds|Duke of Leeds]]. In 1831 the site was taken over by the Coastguard as a subsidiary to the main station situated on the Garrison. In 1903 a wireless mast and receiving office were built nearby, and in 1908 a telegraph house was erected on the tower's roof. The wider site was developed into a modern radio transmitting and communications site by the late-C20.<ref>{{NHLE |desc=Coastguard's Look Out Tower |num=1141182 |access-date=30 September 2019}}</ref> The tower is now a private residence.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Laverock |first1=Peter |title=Trinder's Tower – The story of the Semaphore Station at Newford Down, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly |date=2016}}</ref> It was at this tower about 1898 that [[Guglielmo Marconi]] heard wireless signals transmitted from [[Porthcurno]], a distance of 30 miles. It was used by [[Radio Scilly]] for broadcasting.

Note: To strengthen Scilly's defences Major Daniel Lyman proposed the construction of three gun towers in 1803, each armed with a 32-pounder [[carronade]] on top. The presence of three towers on St Mary's, in the heart of the Garrison, on Buzza Hill and at Newford Down, has led some writers to link them to Lyman's proposal. However, his proposal was never enacted, and the three towers have different origins.<ref name="Defending Scilly" />

===Harry's Walls===
[[File:Harry's Walls, St. Mary's - geograph.org.uk - 936169.jpg|right|thumb|Harry's Walls, St. Mary's]]
Harry's Walls are the remains of an unfinished artillery castle situated on a hilltop to the north-east of Hugh Town. It was begun in 1551 as part of a major phase of fortification on the Isles of Scilly, undertaken to counter threats from the French. It was left unfinished because the site was recognised to be unsuitable.

===Giant's Castle===
[[File:Giant's Castle, IOS.jpg|thumb|Giant's Castle in 2013]]
[[Giant's Castle, Isles of Scilly|Giant's Castle]] is an Iron Age [[promontory fort|cliff castle]]<ref>{{NHLE|num=1011935|desc=The Giant's Castle cliff castle, St Mary's|access-date=12 March 2016}}</ref> on the coastal path between the airfield and Porth Hellick Bay.

===The Garrison and Star Castle===
[[Star Castle, Isles of Scilly|Star Castle]] is at the centre of a fortification system around the west side of St Mary's known as the Garrison. The walls of the castle take the shape of an eight-pointed star. It comprises an outer wall around the outcrop of Hew Hill, protecting the town and the castle, with strategically placed gun batteries at regular intervals around the outer wall, allowing covering fire at all angles. A redundant windmill was converted after 1831 into [[Garrison Tower]] as a lookout tower for [[Her Majesty's Coastguard|HM Coastguard]].

The Star Castle was built in 1593 by the Surveyor of the Royal Works and mapmaker Robert Adams (d.1595), under the direction of [[Francis Godolphin (1540–1608)|Francis Godolphin]], following the [[Spanish Armada]] of 1588.<ref>Colvin, Howard M., ed., ''History of the King's Works'', vol.3 (1975), pp. 94–5, see also vol.4 (1982)</ref> Fearing another Spanish invasion, in May 1593 [[Queen Elizabeth I]] ordered the construction of a fort and two [[Sconce (fortification)|sconces]] as a lookout for any intruder ships.<ref>''Calendar State Papers Domestic, 1591–1594'', London (1867), pp. 346–7, 365–367</ref><ref>[[Nikolaus Pevsner]] (1970) ''Cornwall''; 2nd ed. (The Buildings of England). Penguin; p. 210</ref>

In 1740 Master Gunner Abraham Tovey transformed the Garrison building walls with gun batteries, including Colonel Boscawen's Battery,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/garrison-walls/history-and-research/|title = Find events near you}}</ref> in a circular shape following the coast line of The Hoe. Star Castle is now a hotel.
[[File:Scillies 2011 081 crop.jpg|thumb|Name plate on Colonel George Boscawen's Battery]]

===Peninnis Head===
The 14 metre metal tower lighthouse on [[Peninnis Head]] was built in 1911 as a replacement for the 1680 lighthouse in the centre of St Agnes. The lighthouse was converted from acetylene gas to electricity in 1992 and the original range of 17 nautical miles was reduced to nine in 2011.<ref>Changes to lighthouse as it marks 100th year. ''Cornishman'' 28 July 2011. p 15.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.trinityhouse.co.uk/lighthouses/lighthouse_list/peninnis.html |title=Peninnis Lighthouse |access-date=2011-07-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615082033/http://www.trinityhouse.co.uk/lighthouses/lighthouse_list/peninnis.html |archive-date=2012-06-15 }}</ref> The headland is within the Isles of Scilly [[Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty]] and part of the [[Heritage Coast]]. It is also a [[Geological Conservation Review]] site for its [[Quaternary]] [[geomorphology]] and was first designated a [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] (SSSI) in 1971 for both its biological and geological interests.<ref name=SSSI>{{cite web|title=Peninnis Head (St. Mary's)|url=http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1001894.pdf|publisher=Natural England|access-date=31 December 2011}}</ref>

===Porthellick Cove===
{{main|Porth Hellick}}
[[File:Shovell grave wiki.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Memorial at Porthellick Cove where Shovell's body was washed ashore]]
Porthellick Cove contains a memorial to mark the spot where the body of [[Cloudesley Shovell|Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell]] was washed ashore after the [[1707 Scilly naval disaster]]. This was one of the greatest [[sea|maritime]] [[disasters in British history]], when four ships (''[[HMS Association|Association]]'', ''[[HMS Firebrand (1694)|Firebrand]]'', ''[[HMS Romney (1694)|Romney]]'' and ''[[HMS Eagle (1679)|Eagle]]'') with nearly 2,000 sailors were lost.

===Other locations===
The following is a list of some other locations on St Mary's:

* [[Lower Moors (St Mary's)|Lower Moors Nature Reserve]]
* Higher Moors Nature Reserve (see [[Porth Hellick]])
* [[Holy Vale]]
* [[Porthloo|Porthloo Beach]]
* [[Watermill Cove]]
* [[Innisidgen]] Burial Chamber
* Isles of Scilly Golf Club, near Telegraph and Porthloo<ref>[http://www.islesofscillygolfclub.co.uk Isles of Scilly Golf Club] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150531101628/http://www.islesofscillygolfclub.co.uk/index |date=2015-05-31 }}</ref>

<gallery class="center" caption="St Mary's, Isles of Scilly" widths="175px" heights="175px"> 
File:Across Porth Cressa from Stony Porth - geograph.org.uk - 810811.jpg|The Garrison, historically "the Hugh", looking across Porth Cressa
File:Telegraph Tower StMarys Scilly.JPG|Telegraph Tower
File:Hugh Town.jpg|Hugh Town
File:St Mary's Aerial.jpg|St Mary's from an aerial perspective; looking north from Porth Hellick up the Holy Vale
File:Spanish Mill, St Mary's.jpg|Spanish Windmill
</gallery>

==Population==
{{Bar chart
| title      = Population<ref name=ons/>
| data_max   = 2100
|label1 =1841 |data1 =1,519 |comment1=plus 26 in the Garrison
|label2 =1861 |data2 =1,424
|label3 =1871 |data3 =1,368
|label4 =1881 |data4 =1,290
|label5 =1891 |data5 =1,201
|label6 =1901 |data6 =1,355
|label7 =1911 |data7 =1,376
|label8 =1921 |data8 =1,196
|label9 =1931 |data9 =1,216
|label10=1951 |data10=1,625
|label11=1961 |data11=1,736
|label12=1971 |data12=1,958
|label13=1981 |data13=2,073
|label14=1991 |data14=1,600
|label15=2001 |data15=1,666
|label16=2011 |data16=1,723
}}

==Education==
[[File:Five Islands Academy.jpg|thumb|[[Five Islands Academy]] site at St Mary's]]
[[Five Islands Academy]] (previously Five Islands School) has a combined primary and secondary campus in St. Mary's. A boarding house, Mundesley Boarding House, serves secondary students from other islands.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fiveislands.scilly.sch.uk/contact-us/|title=Contact Us|publisher=[[Five Islands Academy]]|access-date=2018-12-07}}</ref> Students at the [[sixth-form college]] level reside and board elsewhere,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scilly.gov.uk/childrens-services/schools-colleges|title=Schools & Colleges|publisher=Isles of Scilly Council|access-date=2018-12-08}}</ref> in mainland Great Britain. Previously the [[Learning and Skills Council]] paid for costs of accommodation for sixth-formers.<ref name=ScillyEd2002>{{cite web|url=http://www.scilly.gov.uk:80/education/education.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021014143342/http://www.scilly.gov.uk:80/education/education.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=2002-10-14|title=Education|publisher=Council of the Isles of Scilly|date=2002-10-14|access-date=2018-12-08|quote=There is no post-16 provision on the Islands, students leaving the Isles of Scilly (VC) Federated School attend at colleges/schools with 6th forms on the mainland.[...]}}</ref>

St. Mary's Library is located at the Porthcressa seafront.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scilly.gov.uk/learning-leisure/library-0|title=Library|publisher=Isles of Scilly Council|access-date=2018-12-08}}</ref>

Carn Gwaval Wellbeing Centre has adult further education programmes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scilly.gov.uk/learning-leisure/learn-scilly|title=Learn Scilly|publisher=Isles of Scilly Council|access-date=2018-12-08}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Cornwall}}
*[[List of shipwrecks of the Isles of Scilly]]
*[[List of windmills in Cornwall#Isles of Scilly]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|St Mary's, Isles of Scilly}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20061209002437/http://www.ios-wildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife.html Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust]
{{Isles of Scilly}}
{{St Ives CP navigation box}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Mary's}}
[[Category:St Mary's, Isles of Scilly| ]]
[[Category:Inhabited islands of the Isles of Scilly]]
[[Category:Civil parishes in Cornwall]]