Darrins Photography

Day Trip to Tresco

Back in 2002 we decided to go to Tresco which is an island that makes up with other islandsthat make up the Isles of Scilly, which lies 28 nautical miles. There are 5 islands that come under the scilly isles; these are St Mary’s which is the main island, St Martin’s, St Agnes, Tresco and Bryher. Tresco is famous for its Abbey Gardens and its warm climate which help the sub tropical plants grow. When we visited Tresco we flew from Penzance Heliport, by a Sikorsky S- 61 and the flight took about 20 minutes. It was nice to see parts of Cornwall from the air.

Sikorsky S-61

The Abbey Gardens are 750 acres and hold over 20,000 species from 80 countries, from Brazil to New Zealand and from Burma to South Africa. The conditions on Tresco are so good that over 300plants flower during the winter months. The Gardens were designed and made by Augustus Smith from 1834-1872.

Looking from the bridge towards the Mediterranean Garden

Proteas come all the from South Africa

Leucospermum Cordifolium comes from South Africa

Chrysanthemum Frutescens from The Canary Islands

Succulent in the Succulent Rockery

Mexican Agave

A sculpture of an Mexican Agave by Tom Leaper

A Marble Statue of the Greek Goddess Gaia by David Wynne

Looking Towards the Figurehead of Father Neptune

View from Neptune Steps Looking Towards the Statue of the Tresco Children

Bronze Statue by David Wynne. It portrays the three eldest children of Robert Dorrien- Smith

In the gardens you will also find the ruins of an Abbey which gave the gardens its name. The age of the ruins are uncertain, but it is thought that the Monks settled here between 1042 and 1066. The Priory is dedicated to St Nicholas, Henry 1st granted all churches of Scilly to the Benedictine Abbey at Tavistock in Devon. The Priory proberly only housed two or three Brethren (brothers) , with their servants living nearby and farming the adjoining land.
Within the walls of the abbeythere are some 17^th and 18^th century graves; beneath the smaller of the 2 arches is a roman grave from 5^thor 6^th century AD with roman capital THI FILI COGVI.
This is generally connected with the Celtic Christian missionaries from Ireland.

History of St Nicholas Priory

One of the Arches

Entrance to the Abbey

Three Grave inside the Abbey

It also has on display at the Valhalla a number of figureheads from ships that have met their fate on the rocks surrounding the Isles of Scilly.

The Figurehead second from left and holding a white rod is from the wreck of the Friar Tuck which sank on 27th Nov 1863

Unknown Figurehead

Figurehead from the Palinurus with sank on 27th December 1848

Unknown Figurehead

Figurehead on the left is from Serica and on the right is from Primos

Figurehead is from the Sercia with sank in 1893

Figurehead from the primos with sank in 1871

Unknown Figurehead

Little is known about this Figurehead , it is thought to be of an Mexican Eagle

Unknown Figurehead of a Golden Lion

The Cannon in the foreground is from the Associstion 1702

It was nice to see parts of Cornwall from the air, the best journey is on the way back when you fly over the coast and you look down Porthgwarra, Penberth, Minack theatre and Mousehole.