Eastern Isles, Isles of Scilly
| Eastern Isles | |
 A portion of the Eastern Isles | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SV947145 |
| Area: | 207 acres |
| Data | |
The Eastern Isles are a group of twelve small uninhabited islands amongst the Isles of Scilly, Cornwall. They form part of part of the "Scilly Heritage Coast" and a "Site of Special Scientific Interest" first designated in 1971 for its flora and fauna.
The Eastern Rocks have a long period of occupation from the Bronze Age, for cairns and entrance graves are found there, and also Iron Age field systems and a Roman shrine on Nornour.[1]
Geography
The site, notified in 1971, is located to the south–east of St Martin's, and is within the Isles of Scilly "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty" and part of the Scilly Heritage Coast.[2]
The Isles are not as exposed to gales as the Western Rocks and consequently the soils do not receive so much salt spray, and remnant habitats such as coastal grassland and maritime heath have survived the inundation of the sea. If the practice of summer grazing had continued there would be even more grassland instead of the dense bramble which has smothered some of the small growing plants.[3]
The islands by area are:
| *Great Ganilly | 34 acres |
| Great, Middle and Little Arthur | 19 acres |
| Menawethan | 7 acres |
| Little Ganilly | 6½ acres |
| Great Innisvouls 4½ acres | |
| Great Ganinick 4½ acres | |
| Nounour 4 acres | |
| Little Ganinick 3 acres | |
| Little Innisvouls 2½ acres | |
| Ragged Island 2½ acres | |
| Guther's 1 acre | |
| Hanjague ¾ acre |
Geology
The underlying rock is coarse grained Hercynian granite topped by wind–blown sand. Some of the islands are linked with boulder ridges and sandy bars and at low tide can be viewed as one island; during the Roman occupation of Britain it is believed that the area was a low-lying plain between St Mary's and St Martin's and the present Eastern Isles small hills.[3]
The Isles of Scilly have for the largest assemblage of tied islands outside Orkney and Shetland: four islands represent the different stages in the linking of islands by a sandy bar and they are Teän which is between St Martin's and Tresco, and Great Arthur, Great Ganinick and Little Ganinick which is to the south–east of St Martin's.[4]
Wildlife
The Eastern Isles are one of three main grey seal pupping areas, Western Rocks and Norrard Rocks being the others. Four other mammals have been recorded: rabbits, brown rats described as a plague on some of the Eastern Isles,[5] house mouse and the so-called Scilly shrew.[3]
The isles are also home to breeding colonies of eight species of sea bird; including three species of gull, as well as the shag, cormorant, fulmar, razorbill and puffin.[2] Several of the isles are closed to visitors during the birds' breeding season (15 April to 20 August).
References
- ↑ Ratcliffe, Jeanette (1989). The Archaeology of Scilly. London: English Heritage. ISBN 1 871162.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Eastern Isles". Natural England. 5 December 1986. http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1001168.pdf. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Parslow, Rosemary (2007). The Isles of Scilly. London: HarperCollins. ISBN 13 978-0-00-220151-3.
- ↑ May, V J. "Isles of Scilly (Coastal Geomorphology of England)". JNCC. http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/pdf/gcrdb/GCRsiteaccount2185.pdf. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
- ↑ Robinson, Peter (2003). Birds of the Isles of Scilly. London: Christopher Helm.
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Eastern Isles, Isles of Scilly) |
- SSSI map
- Isles of Scilly Seabird Recovery Project: Frequently asked questions
- Geological Conservation Review site
- Modern Antiquarian
- Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust
| Isles of Scilly |
|---|
|
St Mary's •
St Agnes •
Tresco •
Bryher •
St Martin's •
Gugh
|
