Island 217 - Toll's Island, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly

Toll's Island is one of the larger tidal islands off the Isles of Scilly.  It is 300 metres long by 175 metres wide and is located 100 metres east of the coast of St Mary's at Pelistry.  The highest point on the island is 16 metres above sea level.  Toll's Island is linked to St Mary's by a pale vanilla coloured sand tombolo, with a few rocks to climb over at the island end.  The island has distinct areas of bare rock; rough grass; heather; gorse; bracken/brambles; stunted and weather beaten trees + a few daffodils.  There are various paths but some of them were overgrown when I visited in March 2014.  There is a walled area where the trees are growing.

 

The remains of 4 kelp pits can be seen on the south side of the island but they are difficult to spot if you don't know what you are looking for.  Seaweed was burnt in these stone lined hollows to produce soda ash, which is rich in sodium carbonate.  This was used to make glass, soap and alum.  This went on in the Isles of Scilly from 1684 until 1835.  I didn't know what they looked like, so didn't notice them.  I will look harder next time!

 

The remains of Pellew's Redoubt also proved rather elusive.  It dates from the English Civil War (1642-1651) and was a large gun battery built on the highest point on the island.  The island was strategically important as it is located at the entrance to Crow Sound and Pelistry is a sheltered landing place.  I could see a few rather small earthworks, which I presume were part of it.

 

Toll's Island from Pelistry, St Mary's

But is it art? 
I'm not sure why these fishing nets were festooning the trees on Toll's Island.  Some of them looked like they might be hammocks?

Toll's Island tombolo, Pelistry, St Mary's

Pelistry, St Mary's from Toll's Island

Pelistry from Toll's Island

Toll's Island from Pelistry

 

The rocky south eastern end of Toll's Island



Toll's Island and tombolo from Pelistry