The Island
Tresco is a small, family-run island measuring about two and a half miles long by a mile wide at its broadest point. It’s one of the five inhabited islands which, together with 200 or so islands, islets and rocks, form the Isles of Scilly, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Lying 28 miles southwest of Land's End, Scilly enjoys a year-round mild climate and an early spring.
In 1834, the Duchy of Cornwall leased the Isles of Scilly to a Hertfordshire squire, Augustus Smith, who became the Lord Proprietor of the islands. He helped bring prosperity to Scilly, which is still enjoyed today.
He built his home, Tresco Abbey, alongside the ruins of an old priory and set about creating a world-class garden containing plants from all over the world. Successive generations have built on his legacy, and Tresco Abbey Garden is now internationally renowned as one of the finest sub-tropical flora and fauna collections in the Northern Hemisphere.
The Dorrien-Smith family still lives in Tresco Abbey, and all the properties and businesses on Tresco are owned and managed by Tresco Island Limited, which also owns Hell Bay Hotel on the neighbouring island of Bryher.
Tresco is a family-run business, reflected in the island's workforce's companionship, teamwork and friendliness. Many of our islanders have been part of Tresco for decades, and a majority of our seasonal team returns for consecutive seasons.
A community of about 150 people permanently lives on the island, with a mixture of young and old alike. Some families have lived on the island for many generations.
