Hugh TownCornwall

Hugh Town at a glance

Hugh Town: the harbour town of St Mary's and the administrative centre of the Isles of Scilly

Hugh Town (Treworenys or Tre Huw in Cornish) is the largest settlement on the Isles of Scilly and the islands' administrative centre. It lies in the west of St Mary's, the largest island, on a narrow isthmus that joins The Garrison to the rest of the island. Its postcode district is TR21.

The name Hugh probably comes from an Old English word for a promontory or high ground, and The Garrison was originally called The Hugh. In medieval times Old Town was the main centre of population, and from the 17th century Hugh Town grew because of its sheltered harbour. Star Castle was built on The Garrison in 1593 and is now a hotel. Unlike the rest of the islands, the freehold of land in the town is not held by the Duchy of Cornwall, having been sold to inhabitants in 1949, although the Duchy still owns and runs the harbour.

The town has two beaches, Town Beach on the north side along the harbour bay and Porthcressa on the south. At the centre of the isthmus is The Parade, a small park that was originally a parade ground, where the Grade II listed Town Hall houses the council. There are three churches on or near Church Street: the Church of England church of St Mary, the islands' Roman Catholic church and St Mary's Methodist Church.

St Mary's Harbour lies on the northern edge of the town and is the terminal for the ferry to Penzance, currently the Scillonian III. The St Mary's Boatmen's Association, based at the harbour, runs passenger services to the other islands. St Mary's Airport is about a mile east of the town centre. The RNLI lifeboat station stands on Carn Thomas at the eastern end of Town Beach and was first operated in 1837.

Hugh Street is the main shopping area, and there are pubs, restaurants, hotels, a post office and a library. The Isles of Scilly Museum is partly housed in the Town Hall, which is planned to become a cultural centre and museum. The World Pilot Gig Championships are held on the May Day bank holiday weekend, with races finishing at the end of the harbour quay. The primary and secondary schools, both part of Five Islands Academy, are southeast of the town on the road to Old Town.