Hugh Town#Harbour

The name Hugh is derived from an Old English word 'hoh' meaning a promontory or elevated ground. The Garrison was originally known as The Hugh or Hugh Hill. The same word is used in Plymouth Hoe and Hoe Point on Gugh. Cemeteries containing native British people were found in 1949 and 1960 on the Porthcress side of the town, when housing was built. The remains are dated from the 1st to 4th century. A Roman altar was found on The Garrison in the 19th century and is now in Tresco Abbey Gardens. The area has not been excavated so there may be an undiscovered shrine or temple.{{cite news |last1=Sawyer |first1=Katharine |title=Scilly Through the Ages – Hugh Town |work=Scilly now and then |issue=4 |date=June 2006 |page=8}} During medieval times Old Town was the main centre of population but from the 17th century onwards, due to its sheltered harbour, Hugh Town began to grow. Star Castle was built in 1593, the quay in 1601 and in the 18th century, as the military defences increased, The Hugh became known as The Garrison. In 1920 two football teams were founded: Woolpack Wanderers and Garrison Gunners.

Hugh Street is the main shopping area on the islands and business is quite reliant on tourism. There are several pubs, restaurants and hotels, as well as a bank and a post office. In 2021 it was announced that the bank would close in 2022.{{Cite web |date=2021-10-25 |title=Islands' only remaining bank to close in 2022 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-59029469 |access-date=2021-12-31 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB |archive-date=31 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211231103616/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-59029469 |url-status=live }} A notable building is the Star Castle, which overlooks the town from The Garrison and is now a hotel. Similarly, Tregarthen's Hotel is a Hugh Town landmark. It was originally the home of Captain Frank Tregarthen who introduced the first sloop in 1849, 'Ariadne', that serviced the Hugh Town from Penzance.Uren, J G (1907). Scilly and the Scillonians. UK. Rare Books Club. {{ISBN|978-1152596214}} Being on an isthmus, there are two beaches, the northern one (Town Beach) being along the bay which forms the island's main harbour; the southern beach and bay is named Porthcressa.

File:Scilly Isles, Hughtown, -i.e., Hugh Town-, from Garrison, Cornwall, England-LCCN2002696609.tif picture of Hugh Town, circa 1900. This was the view from The Garrison, with Buzza Hill prominent on the other end of the town.]]

The Council of the Isles of Scilly is based at the Isles of Scilly Town Hall, a grade II listed building{{NHLE |num=1219066 |desc=Town Hall |access-date=27 July 2023}} located at The Parade, a small park situated at the centre of the isthmus (and originally a parade ground). The Duchy of Cornwall, which owns almost all the freehold land in the Isles of Scilly, as well as being the port authority, has its Isles of Scilly offices at Hugh House, located within the Garrison walls.[http://duchyofcornwall.org/contact-details.html#question_8 Duchy of Cornwall] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150911011120/http://duchyofcornwall.org/contact-details.html#question_8 |date=11 September 2015 }} Isles of Scilly

The Church of England's St Mary's Church, the islands' Roman Catholic Church and St Mary's Methodist Church are all located on or near Church Street. The Isles of Scilly Museum, previously located on Church Street, is now located at the Town Hall.{{Cite web |title=Isles of Scilly Museum goes on the move to beat closure {{!}} Museums |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/feb/05/isles-of-scilly-museum-goes-on-the-move-to-beat-covid-closure |website=The Guardian |access-date=2021-12-31 |archive-date=31 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211231133656/https://amp.theguardian.com/culture/2021/feb/05/isles-of-scilly-museum-goes-on-the-move-to-beat-covid-closure |url-status=live }} The town has a public library and a police station. On the eastern outskirts of the town (heading towards Peninnis Head) are the NHS community hospital and local health centre, as well as other important public amenities such as the island's power station, the island's refuse depot and the town's fire station. The island's primary and secondary schools (both part of the Five Islands Academy) are situated to the southeast of the town, at Carn Gwaval, on the road to Old Town.{{Cite web |title=Map & Location - Visit Isles of Scilly |url=https://www.visitislesofscilly.com/home/location-map |website=www.visitislesofscilly.com |access-date=2021-12-31 |archive-date=31 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211231134827/https://www.visitislesofscilly.com/home/location-map |url-status=live }}

The island's airport is located approximately {{convert|1|mi|km}} to the east of the centre of Hugh Town.

The Isles of Scilly Museum was housed in a purpose-built building which was declared unsafe in 2019, and is now partly accommodated in the Town Hall. There is a plan to convert the Town Hall building to form the Isles of Scilly Cultural Centre and Museum, to open in 2025/26.{{cite web |title=A New Cultural Centre and Museum |url=https://www.iosmuseumandculturalcentre.org/ |website=Isles of Scilly Cultural Centre and Museum |access-date=27 July 2023}}{{cite web |title=Timeline |url=https://www.iosmuseumandculturalcentre.org/timeline |website=Isles of Scilly Cultural Centre and Museum |access-date=27 July 2023}}

File:Isles of Scilly Town Hall - geograph.org.uk - 819257.jpg]]

Hugh Town boasts one of the mildest climates in the UK and a relatively high amount of sunshine compared to other areas, although it is not the sunniest part of the British isles.

As with most of the British Isles, Hugh Town experiences a maritime climate (Cfb) with wet, windy and very mild winters and comfortable or tepid summers with a slight drying trend, mainly due to influence from the Azores High. Temperatures rarely, if ever, dip below freezing - snowfall is exceptionally rare, with the most recent occurrence being during the 2018 British Isles cold wave.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3oAqmcxGvo

{{Isles of Scilly weatherbox}}

File:Hugh Town - geograph.org.uk - 1108325.jpg

File:St Mary's Harbour - geograph.org.uk - 812175.jpg

The principal harbour of the Isles of Scilly (known as St Mary's Harbour) is located on the northern edge of the town, naturally formed by the bay at Town Beach (itself part of a larger bay named St Mary's Pool) and improved by the construction of a quay on its western side, which acts also as a breakwater. The quay is the terminal of the ferry to Penzance, currently the Scillonian III,{{cite web |url=http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=7382|title=Ferries|publisher=Corwall Council |access-date=2010-04-06 |df=dmy-all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060228062713/http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=7382|archive-date=28 February 2006}} and the cargo vessel Gry Maritha; both vessels have St Mary's as their port of registry. The Duchy of Cornwall is the owner and the harbour authority (the St Mary's Harbour and Pilotage Authority).

The original quay was built in 1593 and an extension (or offshoot) began in 1836 to Rat Island under a contract of £4,000 to William Martin of Penzance. Martin resigned in November 1837 and Augustus Smith organised the completion. The enlargement of the harbour produced an increase in harbour dues as larger and deeper-draughted boats were now able to dock for loading, unloading, repairs or victualling. In 1889, Smith's successor Thomas Smith-Dorrien-Smith extended the pier a further 250 feet eastwards, at his own expense, so that the West Cornwall Steam Ship Company ships could dock. Despite Parliamentary opposition, a Pier and Harbour Provisional Order Bill passed in June 1890 gave him revenue from the harbour dues.{{cite book |last=Vyvyan |first=Clara C |title=The Scilly Isles |year=1960 |publisher=Robert Hale |location=London}}

The quay was extended by a further 23 metres (25 yards) in 2015, with new passenger and freight facilities being constructed too.[https://www.kier.co.uk/what/our-projects/st-marys-harbour/ Kier our projects] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190707121155/https://www.kier.co.uk/what/our-projects/st-marys-harbour/ |date=7 July 2019 }} St Mary’s Harbour The extension to the quay allows for vessels of a greater draft (up to 3.9 metres; 12'9"). A small amount of land reclamation took place by Rat Island too, enlarging the space around the buildings there.[http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/media/8174492/St-Marys-and-Penzance-Harbour-12Aug14.pdf Cornwall Council] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151120131118/http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/media/8174492/St-Marys-and-Penzance-Harbour-12Aug14.pdf |date=20 November 2015 }} St Mary’s and Penzance Harbours Scheme Update August 2014[http://www.scillytoday.com/2015/02/14/update-on-the-st-marys-quay-extension-works-from-kier-construction Scilly Today] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150423050920/http://www.scillytoday.com/2015/02/14/update-on-the-st-marys-quay-extension-works-from-kier-construction/ |date=23 April 2015 }} Update on the St Mary's Quay extension... (14 February 2015)

Improvements to the quay, including a boardwalk to improve pedestrian access to the quay, were announced in 2021 as part of the levelling up funding granted to the islands.{{Cite web |title=Council secures £48m for major improvements to the Isles of Scilly's sea links {{!}} Council of the ISLES OF SCILLY |url=https://www.scilly.gov.uk/news/council-secures-%C2%A348m-major-improvements-isles-scilly%E2%80%99s-sea-links |website=www.scilly.gov.uk |access-date=2021-12-31 |archive-date=31 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211231132540/https://www.scilly.gov.uk/news/council-secures-%C2%A348m-major-improvements-isles-scilly%E2%80%99s-sea-links |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |date=2021-10-27 |title=Budget cash to 'transform' Isles of Scilly sea link |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-59066934 |access-date=2021-12-31 |archive-date=31 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211231133946/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-59066934 |url-status=live }}

On the eastern end of Town Beach (on the rocky outcrop known as Carn Thomas) is the St Mary's Lifeboat Station, first operated in 1837 and run by the RNLI.{{Cite web |title=St Mary's Lifeboat Station |url=https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/st-marys-lifeboat-station |url-status=live |website=RNLI |access-date=31 December 2021 |archive-date=6 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706180009/https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/st-marys-lifeboat-station/station-history-st-marys }}

{{Geographic Location

|title = Neighbouring locations

|Northwest = The Quay
(incorporating Rat Island)

|North = St Mary's Pool

|Northeast = Porthloo, Rocky Hill
and Harry's Walls

|West = Star Castle

|Centre = Hugh Town

|East = Lower Moors

|Southwest = The Garrison

|South = Porth Cressa

|Southeast = Peninnis Head and
Old Town

}}

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{{Isles of Scilly}}

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Category:Towns in the Isles of Scilly

Category:Ports and harbours of Cornwall

Category:Isthmuses of Europe

Category:Populated places on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly