ENESOW
An exploration of the islands of Cornwall

‘Land surrounded by water at high tide, supporting a variety of vegetation at all times and locally accepted as an island.’
Isles of Scilly Standard Guidebook

When I look out of my studio window humped along the skyline is Scilly – a series of small bumps: St Agnes, St Mary’s, Samson, Bryher,Tresco, St Martin’s,Round Island – read from left to right like a line of punctuated marks. If I walk down to the cliff edge, I look down on the Brisons – BrisonsVean and BrisonsVeor – two black peaks of a reef ‘floating’ a mile off shore.Almost anywhere off the coast of Cornwall these places exist – sometimes small rocky outcrops, sometimes larger inhabited places. I am fascinated by these island communities – whether peopled or not – the fauna and flora living semi-isolated in its own little world.

The geography, geology and climate are intimately bound up with the history and culture of the local population, the way they have used these places and the present-day management – all have helped shape these communities, each with its own unique character and special attraction.To stare at an island is one thing – sitting there beckoning, alluring, playing with my imagination – you can hear the seabird residents, see their movements – but to land on these places is to enter that other world, another time zone – to be caught by the spell of the place – always a visitor, almost a trespasser.

Samphire Island, Gull Rock, Crane Island, St Helen’s, St Michael’s Mount, Nornour, Short Island, Long Island, St George’s, the Moules, Ganilly, the Brisons …

ENESOW
Hwithrans an Enesow a Gernow

‘Land surrounded by water at high tide, supporting a variety of vegetation at all times and locally accepted as an island.’
Isles of Scilly Standard Guidebook

Pan virav mes fenester a’m studyo, bothhes a-hes an linen ebren yw Syllan kevres a vodhednow bian; St Agnes, St Mary’s, Samson, Bryher,Tresco, St Martin’s, Round Island yw redys a’n kledh dhe’n dyhow pekar ha linen a verkow poyntyans.Mar kwra’ma kerdhes war-nans dhe amal an als my a vir yn-nans dhe’n Brisons – BrisonsVean ha BrisonsVeor dew bigorn a grib ow neuvella unn mildir a’n arvor.Ogas ha pub le a-ves an arvor Kernow an leow ma a vew – tarweythyow bleynyow karnek bian, tarweythyow leow annedhys brassa.Th o’ma hudys gen an kemenedhow enys ma – mars en’jei poblys po nyns en’jei – an bestas ha plansow ow triga hanter-diberthys y’ga bes bian ’gahonen.

An dhoronieth, an dhororieth ha’n hin yw strothys yn ogas gen istori ha gonisogeth an poblans teythek, an vaner may kwrug anjei usya an leow ma ha menystrans a’n jedh hedhyw – pub re weras dhe furvya an kemenedhow ma; pub gen y nas dibarow y honen ha’y denvos arbednek.Dhe lagata orth enys yw udn dra – owth esedha ena ow kelwel, ow tynya, ow kwari gen ow dismigians y hyllir klowes an drigoryon edhen-mor, gweles ’ga movyansow mes dhe dira war’n leow ma yw dhe entra an bes aral na, kylghva dermyn aral dhe vos meglys gen hus an le – pup-prys godriger ogas ha kabmdremenyas.

Samphire Island, Gull Rock, Crane Island, St Helen’s, St Michael’s Mount, Nornour, Short Island, Long Island, St George’s, an Moules, Ganilly, an Brisons …