largest island lies miles coast distance channel gives british sea area islands england designated national character area england natural regions resident population people including volunteers include warden ranger island manager farmer bar house keeping staff live village south island visitors day holiday properties camp site staying visitors south island opinion poll radio_times readers named britain tenth greatest natural wonder entire island designated england statutory reserve marine conservation zone unique flora fauna managed behalf history believed come old norse word island old norse word island alternative explanation suggested referring wooded area evidence occupation period onward bronze age burial inscribed early medieval period early medieval monastery possibly dedicated beacon hill cemetery excavated cemetery contains inscribed stones dated 5th 6th century site originally enclosed bank ditch visible south west corner walls moved old light constructed celtic christian type common known welsh surviving examples cornwall wales devon thomas proposed stage sequence site usage area round fields fallen construction cemetery construction focal grave rectangular stone enclosure containing single grave interior enclosure filled small granite pieces graves located west enclosure date time years later focal grave opened removed body moved church time stages grave construction focal grave graves found excavation considering excavation uncovered small area cemetery graves inscribed stones celtic inscribed stones found cemetery latin male discovered latin female discovered latin male discovered male son discovered granted henry_ii major international maritime force time interests certainly important port probably increasing threat posed norse sea raiders unclear took possession island ownership disputed family island reign fined island cut necessary supplies evidence weak hold island came king john accession confirmed earlier grant family implicated murder messenger years later attempt kill man later confessed agent family fled lived virtual king built stronghold area known paradise feet thick walls sent troops island scaled island cliff captured subjects built castle referred castle attempt establish rule law island surrounding waters point 13th century monks order held island piracy centuries island hard govern trouble followed english foreign pirates including members family took control island short periods ships forced navigate close dangerous banks fast flowing tidal range feet greatest world island profitable location prey passing bristol bound merchant ships bringing valuable goods overseas occupied years north african invaders command dutch flew ottoman flag island captured europeans held sent slaves island plagued pirate ships french english spanish origin incursions eventually ended sir late island fell prey french civil war english civil war held king charles rebuilding island expense friend strong supporter royalist cause expert mining royalist territory held second civil wars receiving permission charles surrendered island february representing general island acquired lord 18th 19th centuries late 18th early 19th centuries years particularly ownership member parliament sheriff devon island housing supposed leased owner 1st heir family cornwall rent contracted government transport virginia diverted ship use personal slaves later involved insurance purchased ship loaded valuable cargo having cleared port mainland ship cargo removed stored cave built setting sail days bound vessel sighted set fire scuttled crew taken stricken ship ship landed safely sir 1st purchased island john cleveland today sir planted island small self contained irish colony constitution divorce laws stamps tenants came sir irish estate experienced agricultural difficulties island led sir seek island hands failing attempt sell island base troops 1st death son sir hunt 2nd great difficulty securing profit property 1820s agreed purchase island refused complete sale felt 2nd good title respect sale terms island free taxes purchased summer retreat shooting cost today claimed free island successfully resisted jurisdiction mainland consequence referred kingdom heaven belongs fact county devon buildings island today including designed architect originally known simply villa date heaven period georgian style villa built expense building road beach financial assistance provided despite regular use road following construction villa general cost running island effect family finances damaged reduced profits sugar plantations jamaica message bottle seamen washed ashore devon letter dated august read dear brother god prepare search bottle letter display devon england schooner reputed carrying ivory gold dust wrecked place called cove february ivory apparently recovered years later leather bags supposed contain gold dust found 20th 21st centuries succeeded son reverend hudson heaven thanks legacy née heaven able fulfill life ambition building stone church island completed stands today lasting memorial heaven period designated english_heritage grade listed building said able afford church new harbour choice church best financial interests island money establishing family financial coupled disastrous investment speculation early 20th century caused severe financial hudson heaven died succeeded nephew outbreak world war matters deteriorated seriously family sold family sold island mail contract proclaimed king issued coins denominations nominally equivalent british penny resulting prosecution united_kingdom act house_of_lords found guilty fined expenses coins withdrawn collectors items fantasy coin set gold issued commemorate years purchased island son awarded posthumous victoria_cross battle india memorial quarry died residents pay taxes united_kingdom pass customs travelled island ruled virtual owner claimed independent united_kingdom contrast later territorial following death son sale british millionaire purchased island today gave leased managed island income arranging day trips letting holiday cottages donations sculpture erected life sized sculptures land placed near centre compass points commission celebrate 50th anniversary scotland suffolk bay island visited day year september closed weeks owing outbreak wreck battleship naval history wreck royal_navy battleship steaming heavy fog ran hard aground near island southwest corner thinking aground point english mainland landing party went ashore help finding encountering lighthouse keeper island north light efforts royal_navy salvage badly damaged battleship summer failed decided sell scrap scrapped scene years diving clubs visit site armour plate live inch millimetre shells remain remains german bomber second world war german bombers crash landed island march crew survived taken prisoner second april pilot killed crew members taken prisoner second plane bombed british ship engine damaged anti aircraft fire forcing crash land remains found crash site reportedly avoid crew story reconnaissance mission geography island miles long north south little miles wide area acres highest point beacon hill feet sea level yards northeastern coast seal rock called seals rest inhabit yards wide near small pocket beach geology island primarily composed granite million years slate southern end plateau soil mainly cutting granite small number composed unique given term precisely defined fallen climate island lies borderline meet mild climate cool wet winters mild wet summers ecology flora endemic plant species species primitive 1980s eastern island spread specimens planted garden victorian times non native plant undertaken volunteers past years operation known island vegetation plateau mainly dry heath area heath northern end island rich species areas dry heath acidic grassland mosaic characterised western semi improved acidic grassland yorkshire fog abundant communities occur mainly western patches eastern fauna terrestrial invertebrates taxa endemic feeding endemic beetle species leaf beetle family var variety true family addition main host form species beetle wide variety species endemic island resident note british species spider birds number given island declined late 20th early 21st centuries breeding population estimated pairs consequence brown black rats eliminated possibly result commercial fishing sand principal prey breeding numbers slowly increasing adults seen taking fish isolated island major migration routes rich bird life popular site large numbers black legged nest cliffs herring lesser black backed meadow common robin smaller populations falcon raven attracted birds particular species north_america island bird list totals species included following species represents sole british record ancient eastern eastern records american robin common britain american robin occurred times britain second fourth records britain second eastern britain fourth black faced britain british birds sighted single records indicated little glossy records little records records white records wilson laughing great spotted black billed yellow billed records european roller olive backed alpine red flanked black records desert white records grey records records arctic records western lesser grey red eyed records barred yellow yellow records black headed records rose records baltimore records mammals home unusual range mammals introduced including distinct breed wild pony pony recently places black rat found regularly rest united_kingdom largely replaced brown rats occasional sightings port towns thames estuary island order protect nesting species island home include grey seal deer feral goats unusually rabbits island compared typical rabbit population devastated leaving pairs previous individuals sheep island shown vary according requirements distribution food risk predation marine habitat proposal establish marine reserve survey led supported team students provision establishment statutory marine nature reserves included november secretary state environment announced designation statutory reserve outstanding variety marine habitats wildlife large number rare unusual species waters including species branching sea fans cup statutory zone marine nature conservation set waters east island declared having successful ways including increasing size number reserve potential benefits marine wildlife zone received mixed reaction local fishermen january island britain marine conservation zone designated marine coastal access act designed help preserve important habitats species transport island ways depending time year summer months april october visitors carried vessel sails usually days week saturdays additional july august voyage takes average hours depending ports tides weather registered bremen germany sailing engine replaced winter months november march service island served scheduled helicopter service point helicopter operates flights noon field point far beacon grass runway yards available allowing access small aircraft piloted properly equipped experienced island point takes hours depending wind tides entrance free arriving scheduled transport visitors arriving non scheduled transport charged entrance fee currently additional charge light aircraft arriving non scheduled transport charged additional fee transporting island island general manager launched appeal raise save mile long beach road damaged heavy rain high seas road built half 19th century provide people goods safe access island metres fund raising completed march foundations lighthouse laid lighthouse known old light built obtained year lease foot granite tower summit designed built cost site beacon hill feet sea level highest base lighthouse britain light obscured fog counter problem built lighthouse lights lower fixed white light upper quick flashing white light showing seconds quick revolution gave impression fixed light flashes contributed grounding emma bound martinique board drowned including year old niece divorced wife owing ongoing complaints difficulty sighting light fog lighthouse abandoned built old light associated keepers houses kept open current north built island replace old lighthouse painted white run maintained north lighthouse feet tall slightly taller south focal plane produces quick white flash seconds originally lit petroleum oil lifted small transported small railway powered remains seen abandoned lighthouse uses discharge fed island main supply northern light converted solar power light mounted old fog horn building tower south lighthouse focal length feet quick white flash seconds seen small white dot point miles south east automated converted solar power old lens use electricity supply small power station comprising series diesel engines offering phase supply island buildings waste heat engine jackets district heating pipe plans collect waste heat engine exhaust heat gases feed district heat network improve efficiency power normally switched staying island holiday properties sleeping people include lighthouse castle victorian mansion buildings constructed island granite island south island field shop hot cold running water showers toilets adjacent building island popular rock having longest continuous slab climb devil slide administration island area district english county devon forms ward constituency member parliament constituency stamps owing decline population lack interest mail contract ended presence end years handled mail island charge november decided offset expense issuing postage stamps pink blue equivalent english penny printing stamps continues day available face value stick stamps envelope allows use envelope placed left right reserved postage stamp stamps stamps cancelled circular face value stamps covers cost postage letters island mainland onward delivery final destination world gets bulk rate letters stamps type postage stamp known local carriage labels local stamps issues increasing value years including air mail featuring variety people highly sought collectors market value early issues risen substantially years thousands annual visitors stamps collection british local posts collectors stamps included catalogue british local stamps later specialist include stamps published catalogue published specialised guide island stamps published 11th edition guide considered gold standard owing extensive approach varieties errors specialised items fantasy issues comprehensive collection stamps collection donated held home includes artwork texts essays devices issued stamps popular culture ship named tons captured sunk january german navy flying norwegian flag island prominently featured juvenile gothic mystery secret underground room plot highlights geographical historical points interest including family book published features novel pseudonym
Lundy