Tresco, Isles of Scilly, Cornwall England UK
[Roman Catholic]
The early 12th century St Nicholas Priory was the most remote Cornish monastery. It was under the jurisdiction of Tavistock Abbey and served as both priory and parish church. The location was vulnerable to pirate raids and the islands were ravaged during the Hundred Years War by both French and English troops. The monks withdrew from time to time and only one remained at the end of the 15th century. Then the property was leased, with the stipulation that five dozen puffins and a seal be provided Tavistock annually. In 1834 Augustus Smith purchased Tresco from the Duchy of Cornwall and built his home, Tresco Abbey, next to the old priory. He developed the priory ruins into the Abbey Gardens. The Gulf Stream allows exotic and tropical plants to flourish. The Dorrien-Smith family has expanded the gardens, now filling seventeen acres and one of the most notable gardens in the United Kingdom.