History

In early times one group of islands was in the possession of a confederacy of hermits. King Henry I gave it to Tavistock Abbey which established a priory on Tresco; it was abolished at the Reformation. The priory was given the care of souls in the secular islands by the lord of the fief.[1] In 1233, a prior here, known as Alan of Cornwall, was made abbot of Tavistock.[2]
The island is named as Trescaw in an 1814 publication,[3] and was described as 'St. Nicholas' when confirmed as a grant to the abbot of Tavistock by pope Celestin in 1193.
The island is administered for the crown by the Duchy of Cornwall[4] and is leased to the Dorrien-Smith estate, which runs it as a timeshare business. The Dorrien-Smith family (descended from Augustus Smith) held the position of Lord Proprietors of the Scilly Islands between 1834 and 1920.
From 2001 until 2009, the island hosted a marathon run organised in aid of Cystic Fibrosis. The course consists of 7½ laps around the island. The event is always held on the same day as the London Marathon.[5] Past winners include Dara O'Kearney and Bob Brown
In 2007 a rebuild of the Abbey Farm/Shed area was completed; this area served as RNAS Tresco, a seaplane base during the First World War.[6] The development included rental cottages, a swimming pool, a health centre and the "Flying Boat Club" restaurant.