Speaker Simon Dell talking about – Lundy Island

Simon Dell, an author of books about Lundy Island, made a zoom presentation on the subject to Bishopsteignton Probus Club.  Lundy Island was named in Nordic by invading Vikings and it means Puffin Island after the gorgeous puffins which live there.  It measures three miles by a half-mile off the north Devon coast with the Bristol Channel on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other side.  It was owned by Orbian Harvey who died in 1968, after which it was purchased by Jack Hayward, who donated it to the National Trust which leases it to the Landmark Trust.  Tourists visit during the summer, travelling for two hours on board the Island’s ship the Oldenberg from Bideford and Ilfracombe.   On the journey to Lundy, passengers can see porpoises and dolphins and on Lundy they can see the famous puffins which feed on sand eels and white bait, together with various other animals, including deer, goats, sheep and ponies.

In 1819, Trinity House built a lighthouse on the top of Lundy, but it was so high the light could not be seen by ships and another one had to be built much nearer to sea level in 1896.  During the second world war, a German bomber was on fire and landed on Lundy, where the crew surrendered to residents and were kept there until they could be shipped to Fremington army camp.

The island has a small population and a village comprising the Marisco Tavern, a general store, houses and a church.  Tourists can visit for the day or can rent accommodation, where the properties range from the single accommodation radio room to 3, 4 and 5 bedroomed cottages, a 12-bedroom mansion house and the barn bunk house which sleeps up to eighteen students.

The photo shows our speaker, Simon Dell, on Lundy Island with the Lundy Island ship “The Oldenburg” to the left.