A Quirky Conflict: The Isles of Scilly in a Long-Lasting War

The Isles of Scilly were part of one of the longest wars in human history, but the main reason for the length of the very mild conflict was lagging paperwork.

Research:

• “335-year-old War Ends for Scilly Isles.” Star Tribune. April 18, 1986. https://www.newspapers.com/image/188704902/?match=1
• “The breakdown of 1641-2.” UK Parliament. https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/parliamentaryauthority/civilwar/overview/the-breakdown/
• Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Isles of Scilly". Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Dec. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/place/Isles-of-Scilly-islands-England-United-Kingdom
• Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Bishops’ Wars". Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Jun. 2019, https://www.britannica.com/event/Bishops-Wars
• Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Long Parliament". Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Jun. 2019, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Long-Parliament
• Daniel Lysons, Samuel Lysons, 'The Scilly Islands', in Magna Britannia: Volume 3, Cornwall( London, 1814), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/magna-britannia/vol3/pp330-337
• Davids, R.L. and A.D.K. Hawkyard. “SEYMOUR, Sir Thomas II.” The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1509-155. 1982. Accessed online: https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member/seymour-sir-thomas-ii-1509-49
• “Dutch Proclaim End of War Against Britain's Scilly Isles.” New York Times. April 18, 1986. https://www.nytimes.com/1986/04/18/world/dutch-proclaim-end-of-war-against-britain-s-scilly-isles.html
• “The Execution of Charles I.” Historic Royal Places. https://www.hrp.org.uk/banqueting-house/history-and-stories/the-execution-of-charles-i/
• “History of the Duchy.” Duchy of Cornwall. https://duchyofcornwall.org/history-of-the-duchy.html
• “The History of the Islands.” The Islands’ Partnership. https://www.visitislesofscilly.com/experience/things-to-do/history-and-heritage/the-history-of-the-islands
• “Holidays in the Isles of Scilly.” Manchester Evening News. Jan. 24, 1984. https://www.newspapers.com/image/927198725/?match=1&terms=isles%20of%20scilly
• “Isles of Scilly.” Duchy of Cornwall. https://duchyofcornwall.org/newton-park-estate.html#:~:text=A%20group%20of%20over%20200,residential%20buildings%20on%20the%20islands.
• Johnson, Ben. “The 335 Year War – The Isles of Scilly vs the Netherlands.” Historic UK. March 11, 2015. https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/The-335-Year-War-the-Longest-War-in-History/
• Ohlmeyer, Jane H.. "English Civil Wars". Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Dec. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/event/English-Civil-Wars
• “Roy Duncan 1948 – 2014.” Council of the Isles of Scilly. Aug. 25, 2014.
• “Prehistoric communities off the coast of Britain embraced rising seas- what this means for today's island nations.”  Bangor University. November 5, 2020. https://www.bangor.ac.uk/news/archive/prehistoric-communities-off-the-coast-of-britain-embraced-rising-seas-what-this-means-for-today-s-island-nations-44529#:~:text=By%2012%2C000%20years%20ago%2C%20the,smaller%2C%20engulfed%20by%20rising%20seas.
• Lysons, Daniel and Samuel Lysons, 'The Scilly Islands', in Magna Britannia: Volume 3, Cornwall( London, 1814), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/magna-britannia/vol3/pp330-337
• Penhallurick, R.D. “Ancient and Early Medieval Coins from Cornwall & Scilly.” ROYAL NUMISMATIC SOCIETY SPECIAL PUBLICATION NO. 45. London. 2010. https://www.academia.edu/355282/Ancient_and_Early_Medieval_Coins_from_Cornwall_and_Scilly
• Sawyer, Katherine, PhD. “Scilly’s Hidden History.” Isles of Scilly. https://www.visitislesofscilly.com/home/blog/scillys-hidden-history#:~:text=Scilly%20was%20first%20visited%20by,as%20a%20lack%20of%20predators.
• Young-Brown, Fiona. “The World’s Longest War Only Ended in 1986.” Atlas Obscura. Jan. 19, 2016. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-worlds-longest-war-only-ended-in-1985

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