Lundy is a small island which must have seemed inhospitable at times. Despite this there is abundant evidence of human activity, often better preserved than in areas that have seen lots of subsequent development.
The first inhabitants
The earliest evidence of human occupation on Lundy is from the early Mesolithic (middle stone age) period when people following a hunter-gatherer lifestyle returned to northern Europe following the end of the last ice age. Recent research suggests that during the lower sea levels of the ice age Lundy would have been well-inland and that, as the ice melted and sea levels rose, it would have formed the end of a promontory reaching out into the Atlantic.
The only evidence we have of these people on Lundy are scatters of flint flakes. Some of these are tools but the vast majority are waste flakes from tool manufacture. They are found mostly on the cliff tops on the eastern side of the island and it would appear that they were discarded by hunters watching for prey on the land below. There is no evidence of where these people lived, and they may have constructed their temporary settlements on the lower land now covered by the sea. By about 9000 BC, Lundy would have been a large island and it would have reached its present size by about 7500 BC.
The farmers
From the middle of the 4th millennium BC a new way of life arrived in Britain with the introduction of farming. This brought with it other changes, for example, the use of pottery and also profound social changes, as growing crops requires the concept of land ownership. These Neolithic (new stone age) farmers lived in more settled communities.
Very little remains of the houses and farms of these people in southern Britain - they are best known for the construction of large ceremonial monuments, such as long barrows, cursus and henges. It is not therefore surprising that almost nothing has been found on Lundy although early Neolithic pottery was found eroding out of the ground at the North End and a few Neolithic flints have been recorded. A site on the western cliff tops, known as the "Blackhouse" was thought by the excavator, Keith Gardner, to be Neolithic but this date is now believed to be less likely. There is also a site at the South End known as the Kistvaen which was suggested to be a chambered tomb when described in the 1850s. The site has since been robbed of stone and its interpretation is not clear.
The Bronze Age
The arrival of metal technology in Britain again saw a significant social shift, away from communal burial and other activities towards a more ranked social system. This is reflected in the adoption of single burial, the laying out of fields and greater evidence of warfare. Certain areas appear to have been used for burial, with characteristic round barrows (earth burial mounds) and cairns (piled stone burial mounds) placed along skylines and in groups. These are common today on uplands, such as Exmoor, but aerial survey has shown in recent years that this is a view biased by survival, lowland barrows having been ploughed flat by millennia of cultivation. On Lundy, there are several barrows known from Middle Park, including on Tibbetts Hill.
Over the northern parts of Lundy, the remains of small, circular, stone houses are visible, and pottery from some at the North End dates them to the Middle Bronze Age (from between the 18th and 11th centuries BC). There is also Late Bronze Age pottery (the early 1st millennium BC) from the North End, Middle Park and Beacon Hill. Some of this pottery appears to have been used for salt production.
The Iron Age
There is almost no evidence for activity in the Iron Age apart from a single sherd of pottery from the North End which probably dates to this period.
The Roman Period
There is again little evidence of Roman-period activity on Lundy. Pottery dating to the 3rd and 4th centuries AD was found in the excavations on Beacon Hill and a single sherd of earlier pottery was recovered from just south of Quarter Wall. The pottery, most of which was made in Dorset or South Devon, compares well with assemblages from North Devon suggesting that Lundy fitted in to the local economy.
Early Medieval
The period following the loss of Roman control in the early 5th century is one of the most difficult to study for both archaeologists and historians due to the lack of primary data. Lundy is lucky to possess four gravestones from this period, all found in the graveyard on Beacon Hill. Three of these have single names suggesting that they belonged to Christian monks or nuns who had renounced their earthly families. Excavations in the cemetery recorded numerous stone-lined graves clustering around a burial in a stone setting. This reinforces the suggestion of a monastic community with the dead hoping to gain from close proximity to the founding 'saint'. Charles Thomas suggested that this founder was Brychan, ruler of the early kingdom of Brecon in south Wales, whose grave is recorded being on an unnamed island. Thomas suggested that Brychan abdicated to pursue a religious life on Lundy and died there. No bones survived the acidic soils but the founder's grave appeared to have been disturbed, probably to translate the relics to a monastery on the mainland, perhaps at Hartland.
Later Medieval
Settlement in the medieval period seems to have been concentrated on the northern part of the current village where large quantities of pottery have been excavated from Bulls Paradise and Pigs Paradise fields. Some of this was associated with ruined walls and human burials suggesting a complex sequence of activity in the area. A legal agreement of 1204 provides the earliest description of Lundy and indicates that there were two other farms on the island together with areas of common grazing. One of these farms is probably Widows Tenement where the ruins of a medieval farmhouse survive surrounded by small fields.
In 1242 it is recorded that king Henry III had to recover Lundy from William de Marisco who had fled there after being accused of murder and treason. The king then ordered a tower to be constructed to control the island and prevent its use by rebels in the future. The location of this tower is not known but it is assumed to have formed the origins of the current castle at the South End. The remains in Bulls Paradise were assumed by the excavator to have been the stronghold used by de Marisco but the dating of the site is not as certain as was believed in the 1960s.
Post-medieval
Most of the castle at the South End appears to date to the Civil War when the island was held for the king by Thomas Bushell who owned mines in west Wales and supplied Charles with coinage. He may have dug the so-called Benson's Cave below the castle in an attempt to find silver on Lundy. The curtain wall of the castle shows the distinctive 17th century bastions of the period and Bushell claimed that he had built all of it, though as he was trying to claim compensation he may have exaggerated.
There are numerous remains from later periods, particularly the 19th century, when the Old Light and the fog battery were constructed. There are extensive remains of the granite quarries on the east side and numerous other pits that were dug to test the stone quality in other areas.
Text by Chris Webster
A wide range of invertebrates can be found on Lundy. Over the years around 1500 species have been recorded in Annual Reports by casual and specialist surveyors. Many Groups are represented, Spiders, Woodlice, Myriapods, Damselflies and Dragonflies, Grasshoppers and Crickets, True Bugs, Beetles, Flies, and Bees Wasps and Ants.
An exhaustive list is not attempted here but the more common and visible species are described and, where possible, illustrated. Click on any image to view a larger version.
Each Class has a link to the definitive list of species recorded on Lundy, where their status is described using the DAFOR scale:
- Dominant 50-100%
- Abundant 30-50%
- Frequent 15-30%
- Occasional 5-15%
- Rare < 5%
We have used this scale to indicate what percentage of years the species has been recorded on Lundy. Please treat these assesments with caution as much depends on there being a specialist present on Lundy when the species is liable to been seen and on whether this results in a record being entered in the LFS log book. Most species are severely under-recorded and all records are welcome.
Molluscs
While slugs are abundant in damp weather, which is not uncommon on Lundy, they are very under recorded. Similarly, whilst the large Garden and Brown-lipped Snails can be easily found records are rarely seen in the log book. The remaining snails are quite small and can only usually be found by diligent stone turning or wall inspection. The Lundy list of Terrestrial molluscs can be viewed here.
Spiders (Arachnida)
Two spiders are, if not common, easily found. The Cave Spider can be searched for in Benson’s Cave or the Cave along the Landing Beach.
The Cellar Spider is easily confused with Daddy Long-legs. As a spider it has 8 not 6 long spindly legs. It can be found in the upper corners of most properties and should be cherished as it not only eats flies, but also other spiders.
View the Lundy list of Spiders, Harvestmen and Mites here.
Woodlice (Isopoda)
The Common Shiny Woodlouse Oniscus asellus is found all over the island, but a rather more interesting yet easily found species is the Ant Woodlouse Playarthus hoffmannseggi. Whilst looking for ants under stones, you might chance upon this tiny white wood louse. Don’t be fooled into thinking this is a juvenile, it is fully grown at 4 mm and pure white. View the lundy list of Woodlice here.
Myriapods - Millipedes, Centipedes (Diplopoda and Chilopoda)
There is one centipede that can usually be seen indoors and under stones, but it is very fast moving. The Banded Centipede Lithobius variegatus is extremely common and quite large. Its distinctive banded purple legs easily identify it.
The Pill Millipede Glomeris marginata (not to be confused with the Pill Woodlouse Armadillidium vulgare – check the number of legs) is very common on the Lower East Side Path to the north of Halfway Wall. It has 2 pairs of legs per segment, rolls into a almost perfect sphere and, on Lundy, shows yellow edges to each segment.
The Lundy list of Centipeded and Millipedes can be viewed here.
Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata)
Out of 57 UK species, 14 have been reported from Lundy (see article in 2015 Annual Report and the Lundy list here). Of these there are four that can reliably be seen. Blue-tailed Ischnura elegans and Common Blue Enallagma cyathigerum Damselfies, Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta and Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum are all reported annually and can be seen around the many freshwater bodies and well away from them too. The two “blues” can be distinguished by the colour of their abdomen. The Blue-tailed has a blue tail – i.e. black abdomen with segment 8 blue, whereas the abdomen of the Common Blue is alternately black and blue.
The Migrant Hawker is a medium sized dragonfly predominantly blue but the identifying feature is the yellow triangle where thorax and abdomen meet.
The Common Darter is a small restless dragonfly with a orange-red or brown abdomen is not uncommon and can be seen most years
A fifth species, Four-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata is rarely seen, but in 1963 there was a mass eruption with thousands appearing all over the island.
Grasshoppers and Crickets (Orthoptera)
One of each species is common on the island. The Common Field Grasshopper Chorlhippus brunneus is reported in most years but comes in a range of colours including a rich brown, purple and pink. Increasingly the Speckled Bush Cricket Leptophyes punctatissima can also be found.
Any newly discovered species will be added to the list here.
True Bugs (Hemiptera)
Shield Bugs are increasingly being seen and reported with the most common being the Gorse Shieldbug Piezodorus lituratus. These are easily identified with their bright yellow underside and habit of sunbathing amongst the gorse bushes that line the top of Millcombe Valley. The full Lundy list can be viewed here.
Beetles (Coleoptera)
Since the eradication of rats in 2006, the most common beetles that can be seen are the dung beetles. Two species can easily be found on the sheltered eastern sidelands particularly the Dor Beetle Anoplotrupes stercorosus. Slow and black it reveals a starting violet underside when turned over. The closely-related Minotaur Typhaeus typhoeus is easily distinguished by its three horns projecting from its head.
Another easily identifiable beetle is the Devil’s Coach-horse Ocypus olens. This is another large black beetle which will identify itself by its habit, when feeling threatened, of raising its abdomen and curling it forwards over its head.
Cockchafers do not feature on Lundy but their relative, the big glossy green Rosechafer Cetonia aurata flies in day-light and often into people.
The Green Tiger Beetle Cicindela campestris is a large predatory beetle common on open ground on the Lower East Side Path and very fast moving. It is easily recognised being bright green with white spots.
Three further beetles may be found. The large bronze Carabid beetle Carabus granulatus generally found amongst rank grass on the plateau; the unmistakeable Imperial Rove Beetle Staphylinus caesareus easily identified by the two rows of 3 yellow spots on its abdomen and the Black Snail Beetle Silpha atrata is reported every year and is distinguished by its black ridged carapace and the pronotum (between head and wing cases) which is very big, about one third the size of the beetle.
Moth traps often collect various species of Sexton Beetles Nicrophorus sp. easily identified by their black and orange markings as well as the strong and unpleasant smell they give off.
Finally, diligent searchers with keen eyes should examine Lundy Cabbage for its diminutive (2.8–3.6mm) Bronze Lundy Cabbage Flea Beetle Psylliodes luridipennis.
Another familiar family of beetles is the ladybirds. Their occurrence is very variable being abundant occasionally and scarce frequently. The 7-, 10- and 22-spot Ladybirds have been reported but the tiny (2-4mm) orange-red 24-spot Ladybird Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata can reliably found by diligently searching, on hands and knees, clumps of Sea Campion.
The complete Lundy beetle list can be viewed here.
Flies (Diptera)
Flies in general are poorly recorded, though craneflies and hoverflies are reported regularly.
The most common is the Common European Cranefly or Daddy Longlegs Tipula paludosa. In fact during Discover Lundy 2016 there was a mass emergence of this large cranefly when thousands of them appeared in moth traps, properties and all over the plateau.
Hoverflies are mimics and could be confused with bees or wasps but significantly, as Diptera, they have only two wings. The Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus, Bumblebee Hoverfly Volucella bombylans and the Pied Hoverfly Scaeva pyrastri all occur on the island.
The complete list of species recorded on Lundy can be viewed here.
Bees, Wasps and Ants (Hymenoptera)
Two bees are regularly seen and reported – the White-tailed Bumblebee Bombus leucorum and the Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris. The species are easily separated by the distinctive colour of the dorsal tip of the abdomen.
Common Black Ants Lasius niger can be found nesting under stones and will often reveal their companion species the Ant Woodlouse Platyarthrus hoffmannseggii.
The complete Lundy list of Hymenoptera may be viewed here.
Other groups
View the Lundy lists of Earwigs and Bristletails.
Text by Alan Rowland
Grey Seals
The world population of around 280,000 Grey Seals Halichoerus grypus is confined to the North Atlantic and the Baltic Sea with a large proportion found within British waters. In general, number are increasing, althougn numbers in the Baltic, primarily in the Gulf of Finland) are in substantial declione. Preferring remote stretches of coastline, the majority of British Grey Seals occur along the western coast, particularly off the west coast of Scotland, but they can also be found on the east coast as far south as Lincolnshire.
Lundy is home to a breeding colony of around 60 Grey Seals, with up to double this number in the summer. They can be seen all around the island, particularly at their 'hauling-out' spots such as Seals's Rock, north of Gannet's Rock, Brazen Ward, Surf Point, Shutter Point and Rat Island. When out of the water they will lie on rocky ledges, ofter in groups, basking in the sunshine. However, they remain alert to danger and will heave themselves into the water if disturbed or threatened in any way. In the water, seals are often seen 'bottling' - staying upright with only their head showing above water. They can probably sleep in this position.
Recognition
Bull Grey Seals are larger than cows with a distinct 'roman nose' profile to the head. Bulls also tend to be darker in colour, although both sexes have blotchy markings from black through shades of grey to brown and are lighter on their undersides. The patterns of blotches, particularly those on the upper body, may be used to identify individuals and studies using this technique have shown the same animals to be present around Lundy year after year. Adult bulls may grow to 3m (10ft) in length and weigh over 270kg (600lbs), but females typically measure around 1.8m (6ft). Male Grey Seals live for an average of 25 years and females for 35 years.
Breeding
Grey Seal pups are normally born with a white coat of fur in September or October, but are unable to swim immediately after birth so an undisturbed beach is usually chosen by the mother. On Lundy the intertidal sea caves, the far ends or which remain above the high water mark, are also used. At birth the pups are 85cm (3ft) long and weigh about 14kg (30lbs), but are vulnerable being washed off beaches by rough seas and to disturbance by humans. On a diet of high-fat milk they treble their weight over their first three weeks of life, and then moult into their darker coat and start to feed for themselves. First year survival has been estimatyed at around 50% and animals typically do not return to the breeding sites until 4 years of age.
For more information about seals around the coastline of South-west England or to report a seal in distress, please see the Cornwall Seal Group website.
Cetaceans and other seals
Common Dolphins Delphinus delphis can be seen from Lundy, usually between April and October usually in small groups of up to ten and occasionally in large pods of 100 or more. The larger, darker, Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatrus is much less common with only two or three records each year. Harbour Porpoises Phocoena phocoena are also seen regularly throughout the year, singly or in small groups.
Less commonly seen from the island or on the crossing are Risso's Dolphin Grampus griseus and Minke Whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata.
Common (Harbour) Seals Phoca vituilina are very uncommon in the waters around Lundy, but one was reported on four occasions in the summer of 2015.
The most obvious fern on Lundy is Bracken Pteridium aquilinum which thrives on the sheltered east side and on top of the island where there are deeper soils, but it even grows on the exposed western cliffs in a more stunted form. The smallest fern on Lundy is the Small Adder’s-tongue Fern Ophioglossum azoricum, and this diminutive plant is probably more common here than in some of its other sites on the mainland. It grows in the short turf on the western slopes, near Rocket Pole Pond and in Middle Park, often associated with the very small flowering plant Allseed Radiola linoides. Hay-scented Buckler Fern Dryopteris aemula is abundant along the east side, especially around the quarries, but this also grows on the exposed western flanks of the island, such as around Jenny’s Cove and this is also easier to find on Lundy than on the mainland.
Other common fern species on the island are Broad Buckler-fern Dryopteris dilatata, Lady Fern Athyrium foelix-foemina and Male Fern Dryopeteris filix-mas which can all be found in Millcombe and also in the deep rocky crevices of the earthquake. Hart’s-tongue Fern Phyllitis scolopendrium, recognised by its undivided fronds also favours the shelter of Millcombe.
Britain’s largest fern, the Royal Fern Osmunda regalis grows on the east side, and can be found in the quarries, often appearing to grow out of the solid rock, although it is usually more stunted in these situations. Lundy’s stone walls form an important habitat for ferns and other plants and there are fine colonies of Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes , Black Spleenwort Asplenium nigrum and Common Polypody Polypodium vulgaris, some of them easily found in the village area. There are two colonies of Rustyback Fern Ceterach officinalis on Lundy, both growing on walls, and a very small number of plants of Wall Rue Aspelnium ruta-muraria can be found in two locations. This species is common on the mainland but very scarce on Lundy. Sea Spleenwort Asplenium marinum grows nearer to the sea than other ferns and can be found around the Battery and the wall at the start of the beach road.
Text by Andrew Cleave
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Lundy featured on BBC Travel website
An item entitled Lundy:The tiny isle with a wild, lawless past was posted today on the BBC Hidden Britain website. You an read the article here.
New Lundy stamp issue
A new set of Lundy stamps were issued on Saturday 8 May 2021 celebrating the activities of the LFS from its founding in 1946 to date.
Anniversary commemoration
Although our 75th anniversary Discover Lundy event was unfortunately cancelled due to the COVID-19 restrictions, a few members were able to stay on Lundy during the planned week including your Chair and Secretary who met with Derek Green, Lundy's General Manager, to unveil a commemorative picture in the Wheelhouse of the Marisco Tavern.