Holy Vale

Holy Vale
The signpost at the centre of Holy Vale
Holy Vale is located in Isles of Scilly
Holy Vale
Holy Vale
Location within Isles of Scilly
Civil parish
  • St Mary's
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townISLES OF SCILLY
Postcode districtTR21
Dialling code01720
PoliceDevon and Cornwall
FireIsles of Scilly
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Cornwall
49°55′28″N 6°17′33″W / 49.9245°N 6.2925°W / 49.9245; -6.2925

Holy Vale (Cornish: Hal an Val)[1] is a minor valley and small settlement within, on the island of St Mary's, the largest of the Isles of Scilly, England. Situated inland, nearby are Maypole and Longstone.[2]

The name Holy Vale was originally La Val in 1301, it comes from the Norman French for low lying, at the foot.[3]

The settlement of Holy Vale lies in the upper part of the valley, which leads down to the Higher Moors and Porth Hellick on the southeast coast of the island. The centre of the settlement, where there is a small junction and a signpost, is at an elevation of 12 metres (39 ft) above sea level.[2]

It was the scene of the murder of 18-year-old Stephen Menheniott by his father in 1976.

The only commercial vineyard on St Mary's is centred in Holy Vale, with the vines located in several small fields in the area.[4]

  1. ^ "Akademi Kernewek - Henwyn Tyller".
  2. ^ a b Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 203 Land's End ISBN 978-0-319-23148-7
  3. ^ Weatherhill, Craig, Placenames of Cornwall and Scilly, Wessex Books, 2005
  4. ^ Holy Vale Wines