St Ives Island: The persistent mischaracterisation of a Cornish headland

Abstract

There are various locations designated as islands in popular and/or official usage that do not conform to the established definition of their being areas of land surrounded by water. After a discussion of the six types of mischaracterised islands in England, this short article provides a case study of one such location, St Ives Island, in the county of Cornwall. Discussion extends to possible historical causes of the area’s island designation and how this designation has been perpetuated in common usage, place naming and in tourism and product promotion. The case study highlights that the affective aspect of perceived islandness is more important in local contexts than fidelity to strict geographic definitions.