The Mayflower Connection
Many ships carrying settlers and explorers have left Plymouth’s Sutton Harbour over the years, but The Pilgrim Fathers’ journey on the Mayflower in 1620 resonates with the city more than any other.
There’s a Mayflower St, Mayflower College and a Mayflower Centre. Plymouth Argyle, the local football club, has a Mayflower Stand and call themselves The Pilgrims, with Pilgrim Pete as their mascot. So what makes the Pilgrim Fathers and The Mayflower so special to Plymouth?
The story begins when a band of English nonconformists, who rejected the laws of the Church of England, decided to seek religious freedom elsewhere. The first part of their journey took them to Leiden in The Netherlands, but finding it difficult to settle there, they left Delfthavn (Rotterdam) on a boat called ‘The Speedwell’ for America. The Speedwell joined up with more English passengers in Southampton who were on board ‘The Mayflower’.
The Speedwell sprang a leak and both ships put in at Dartmouth to ensure they were ship-shape before attempting to cross the Atlantic. They didn’t get far before The Speedwell sprang another leak, and both ships turned back to Plymouth. It was just The Mayflower therefore that sailed out across the ocean looking for a new life.
Their intentions were to aim for North Virginia but were blown off course and eventually landed at Cape Cod (Massachusetts). They named their new settlement Plymouth, and although only half of them had survived by the time the first winter was over, the rest remained, and today Plymouth is regarded as the oldest permanent European settlement in the United States.
The survivors held a thanksgiving feast the following year which is commemorated by Americans every 4th Thursday in November.
There were 102 passengers that left Plymouth and their names can be seen on a board outside Island House on The Barbican where some of them stayed. The departure point was from West Pier at what is now known as the Mayflower Steps.
Just across the road is the Tourist Information Centre which incorporates a small Mayflower Museum. There’s a small admission charge, but don’t expect too much.
For me the best bit is the view of Sutton Harbour from the top floor.
It’s probably nigh on impossible not to come across the word ‘Mayflower’ somewhere along your travels in Plymouth, but the city is proud of its Mayflower connections and Americans are always warmly welcomed when coming to see where the Pilgrim Fathers finally left for a new life in the New World.
Preparations are now under way to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the departure in 2020.
Originally posted 2017-11-06 06:13:28.
How fascinating. You just tend to think of them getting on the Mayflower and that was it. Not all the bit before then when they tried other places.
Thanks for a look at yet another one of my posts Shey. I can’t believe that you find them so interesting – but I’m really glad that you do. In all honesty, I should update this one, and even though I try to keep things as current as I can, it’s nigh on impossible.
Well I do enjoy them. They have some excellent historical detail–which I am big on–without boring for the past. And that draws a reader in. To have that detail you’ve done your homework and you’ve highlighted the interesting bits of it. .
That has always been my intention really. Readers who like instant gratification will probably find my posts too long to read, and those who want to find an in-depth appraisal of a journey or historical event, will no doubt look for some more in-depth information elsewhere. More to the point though, it’s always so rewarding when people like your good self like to have an interaction, not just about what I’ve written, but life in general, which is why I liked to hear about your journey to Eigg.
I think it is the nicest thing re blogging that you can interact with people from all over the world. But the other thing is re your posts, they are nicely in the middle of hooking a reader in and providing the right amount of depth.
Thanks again. That means a lot Shey.
Hiya Malcom. A little question if I may. Does the barracks still exist just above the berthing point for Brittany Ferries. I played football on the ground up there, for Brittany Feries (France) against Brittany Ferries (England) Can’t remember the the score but we won the 3rd half…..?
Hi Paul,
I’m not quite sure which barracks you’re referring to. If you mean the Royal Citadel, then they are still operational – just, but the barracks at Stonehouse have closed down now I believe