98 I


N 1588, AS THE SPANISH ARMADA APPROACHED, Dartmouth was again


called upon for two warships. Te Cressant carried 70 men, and the Harte, 30. Both returned safely. In an echo of John Hawley, local gentry and merchants “volunteered” several more ships. Sir Francis Drake secured a major prize, the Nuestra Senora del Rosario, flagship of the Andalusian squadron, leſt helpless aſter a collision. She was taken into Torbay and the crew were held prisoner in Torre Abbey barn. Later the ship was towed round to Dartmouth, where many prisoners were held on board for several months in very poor conditions until ransomed by the Duke of Parma.


1588 ➜ I N THE EARLY 17TH CENTURY, THE TOWN’S GROWTH AND PROSPERITY WAS


BASED INCREASINGLY ON FISHING. Sir Humphrey Gilbert, of Greenway, upriver from Dartmouth, claimed Newfoundland for the Queen as the first English colony in 1583 but the seasonal Newfoundland fishery had begun to expand before this. Te trade rapidly became very important to the town. To expand the port, a programme of land reclamation began. In 1585 the “New Quay” was built (the east and south side of the Boat Float) with several new houses. Bayards Cove quay was embanked at about the same time. Te New Quay was extended northward from about 1620 and then westward; more houses were built, including the Butterwalk, completed in 1640. St Saviours was enlarged and beautified, and the height of its tower was raised.


B


Y THE 1620S, DARTMOUTH


SHIPS WERE FISHING IN NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND, as well as in Newfoundland. Te Champernowne and Shapleigh familes were involved in the trade and Francis Champernowne and his business partner, Alexander Shapleigh, emigrated to Maine. Te new settlement was named Kittery, aſter a property at Kingswear both families had used for their business.


1620 ➜ I L


IKE EXETER AND PLYMOUTH, DART- MOUTH DECLARED FOR PARLIAMENT


AT THE START OF THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR IN 1642. Control of the sea by the Parlia- mentary Navy protected the town from attack by sea, so preparations covered the land approaches from the west. A line of fortified earthworks and converted buildings was constructed from Dartmouth Castle via St Clements to Mount Boone. But these were not enough to withstand Royalist artillery, and the town surrendered in October 1643. With the Navy heavily committed elsewhere, a Royalist garrison held Dartmouth for a lit- tle over two years. Two substantial earth forts were added on the hills – Gallants Bower (which survives) above Dartmouth Castle, and Mount Ridley Fort above Kingswear Castle.But only a sizeable army could hold such a long perimeter on two sides of an un- bridged river, and the Royalists surrendered in their turn to Sir Tomas Fairfax and the New Model Army in January 1646.


1642 ➜


N 1620, DARTMOUTH WAS AN UNPLANNED STOP FOR THE PILGRIM


FATHERS. Leaks in the Speedwell, one of their two ships, forced them to put in for repairs. Te ship was “thorowly searcht from steme to steme [and] some leaks were found & mended”; and then they waited several days for a fair wind. Christopher Martin, the leader in the Speedwell, would not allow anyone to leave the ship “least they should rune away”. When they set sail again the Speedwell continued to leak, so they returned to Plymouth. “No spetiall leake could be founde”, but the Speedwell was abandoned, and the Mayflower set off alone. According to William Bradford’s account, the Speedwell’s master and crew “ploted this strategem to free themselves” – no blame attaches to Dartmouth shipwrights!


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