Elizabethan Hele Bay, Ilfracombe, north Devon

ELIZABETHAN

1558 to 1603

Ilfracombe continued to be an important port throughout the 16th century. In 1579 the Elizabeth put into Ilfracombe after separating from Drake’s voyage around the world. Visiting pirate ships were common; the Venetian galleon Lombardo was held there in 1587; the White Hart, which had been ‘a reprising’, put in with ‘elifant’s teth’ in 1591 and the ‘reprisal ship Gifte’ two years later. In 1582 Queen Elizabeth ordered a enquiry into her maritime resources and Ilfracombe was the only town in North Devon that could provide a single ship, of 80 tons (but it is not known if it actually fought in the armada). In 1585 Ilfracombe provided food and shipping to transport 800 troops to fight a rebellion by the Earl of Tyrone in Ireland (1).

A rich vein of silver-lead was found in Combe Martin and worked successfully by Beamis Bulmer from 1578 to 1582; it was known as Faye's mine (see Mining) and the last silver from the mine was made into two bowls. One of them was given to the Lord Mayor of London; it was later melted down and the silver re-used to make a tankard, which is still part of the Mansion House collection (right) (2).

Lundy continued to provide a refuge for pirates. It was raided from Barnstaple in 1587 and in 1612 a Captain Salkerd styled himself King of Lundy. In just eight years from 1625 Lundy was taken by three Turkish ships that threatened to burn Ilfracombe; lost several vessels to a French man-of-war; was raided by twenty ships from St Sebastian and became home to the notorious buccaneer Admiral Robert Nutt. It was said that ‘Egypt was never more infested with caterpillars than the Channel with Biscayers’. The final straw was a Spanish galleon landing 80 men there in 1633, after which Lundy was put under martial law (3).

The Earl of Tyrone fled from Ireland early in the 17th century and according to local tradition he landed at Rapparee Cove, outside Ilfracombe harbour, and was hunted down by the local Grenadiers. This is commemorated in Combe Martin every year by the Hunting of the Earl of Rone, where the Earl is chased through the village and thrown into the sea. It is recorded that a barque landed at Ilfracombe from Ireland in 1602 and the name Rapparee means an Irish bandit armed with a half-pike (known in Gaelic as a Rapaire). But the Earl is known to have fled to Europe in 1607; the name Rapparee was not used until the end of the 17th century and there were no Grenadiers (grenade throwers) in 1607. More likely the cove is named after the rapparees or scoundrels that were caught in and around Ilfracombe after the collapse of the Monmouth rebellion in 1685 (4).

June 1579 - the ship Elizabeth, an 80 ton vessel under captain John Winter, part of Drake’s voyage around the world, separated in Straits of Magellan, put in at Ilfracombe. (Lamplugh 1984)

"One report said that he [John Winter] cut and ran against the crew’s wishes, whilst others said that he intended to search for Drake but was overruled by his crew. Either way the vessel sailed into Ilfracombe port with a quantity of medicinal bark, known as Winter’s Bark, from a certain South American tree which had been used to dose the sailors with an anti-scorbutic." (IMN 2000 p 3)

1582 - Elizabeth orders an enquiry re her marine resources - in North Devon there was only one ship of as much as 80 tons, and that from Ilfracombe. Not known if it actually fought in the Armada. (Boyle & Payne 1952 p 202-203)

1585 - May 11th, Ilfracombe ordered to supply victuals and shipping to transport 800 of queen Elizabeth’s troops to Ireland (Slade-King 1879 p 163)

1587 - Evagalista Lombardo writes to the Privy Council concerning the spoils of a ship of Venice, the galleon Lombardo, which is at Ilfordscombe (Slade-King 1879 p 163)

1591 - A barque of Barnstaple, which had been a reprising, called the White Hart, puts into Ilfordcombe 12th October and brought home some ‘elifant’s teth’. (Slade-King 1879 p 163 and Boyle & Payne 1952 p 203)

1593 - The Gifte, a reprisal ship, belonging to W Morcomb, carries a rich prize into Ilfracombe (Slade-King 1879 p 163) into ’Ilfordcombe’ (Boyle & Payne 1952 p 203)

1631 - Arthur Cowper takes 2 ships on his way to Cadiz and brings them into Ilfracombe (Slade-King 1879 p 164)

"Among the Harleian MSS in the British Museum is a treatis by Stephen Atkinson, a partner and manager for Bulmer in Queen Elizabeth's time, and who refined in the Tower in 1586, and afterwards in Devon. He writes "A new silver mine was discovered at Combmartin, by Adrian Gilbert and John Poppler, a lapidary, with whom Mr Bulmer bargained for half the whole. It continued for four years, and yielded £10,000 to each partner. A cup made therefrom by Mr Middley was given to the city of London by Mr. Bulmer. Camden also writes to the same effect, adding "and lately, in our age, in the time of Q Elizabeth, there was found a new lode in the land of Richard Roberts, Gent, fyrst beganne to be wrought by Adrian Gilbert, Esq., and afterwards by Sir Beavis Bulmer, by whose mynerable skille great quantitie of silver was landed and refined, out of which he gave a rich and fayre cup to William, Earl of Bathe, whereon was engraven, if I rightly remember, this poesie,

And also another, with a cover, to Rir Richard Martyn, Knight, Lord Mayor of London, to continue in the said citie for ever. It wayeth 137 ounces, fyne, better than sterling; on the which these verses may still be seen:

Adrian Gilbert opened Fayes mine at Combe Martin in 1587, the ore was rich but difficult to process, Mr Bulmer was found who agreed to prospect, dig and process the ore for 50% share. lasted 4 years, 32 fathoms deep, 32 fathoms long. With the last silver Bulmer had 2 cups made, one for Earl of Bath at Tawstock and one for Lord Major of London, the former has an inscription: "In Martyn’s Combe long lay I hydd, [etc]...as above (Hoskins 1954 p 137-8)

Adrian Gilbert, a younger brother of Sir Humphrey Gilbert, discovered a new silver mine at Combe Martin which was worked by Sir Bevis Bulmer. On command of the Queen a 'riche and fayre cuppe' was supplied by Bulmer and presented by the Queen to the Earl of Bath. In 1732 the cup was melted down and three tankards made which are still used at banquets at the Mansion House in London. (Boundry pp 21-22)

"In 1587 a rich new vein was discovered by Adrian Gilbert and John Poppler of London, a lapidary. Attempts to work it were unsuccessful until it was brought to the notice of a Mr Bevis Bulmer, "being then a great lead-man uppon Mendipp". Bulmer rode to Combe Martin and bargained for a half-share in the mine. He was to have half the ore and meet all the costs of digging and refining, and the venture continued for four years, "reasonably good", yielding over £6,000 to each partner. At this time it was called Fayes mine and it reached a depth of 32 fathoms. With the last silver extracted, in 1593, Bulmer had made by medley, a goldsmith in Foster Lane, London, two fine cups, one of which was presented in October 1594 to the Lord Mayor and Citizens of London, in the mayoralty of Sir Richard Martin - "to Sir Richard Martyn, Knight, Lord Mayor of London, to continue in the said citie for ever. It wayeth 137 ounces fyne, better than sterling...Anno nostrae Redemptionis 1593, Reginae secunda civitatis London" and bearing the legend: "When water workes in broaken wharfe*, etc as above, with footnote [* "Bevis Bulmer's connection with the city of London is referred to in Stow's "Survey of London" under the heading "Queen Hithe Ward"; "then is...broken wharf, a water gate or key, so called of being broken and fallen into the Thames. By this Broken Wharf remaineth one large building of stone, with arched gates...Within the gate of this house (now belonging to the city of London) is lately, to wit, in the years 1594 and 1595, built one large house of great height, called an engine, made by Bevis Bulmer, gentleman, for the conveying and forcing of Thames water to serve in the middle and west parts of the city"]. This great silver cup or bowl was later melted down and made into three tankards with covers and spouts, which are still in the collection of plate at the Mansion House. One is 9" in height, with a diameter of 63/4" at its base and 51/2" at its mouth, and weighs 53 ounces; the other two tankards are of the same pattern but smaller, each weighing about 36 ounces. All three tankards are gilt inside and bear the London hall mark for 1681-2 and maker's mark "I K" with a crown above and a pellet between and below. The spouts are later additions bearing the date-letter for 1763. The tankards are all inscribed "The Gift of Bevis Bulmer" and are occasionally used as table ornaments. The second of Bulmer's cups was given to William Bourchier, Earl of Bath, at Tawstock, and was inscribed "In Martyn's Combe long lay I hydd, [etc]...as above" (Stuckey 1965 p 6-8)

A Tankard in the Mansion House in the city of London was made from Beavis Bulmer's cup. A photograph, shown above, has the caption "Tankard made from Bevis Bullmer Cup, forming a part of the Masion House Plate of the City of London", credited to Chamberlain of the City of London (Stuckey 1965 p 9)

In 1586-7a new rich vein opened by Adrian Gilbert and John Poppler (the discoverers) and worked by Beamis Bulmer. In 1593 he produced two tankards, one for the Earl of Bath [with inscription above] the other for the City of London which was subsequently melted down and made into 3 tankards which still form part of the plate of the Mansion House. A replica of one of these tankards was made and presented in 1927 to the Combe Martin Territorials (Sixth Devon's) as a shooting trophy. A chalice in Martinhoe church is also said to be of Combe Martin silver. (Grinsell 1970 p 130-131)

It was thought, by miners clearing Harris' shaft, that it cut through Fayes mine "At about 6 fathoms down, Harris’ shaft cuts through an older inclined shaft thought to be the Elizabethan Faye’s mine" (Combe Martin Silver Mine Research Preservation Society Issue 1, winter 2001, p 8) and "1876 - Ancient workings (possibly Fayes mine) re-opens as Harris’ shaft, for the extraction of zinc. Last mine Captain was John Comer. Mines close 1880" (Combe Martin Silver Mine Research Preservation Society newsletter issue 2, spring 2002 p 7) but this mine is now thought to be very much older and the location of Fayes mine is unknown.

1587 - the authorities at Barnstaple launched an attack against pirates on Lundy and made some of them prisoners. (Langham 1960 p 33)

1608 - a commission issued to the Earl of Bath to inquire of piracies in the Bristol Channel following many complaints. He sat at Barnstaple and listened to evidence that merchants were daily robbed at sea by pirates who used Lundy as a place of refuge. On March 20, 1610, a commission was issued to the Earl of Nottingham to give authority to the Mayor and Aldermen of Barnstaple to send ships to capture pirates. On April 17th, a prisoner of the pirates, William Young, made a deposition referring to Captain Salkerd who styled himself King of Lundy. (Loyd 1925 p 116-117)

1612 - two boats from Barnstaple chased the pirates to Milford Haven and returned with 4 prisoners. These unnamed pirates probably included Thomas Salkeld (Langham 1960 p 33-34)

1625 - Three Turkish pirates capture Lundy and destroy Ilfracombe's trade, even threatening to burn it (Slade-King 1879 p163)

August 18th 1625 the Mayor of Bristol reported to the Council that three Turkish pirates had taken Lundy and threatened to burn Ilfracombe. This was denied by Captain Harris, commander of the HMS Phoenix, then in King’s Road, the government ordered an enquiry by Vice Admiral James Perrott, who took various depositions. One, by Nicholas Cullen, reads ‘that the Turks had taken out of a church in Cornwall about 60 men, and carried them away as prisoners. They continued in Lundy a fortnight. He saw the Turkish ship lying at Lundy’. (Loyd 1925 p 117-118)

1625 - Letter from Mayor & Aldermen of Bristol to the Privy Council to report that three Turkish pirates have taken Lundy with the inhabitants and are threatening to burn Ilfracombe (IMN 2000 p4, Lamplugh 1984)

1628 - On April 25th 1628 Captain Fogg of the HMS James sent a letter to the admiralty that a French man-of-war had taken some vessels of Lundy, adding ‘hope we shall meet with them’. (Loyd 1925 p 118)

1630 - June 30th 1630, Captain Plumleigh wrote to the Lord Treasurer ‘Egypt was never more infested with caterpillars than the channel with Biscayers’. On the 23rd inst. There came out of St Sebastian twenty sail of sloops; some attempted to land on Lundy but were repulsed by the inhabitants. (Loyd 1925 p 118)

1632 - Lundy became the headquarters of a notorious buccaneer, Captain Robert Nutt, whose ghostly vessel is still said to haunt the island. Being in command of more than one ship, he took to himself the title of Admiral, conferring that of Vice-Admiral on his second-in-command, and infesting the ‘narrow seas’, occupying himself chiefly in the pilfering of small traders. So serious did his activities become that several ships of war, accompanied by smaller vessels called whelps, were detailed specifically to capture him. On July 29th, Captain Plumleigh reported that he was just starting for Lundy, where, he had heard, Nutt’s Vice-Admiral then was, and on Aug. 5th following, forwarded a dispatch, dated from the island, to the Admiralty announcing his arrival there, only to find the ‘Vice-Admiral’ gone. On Sept. 4th, however, a further dispatch reported that he had encountered and engaged the pirate fleet ‘bestowing upon them 30 great shot, of which Nutt received 10 through his own ship; but they succeeded in escaping.’ And, further, that he was ‘then shaping his course to long Island, and thence to Lundy and Caldy, which are the pirate’s dens.’ Constant harrying and pursuit had the effect of causing the rovers to sink into retirement for a while, but they were soon in evidence once more, and on June 15th 1633 Captain Plumleigh reported having sent one of the ‘whelps’ in to the Severn to clear the coast of pirates, who had again betaken themselves to Lundy and to the Welsh islands. (Loyd 1925 p 118-119)

1633 - On July 30th 1633 Sir Barnard Grenville reported to the secretary of state that a great outrage had been committed by a Spanish man-of-war, which had landed 80 men on the island of Lundy on the 16th inst. One man named Mark Pollard had been killed, the remainder bound, and after rifling the island, they had put to sea again. On August 16th the government commissioned Sir John Pennington to put down the piracies. He seems to have put the island under martial law, for on Sept. 9th he applied to the secretary of state for Lundy to be put entirely under his charge. (Loyd 1925 p 120)

January 19th 1856 - "A DEVONSHIRE CUSTOM - Four and a half miles from Comb-Martin is a cove called the Rapparee (Irish rebel) cove. Against the cliff, at the north-east angle of this cove, just out of reach of the flood tides and scarcely below the surface of the earth, are an immense number of human bones, the bodies appearing to been thrown there indiscriminately, not buried. It is possible that when O’Donnell the Red, chief of Tirconnell, and son-in-law to the rebel Earl of Tyrone, fled from Ireland (1602) he, or some of his followers, instead of reaching Spain, landed at this cove? And that many of them being here killed, others concealed themselves and were hunted by the country people in the woods between Berrynarbor and Combe Martin! If such an event took place it must have been in the time of the Devon historians, Pole, Risdon and Westcote - the last of whom possessed by marriage property in Combmartin and Berrynarbor. They do not, however, even mention the custom spoken of by HSP. In what year was it discontinued?" (Signed V, Illustrated London News, Jan 19th 1856, quoted in Ilfracombe Parish magazine Oct. 1904 Ilfracombe Museum) and in Barrow 1998 p 31 and p 75) This tradition is the hunting of the Earl of Rone. (North Devon Journal January 19th 1856)

1602 - Sept. 17th, a letter from Ilfracombe is forwarded to Sec. Cecil stating that a bark had come into that port reporting the landing of 1,500 Spaniards in Ireland. Earlier that year, 21st Feb., Scotch and Irish ships at Ilfracombe had given information of the intended invasion. (Slade-King 1879 p 163)

1602- September 17th - A letter was sent from Ilfracombe to Cecil, Secretary of state, that a barque had come into Ilfracombe reporting the landing of 1,500 Spaniards in Ireland (Wilson 1976 p 60)

"John Delbridge, a wealthy merchant from Barnstaple, and who gathered news of Spanish activities reported in September 1602 that ‘last night a bark from Ireland arrived at Ilfracombe reporting a landing of Spaniards in Ireland’. He enclosed a report from John Clemott of Swansea, who had just come from Waterford, which said that ‘three weeks ago 1500 Spaniards landed in the west at Limerick and that greater numbers were expected’. This information was thought to be incorrect and muddled with the 4000 Spaniards that arrived in Kinsdale in September 1601 to help drive the English out of Ireland. They had been defeated by Charles Blount, Lord Mountjoy. It is wondered whether John Clemott’s letter was designed to scaremonger, or that it had been wrongly dated." (IMN 2000 p 4)

"During the Irish rebellion of 1598, the ship Earl of Rone was driven into Rapparee Cove." (Wilson 1976 p 60)

The Earl of Rone is by local legend Hugh O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone, forced to flee from Rathmullen in Ireland with Rory O’Donnell, Earl of Tyronell who were shipwrecked on Rapparee cove and lived hiding in the woods living off ships biscuits until a party of Grenadiers from Barnstaple captured him in Lady Wood and took him to Exeter where he was tried and executed. But there were no Grenadiers in 1607 and Tyrone anyway fled to Spain. There is no evidence that he came to Devon (Brown 1989 p 81)

The first account of the Earl of Rone custom in Combe Martin was an account written by Rev. G Tugwell in The North Devon Scenery Book of 1863, after the custom has ceased. " "Rone?" said I: "is that a Devonshire name? I don't remember to have heard of it before in my travels." I believe, continued the Captain, in effect, that the name is properly "Tyrone," and that the Earl of Tyrone, or a political refugee supposed in Combmartin to be such a personage, was captured by a detachment of soldiers in Lady's wood, near this village, during the times of the Irish Rebellion. The legend goes that he had been wandering in the neighbourhood for some time before his capture, and had lived on a string of sea-biscuits which he had hung round his neck, and which he had procured from the little vessel which landed him on the North Devon coast." (Brown 1977 p 4-6 & Stuckey 1965 p 18)

In 1917 The Devonshire Association in its Transactions (Vol. 49) describes the last Earl of Rone festival as recounted by three Combe Martin men "The last observance of this old festival was on Ascension Day, 1837. I had this on the authority of the late rector and three very old men now living in the village (the year 1917) - George Dendle, aged 95; Ezekiel Lovering, aged 86; William Chugg, aged 85. The three latter actually took part in the last festival ever held - this would have been in the year of Queen Victoria's accession.....On the last occasion upon which it was held (1837) it would appear from my informants that there was so much mirth and wild conviviality during the strange procession from "Lady's Wood" at the very head of the town to the seaside (1 1/2 miles nearly) that most of the principal "actors" were pretty well "done for" by the time they had left the third public house downwards.." (Brown 1977 p 9-10)

"In 1607 Hugh O'Neill was called to London, but being warned by friends in the Netherlands that he was again accused of treason he decided to flee. On 14th September, at midnight, O'Neill, O'Donnell (Earl of Tyroconnell), Cuconnaught Maguire, some of their families and followers, and various other members of the Ulster aristocracy - some ninety people in all - sailed from Lough Swilly with the intention of sailing for Spain. Enduring very rough weather, they eventually reached the mouth of the Seine some weeks later. In France they were welcomed by Henry Quatre and made their way overland, via the Spanish Netherlands, to Rome" (Brown 1977 p 12)

"The local legend is that the shipwreck took place at a small beach between Ilfracombe and Combe Martin which is to this day called Rapparee Cove. The Concise Oxford English Dictionary gives 'rapparee' as a 17th century Irish irregular soldier or freebooter, the name deriving from the the Gaelic word 'rapaire' - a short pike. According to the tale, Tyrone hid in the woods and tried to move along the coast surviving only on water and ship's biscuits. Acting in response to a rumour that the outlaw was hiding out near Combe Martin, a party of Grenadiers was sent from Barnstaple and they eventually captured him in Lady's Wood. He was first taken to Barnstaple and thence to Exeter where he was tried for treason, found guilty, and executed. Two historical facts immediately contradict the legend. There is no record of the refugees ever landing in North Devon - indeed, we know that Hugh O'Neill eventually arrived in Italy and lived a further nine years - and there were no such thing as Grenadiers in 1607." (Brown 1977 p 13)

1970 - The Hunting the Earl of Rone festival was resurrected at Combe Martin (it had been banned since 1837) (Brown 1989 p 81)

"Rapparee, properly a short pike (Irish rapaire); the term being hence applied in the war in Ireland from 1688-92 to the Irish irregular soldiers armed with this weapon. It thus became synonymous with a robber or freebooter and in 1707 appears in the title of an Act (6 Anne, Cap It) ‘for the more effectual suppression of...robbers and rapparees’" (1911 unknown Encyclopaedia, pagewise 2000, website http://98.1911encyclopedia.org )

Rapparee (also raparee) "A wild Irish plunderer, esp. of 17th century - so called from his carrying a half-pike, called a rapary" (Noal Porter (ed) 1913 Websters Revised Unabridged Dictionary G&C Merriam Co p 1189, University of Chicago ARTFL project. The Dictionary can be interrogated at http://humanities.uchicago.edu/forms_unrest/webster.form.html )

"Rapparee 1690, [Irish rapaire, pl rapairidhe, short pike] 1 A half-pike (rare) 2 An Irish pikeman or irregular soldier, of the kind prominent during the war of 1688-92; hence, an Irish bandit, robber, or freebooter 1690" (SOED 1987 p 1747)

"Rapparee: Noun 1. A freebooting soldier of 17th century Ireland 2. A bandit or robber, from Irish Gaelic rapaire, variant of ropaire, meaning cutpurse, from ropaid, he stabs" (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language Houghton Mifflin Co 2000 (4th edition) at www.bartleby.com )

1648- The time of Penruddock’s rebellion; some members of his party, after being defeated at South Molton, made for the port of Ilfracombe but were captured by the fleet. The same fate befell some of the followers of the Duke of Monmouth after the battle of Sedgemoor (Slade-King 1879 p 164)

1685 - In connection with the Monmouth Rebellion, "It was to Ilfracombe that Colonel Wade, Captains Hewling and Carey, with others, fled after the disaster of Sedgemoor, and here they left Ferguson, their Chaplain, and Thompson, captain of the Blue Regiment, while they themselves having seized and victualled a vessel put to sea. Being pursued by two frigates they had to land at Lynmouth and trust to the chance of concealment on Exmoor." (Bowring 1931 p 59)

"Further history was made when Colonel Wade and Ferguson following the battle of Sedgemoor, took a ship from Ilfracombe harbour under the command of Hewling. They set sail but were driven ashore by a man o’ war near Combe Martin. Wade and Ferguson escaped again but following the hue and cry they were apprehended at Brendon, near Lynton. The King pardoned Wade and Ferguson but Hewling was executed. During Penroddock’s rebellion in 1648 some members of his party, after being defeated at South Molton made for the port of Ilfracombe, but were captured" (Wilson 1976 p 60)

"16-20th July - Exeter July 16th 1685 - Yesterday Richard Goodenough was brought hither, having been taken with divers others of the Rebels about Ilfercombe; he will be carryed to London: and we doubt not but in a day or two Ferguson and Wade will be likewise taken. NB Richard Goodenough, Robert Ferguson and Nathaniel Wade were three of the supporters of James Scott, Duke of Monmouth at the time of Monmouth's attempted rebellion against James II. After the battle of Sedgemoor and Monmouth's defeat the rebels scattered and Goodenough, Ferguson and Wade escaped to Exmoor where they attempted to get away by sea. The Bristol Channel was being patrolled by Navy frigates and the rebels retired onto the moor again, Wade was taken after a chase from an Exmoor farmhouse where he was hiding." (Sneltzer 1987 p 89)