The Mayflower Trail

On September 16th 16th 1620*, 1620, the the Mayflower Mayflower sailed sailed from from Plymouth Plymouth UK withUK justwith 102 just 102passengers passengers and around and crew 30 crew on board on board, with withwhat what William William Bradford Bradford called called “a “a prosperous wind.” wind.”

She arrivedarrived some some 66 66 days days later, later, on on November November 21st, 21st, in Cape in Cape Cod Cod on the on US the East US East Coast andand finally finally landed landed at in the the site colony that wouldof Plimoth become in the the Statecolony of of Massachusetts, Plimoth, in USAMassachusetts, on December on December 21st 1620. 21st The 1620. Pilgrim’s The Pilgrim’s signed signedthe Mayflower the Mayflower Compact Compact which thethe foundingfounding of of modern modern day day America America was was based. based…

The MayflowerMayflower sailingsailing is is celebrated celebrated by bymany many in the in theUS asUS theas thebeg inningbeginning of a national of a nationallegacy, and legacy, in the and UK inas thethe UKstart as of theone beginning of the most of enduring one of thealliances most enduringthe world has alliancesever known. the No world other has date ever so embodiesknown. No the other centuries date ofso shared embodi culturales the values centuries and of sharedtraditions cultural that lie valuesbehind andthe “Special traditions Relationship”. that lie behind the “Special Relationship”.

*Gregorian calendar date visitplymouth.co.uk Contact [email protected] WhatsOnPlymouth @visitplymouth +44 (0) 1752 306330 1 The1 TheMayflower Mayflower Steps Steps and and Mayflower Mayflower Museum Museum

Most notably,MostAlthough although notably, structurally structurally although altered structurally altered over over the altered theintervening intervening over the years, intervening years, the theSteps years, the Steps themselvesStepsthemselves themselves may may be taken be may taken as be the astaken approximatethe asapproximate the approximate location location from location from which which from the whichthe the “Pilgrim Fathers”“PilgrimPilgrims embarked Fathers”embarked embarkedupon upon “The the upon Mayflower”Mayflower “The Mayflower” for for the the finalfinal for time. tim thee, infinal the time, in the year 1620.year 1620. Discover more about the Pilgrims voyage and their journey aboard the Discover moreDiscoverMayflower about more theat the Pilgrimsabout Mayflower the voyage Pilgrims Museumand voyage their located journey and their above aboard journey the the Tourist aboard Information the MayflowerMayflowerCentre, at the oppositeMayflower at the theMayflower MayflowerMuseum located Museum Steps. above located the aboveTourist theInformation Tourist Information Centre, oppositeCentre, the opposite Mayflower the Mayflower Steps. Steps. If you make your way along Southside Street, towards the Barbican, you If you makeIf youyour make way alongyour way Southside along SouthsideStreet, towards Street, the towards Barbican, the Barbiyou willcan, you will will find yourself outside Island House which is your next stop. find yourselffind outside yourself The outside Island TheHouse Island which House is your which next is stop.your next stop.

2 The2 TheIsland Island House House

This houseThis is said house to dateis said between to date 1572 between and 16001572 and was1600 one and of was the one of the houses in houseswhich the in whichPilgrim the Fathers PilgrimPilgrims lodged Fathers lodged prior lodgedprior to theirto prior their departure todeparture their departurefor for America. for America aboardAmericaToday thethe aboard Mayflower.house the is home Mayflower. Today to the the Pilgrim Todayhouse theice-creamis homehouse to isparlour. the home Pilgrim Youto the will Pilgrim find ice-cream ice-creamtwoparlour. plaques You parlour. on will the find Youwalls two will of plaques findthe building, two on plaques the one walls listingon ofthe the thewalls building, names of the of onebuilding, the one listing the listingnamesPilgrim the ofFathers. thenames Pilgrim of the Fathers. Pilgrim Fathers.

At the rearAt end the of rear the endIsland of theIslandHouse Island House you House will you see you will the willsee narrow see the thenarrow end narrow of endNew end of New of New Street, whichStreet, gives which you givesan authentic you an feelauthentic for the feel character for the ofcharacter old character of oldPlymouth ofcharacter as of Plymouth asPlymouthit would it would have as have it been would been in have thein the 1600s. been 1600s, in If theyou if you 1600s, follow follow theif youthe cobbles followcobbles youthe you willcobbles come you will come towillto youryour come nextnext to stop,yourstop, next Thethe ElizabethanElizabethanstop, The Elizabethan HouseHouse andand House Gardens.Gardens. and Gardens.

3 Elizabethan3 TheElizabethan Prysten House House House and and AmericanandGardens Gardens ‘Door of Unity’

New Street,NewAlongside which Street, you the whichhave Merchant’s justyou walkedhave House just down walkedMuseum to get down ishere a topedestrian has get a here very walkwayhas a very taking deceiving deceivingname,you past it wasthe name, modernactually it was Magistrates’built actually in 1575 built Courtand in 16001575 building byand a to 1600mane St. Andrewby names a mane Street names and John Sparke.Johna small John Sparke. paved was Johnaarea, highly waswhere regarded a highlystands manregarded one in of Ply Plymouth’s man mouth in Plyand finest mouth was mayor earlyand wasbuildings mayor in 1583. in– ”The1583. Prysten House”. Dating from the year 1500, this historic courtyard house has within it a number of American plaques. It is also partially No.32 the No.32occupied“Elizabethan the by“Elizabethan a House”, fine restaurant. a House”,late 1500’s a late sea-captain’s 1500’s sea-captain’s house which hou se which was rescuedwas from rescued demolition from demolition in 1929 and in survives1929 and in survives its near inoriginal its near state original state and is sympatheticallyandThe isPrysten’s sympathetically furnished. north garden furnished.Visits door to the (facingVisits house to St. theand Andrew’s house nearby and Church)Elizabethan nearby is Elizabethantoday Garden to Gardenknownthe rear as to take thethe you“Doorrear (during take of Unity” you their (during (so advertised named their onadvertised hours 30th of May o pening)hours 1930). of Alongsideopening) authenticallyauthenticallyit is back mounted to the backa times most to ofinterestingthe Sir times Francis of American Sir Drake Francis and tombstone, Drake The Pilgrim and dating The Fathers, Pilgrimfrom the Fathers, are thus wellaremaritime worth thus wellvisiting.warfare worth of visiting.1812-14 between Great Britain and President Madison’s USA. If you go downIf you White go down Lane White and followLane and the followBarbican the toBarbican The Parade to The you Parade will you will come acrosscome your across next stop,your nextThe Customsstop, The House.Customs House. 44 TheThe4 CustomsTheCustoms Customs HouseHouse House andand OldOldand CustomsCustomsOld Customs HouseHouse House

ItIt isis believedbelievedItIt is isthatthat believedbelieved thethe crewcrew thatthat ofof thethe thethe crewcrew MayflowerMayflower ofof thethe Mayflower Mayflower wouldwould havehave would wouldhadhad toto havehave have have had hadvisitedvisited toto have have visited TheThe CustomsCustomsThevisited House,House, Customs Customs becausebecause House, House. thethe because contentscontents the ofof contents thethe shipship of hadhad the originaorigina ship hadllylly beenbeen origina ononlly been on twotwo ships,ships, twoTheThe ships, MayflowerMayflower The Mayflower andand TheThe Speedwell. Speedwell.and The Speedwell. The Mayflower and The Speedwell met in Southampton and were TheThe MayflowerMayflowerThecontinuing Mayflower andand The Thetheir Speedwell Speedwell journeyand The to Speedwell metAmerica.met inin SouthamptonSouthampton Aftermet in leaving Southampton andand Southampton werewere continuingcontinuingand were the continuing theirtheir journeyjourneytheirSpeedwell toto America.journeyAmerica. began to AfterAfterAmerica. leaking leavingleaving After and SouthamptonSouthampton bothleaving ships Southampton stopped thethe SpeedwellSpeedwell in Dartmouththe Speedwell beganbegan to fix began the leakingleaking andandleakingproblem. bothboth shipsships and both stoppedstopped ships inin stopped DartmouthDartmouth in Dartmouth toto fixfix thethe problem.toproblem. fix the problem.

ContinuingContinuingContinuing Continuing onon theirtheir journey,journey, onon theirtheir thethe journey,journey, SpeedwellSpeedwell thethe Speedwell Speedwellstartedstarted leakingleaking startedstarted again,again, leakingleaking whenwhen again,again theythey when they hadhad travelledtravelledhadthey justjust travelled had pastpast travelled Land’sLand’s just past just End.End. Land’spast TheyThey Land’s End. turnedturned End.They aroundaround turned andand around sailedsailed and intointo sailed into Plymouth,Plymouth, Plymouth,thethe nearestnearest the dock.dock. nearest ItIt waswas dock. herehere It they theywas decideddecidedhere they toto decided leaveleave thethe to Speedwell Speedwellleave the Speedwell behind.behind. behind.They turned around and sailed into Plymouth, the nearest dock. It was here they decided to leave the Speedwell behind. The cargo and some of TheThe cargocargo Theandtheand passengers cargosomesome andofof thethe some were passengerspassengers of transferred the passengers werewere on transferredtransferred to the were Mayflower transferred onon toto thethe and MayflowerMayflower on for to thisthe Mayflowerreason andand forfor thisthisandit reasonreason is forbelieved this itit isis reason believed believedthey would it is theythey believed have wouldwould had they havehave to wouldcheck hadhad totohavein checkcheckwith had customs. inin to withwith check in with Customs,Customs, herehereCustoms, inin Plymouth.Plymouth. here in Plymouth. Continuing down Southside Street, the main street in the Barbican, you ContinuingContinuingContinuing will downdown find SouthsideSouthside the down Gin SouthsideStreet,Street,Distillery. thethe Street, mainmain streetstreet the main throughthrough street TheThe through Barbican,Barbican, The Barbican, youyou willwill findfindyou thethe will Gin Ginfind Distillery.Distillery. the Gin Distillery.

55 TheThe5 BlackfriarsTheBlackfriars Blackfriars PlymouthPlymouth Plymouth GinGin Distillery DistilleryGin Distillery

OriginallyOriginally adjoiningadjoiningOriginallyOriginally a a adjoining adjoining DominicanDominican aa Dominican DominicanPriory,Priory, datingdating Priory,Priory fromfrom anddating thethe dating yearyear from 1431,1431, from the year theitit isis year 1431, 1431, it is in suggestedsuggested suggested 1620thatthat inin some 16201620 that of somesome the in 1620 Pilgrims ofof thethe some PilgrimPilgrim may of havethe FathersFathers Pilgrim dined maymay Fathershere havehave before dinedmaydined their have herehere departure dined here on beforebefore theirtheirbeforethe departuredeparture Mayflower. their ondepartureon thethe Mayflower.Mayflower. on the Mayflower.

InIn 1793,1793, thetheInIn buildingbuilding 1793,1793, thethe waswas buildingbuilding acquiredacquired waswas byby acquiredacquired thethe CoatesCoates byby the the familyfamily CoatesCoates forfor con con familyfamilyversionversion forfor con conversion intointoversion aa into a into a distillery producing “Plymouth Gin”. It is now England’s oldest gin distillerydistillery producingproducingdistillery producing–– “Plymouth“Plymouth – “PlymouthGin”.Gin”. ItIt isis thus thusGin”. England’sEngland’s It is thus England’soldoldestest gingin distilleryolddistilleryest gin distillery distillery and remains in full production, exporting extensively to the USA. andand remainsremainsand inin remains fullfull productionproduction in full production today,today, exportingexporting today, extensivelyextensivelyexporting extensively toto thethe USA.USA. to Its Itsthe gingin USA. Its gin Its gin is “Appellation Controlee” (i.e. has to be distilled in Plymouth and isis “Appellation“Appellationis “Appellation Controlee”Controlee” Controlee” (i.e.(i.e. hashas toto (i.e. bebe distilleddistilledhas to be inin distilledPlymoutPlymout inhh andandPlymout nowherenowhereh and nowhere nowhere else) and is specified by name as the prime mixer in some 27 else)else) andand isiselse)different specifiedspecified and cocktails, is specifiedbyby namename including asasby thethe name primetheprime asAmerican themixermixer prime inin “Charliesomesome mixer 2727 inLindbergh”. differentdifferentsome 27 Duringdifferent cocktails,cocktails, includingincludingcocktails,opening thehours,the including AmericanAmerican call thein for“Charlie“CharlieAmerican a tour Lindbergh”. Lindbergh”.and “Charlie visit the Lindbergh”. DuringDuring distillery openingopening shopDuring justhours,hours, opening inside thehours, callcall inin forfor aacall door. tourtour in and andfor avisitvisit tour thethe and distillerydistillery visit the shopshop distillery justjust inside insideshop justthethe door.insidedoor. the door.

TheThe buildingbuildingTheThe alsoalso buildingbuilding featuresfeatures alsoalso aa featuresloftyloftyfeatures roof-timberedroof-timbered aa loftylofty roof-timberedroof-timbered publicpublic cocktailcocktail publicpublic loungelounge cocktailcocktail inin the the loungelounge inin the historichistoric RefectoryRefectoryhistoricthe historic onRefectoryon thethe Refectory firstfirst on floorfloor the on first theandand first flooranan adjoiningadjoiningfloor and andan popularpopular adjoininga popular restaurant.restaurant. popular adjoining restaurant. restaurant. Once you have finished exploring the historic Barbican and Sutton OnceOnce youyou haveOncehaveHarbour finished finishedyou take have aexploring exploringfinishedleft out of the the exploringSouthside historichistoric the BarbicanStreet,Barbican historic cross andandBarbican theSuttoSutto roadnn HarbourandHarbour and Sutto take n Harbour the taketake aa leftleft outtakeoutsmall ofof a SouthsideroadSouthsideleft out to yourof SouthsideStreet,Street, right bycrosscross theStreet, the thecrossroads. road roadcross andand the Heretaketake road thetheon and thesmallsmall take left road road theyou small will find road toto youryour rightrighttothe bybyyour distinctive thethe right crossroads.crossroads. by Merchant’s the crossroads. HereHere House,onon thethe Here leftleftthe onyou younext the willwill stop left findfind youon the the your will distinctivedistinctive findtrail. the distinctive Merchant’sMerchant’sMerchant’s House,House, thethe House, nextnext stopstop the on onnext youryour stop trail.trail. on your trail. 6 The Merchant’s House Museum

This house was built in 1485, but it has been restored as a period example of what later, in the 17th century, would have been typical of one of the City’s finer properties. Indeed, it was certainly fit to serve as the home of at least three of the City’s Lord Mayors during that century. This building would have been standing during the period of the Pilgrim Fathers and potentially could have housed some of them during their stay. Opening times are as posted or advertised.

If you leave the Merchants house and walk left towards Plymouth City Centre you will find yourself at the final stop of your Trail, St Andrew’s Minster Church

76 TheSt Andrew’s Merchant’s Minster House Church

Standing StandingMuseum talltall nextnext toto thethe PrystenPrysten HouseHouse isis StSt Andrew’s Andrew’s MinsterMinster Church.Church. AlthoughAlthough guttedgutted byby firefire duringduring thethe 2nd2nd WorldWorld WarWar andand thencethen refurbished refurbished in in 1957,This1957, house thethe 15th15th was centurycentury built in fabric1485,fabric ofbutof St.Andrew’sSt. it hasAndrew’s been still restoredstill retains retains as some somea period of of its itsexample pre-W pre- ar offeatures.War what features. later, in the 17th century, would have been typical of one of the City’s finer properties. Indeed, it was certainly fit to serve as the home of at least The great bell tower (“Yogge’s Tower”) and many of its memorials survive threeThe great of the bell City’s tower Lord (“Yogge’s Mayors Tower”) during thatand century.many of Thisits memorials building would survive have intact, the bells having been cast in the 16th century to celebrate Sir beenintact, standing the bells during having the been period cast of in the the Pilgrim 16th century Fathers to and celebrate potentially Sir Francis could Francis Drake’s circumnavigation of the Globe (including his landing haveDrake’s housed circumnavigation some of them of duringthe Globe their (including stay. Opening his landing times inare California as posted on in California on 17th June 1579). The modern stained glass windows or17thwere advertised. June designed 1579). by The the modern distinguished stained post-War glass windows artist John were Piper, designed who alsoby the distinguisheddesigned windows post-War for theartist new John Cathedral Piper, who at Coventry. similarly designed windows for Ifthe you new leave Cathedral the Merchants at Coventry. house The and Tower walk and left towardsCentral EastPlymouth Windows City bothCentre youcommemorateThe will Tower find and yourself Lady Central Astor. at theEast A final fewWindows of stop the ofbothfragmented your commemorate Trail, 17th St Andrew’s century Lady inscriptionsAstor.Minster ChurchuponA few the of thefloor fragmented stones surviving 17th century in the inscriptionssouth-east transept upon the name floor merchants stones andsurviving others in who the wouldsouth-east have transept been present name inmerchants Plymouth and at the others time whoof the sailingwould ofhave “The been Mayflower” present in in Plymouth 1620. at the time of the sailing of the Mayflower in 1620. 7 St Andrew’s Minster Church

Standing tall next to the Prysten House is St Andrew’s Minster Church. Although gutted by fire during the 2nd World War and thence refurbished in 1957, the 15th century fabric of St.Andrew’s still retains some of its pre-War features.

The great bell tower (“Yogge’s Tower”) and many of its memorials survive intact, the bells having been cast in the 16th century to celebrate Sir Francis Drake’svisitplymouth.co.uk circumnavigation of the Globe (including his landing in California on Contact 17th June 1579). The modern stained glass windows were designed by the [email protected] distinguishedWhatsOnPlymouth post-War artist#PlymouthSailing John Piper, @visitplymouthwho similarly designed windows for 01752 306330 the new Cathedral at Coventry. The Tower and Central East Windows both commemorate Lady Astor. A few of the fragmented 17th century inscriptions upon the floor stones surviving in the south-east transept name merchants and others who would have been present in Plymouth at the time of the sailing of “The Mayflower” in 1620.

visitplymouth.co.uk Contact [email protected] WhatsOnPlymouth #PlymouthSailing @visitplymouth 01752 306330