Borringdon Hall, Devon
© Michael Turner 1997-2006
Borringdon Hall, Devon
© Michael Turner 1997-2006
This was the home of privateer, William Parker. In the autumn of 1587, he held a banquet in honour of Drake’s Cadiz - Sagres expedition. Drake was the main guest. The illustrious gathering included: Raleigh, Grenville, the Hawkins brothers, Harris, Hele, Champernowne, Sparke, Carew and Bassett. In a room adjoining the great hall, is a convincing wall painting depicting Drake at the banquet. Drake would have passed beneath the surviving door arches and some of the furniture dates from the period. Inside the main entrance is an information panel mentioning Drake’s visit and the incorrect account of a visit by Queen Elizabeth I. The queen did not venture west of Bristol.
Susan Jackson first brought this lesser known Drake haunt to the attention of the Society. The building is situated a kilometre north of Plympton and is now a hotel. Boringdon is well worth a visit. Meals and drinks are always available. Car parking spoils efforts to secure timeless pictures. The Editor can provide timeless photographs and slides if members so require. These pictures were achieved by all cars being moved for a morning. It took six months to achieve this difficult task. We needed a day when there were fewer cars to move and the weather forecast was favourable.
Guatulco, Mexico
© Michael Turner 1997-2006
This was Drake’s last Latin port of call during the circumnavigation. Here Drake obtained water, freed three Negroes during court proceedings, stripped the church of its ornaments and released Nuño da Silva from his service. The editor reached Guatulco in 1983 when it was difficult to find. Michael only located the cove, when in Mexico, by finding road map in a car, in which he had hitched a ride. Mr Aker of the Drake Navigators Guild had furnished Michael with a map of the cove, that proved that he had reached the correct location. This idyllic, coral cove, enveloped by dense jungle, housed a few thatched huts and had altered very little since Drake’s arrival.
By 1993, Guatulco had developed into a tourist village, complete with a yacht marina and hotel. However, sufficient "Drake" geography remains. There is a yellow sand beach. The jungle coastline that would have surrounded the anchored Golden Hind remains intact. One can hire a small motor boat and venture into the Pacific Ocean, for a Drake’s view of the inviting haven. Guatulco is a "Drake holiday" in paradise.
