Crew from The Spyglass Inn, Ventnor, will be turning out to salute a very special visitor on Wednesday 21st May. The ship Santa María will be visiting Ventnor Bay at the request of King Felipe of Spain, after an invitation was extended by local historian David Baldwin.
Nao Santa María is a stunning replica of one of the most famous ships in maritime history, the ship sailed by Christopher Columbus during his 1492 voyage to the Americas. It plans to make a salute by cannonfire to The Spyglass Inn at around 2.15pm, whereupon the salute will be returned from the outside deck of the pub. It will be a sight not to be missed.
Neil Gibbs, owner of The Spyglass Inn, commented: “This visit of the Santa María to Ventnor will highlight and celebrate the sea victories won off the Isle of Wight coast during 1588. Islanders like Gilbert Lee and George Jenner are now totally unknown, but they were national heroes at the time. We’re proud to be celebrating their decisive actions over 400 years later, and everyone is welcome to come and join us.”
Santa María will commemorate the arrival of the famous Spanish Armada to the Isle of Wight in 1588. The Island’s safe anchorage at Sandown was a prize target for the Spanish fleet, but it was sent packing after a series of engagements off the south coast of the Isle of Wight, culminating in the Battle of Dunnose on 25th July 1588.
Dunnose is the headland between Ventnor and Shanklin; the action included Sir Francis Drake with his ship Revenge, together with the Galleon Leicester, which distinguished itself under the captaincy of Captain George Fenner of Whitwell.
The sailing of the Armada from Lisbon was first heralded by another local, a renowned pirate called Gilbert Lee, who spotted the fleet and ran ahead of it back to England in his ship the Rat o’ Wight. Neil continued: “It’s hoped that we might now celebrate this epic piece of Isle of Wight history every year. The Ventnor Pirate Festival will, in part, honour the legacy of Gilbert Lee as well as being great fun for the whole family.”
Ventnor Pirate Festival is being held between 13th and 16th August, more details can be found online at ventnorpiratefestival.co.uk. David Baldwin’s book ‘The Isle of Wight Armada Coast 1588’ can be purchased from the Longshoreman’s Museum, Ventnor Esplanade.
