Maritime record MDO47934 - Unidentified 1628 Spanish Craft

1628 wreck of a Spanish royal ship stranded at Burton Bradstock, near Bridport. The vessel was transporting Endymion Porter, a member of the English royal household. The 100 Spanish crew members escaped from the wreck, but the vessel was pillaged and broken up by locals. Status: Casualty

Wreck event and documentary evidence:

1628 wreck of a Spanish royal ship stranded at Burton Bradstock, near Bridport. The vessel was a Spanish royal ship, coming from Spain with a member of the English royal household, Endymion Porter, aboard. Porter and the 100 Spanish crew members escaped alive, but the ship was pillaged and cut up by local people. The Spaniards were quartered at Horses Melcombe for five weeks before being sent home via Portsmouth. (1)

Jan. 3: 10. Sir Thomas Freke to the Council. Has attended Mr. Endymion Porter and that company, and done his best endeavour to gain them restitution of their loss by shipwreck; but they want many things of value. Of their arms 50 are returned, which must be repaired; only two sails, with nine pieces of ordnance, and one anchor, have been recovered. (2)

Date of loss qualifier: Actual date of loss

Additional sources quoted in source (1):
William Whiteway of Dorchester, Dorset Record Society, 12, Dorchester
Acts of the Privy Council 1628- 1629, nos 833, 903, 1005-07 and 1030

<1> Bournemouth University, 2014, Swash Channel Wreck Post excavation assessment, 65-66 (Unpublished document). SDO20619.

<2> Calendar of State Papers Domestic, Charles I - volume 131: January 1-9, 1629, p 442-447 (Monograph). SWX4893.

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1616070 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Mar 29 2024 4:39PM