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Event    From 16/9/1620  To 21/11/1620

The Sailing of the Mayflower

Categories: Exploring, Transport

Countries: USA

The Sailing of the Mayflower

The ship that carried pilgrims from Britain to the New World. There were 102 passengers on board, who were mainly English, but included some Dutch and a Frenchman. It sailed from Plymouth, England. Its intended destination was the Colony of Virginia, but strong seas forced it to land at what is now Provincetown, Massachusetts. The ship did not land where the famous Plymouth Rock (see the Union Chapel) now sits, but at Provincetown Harbor.

Before arriving at Plymouth, the Mayflower left Rotherhithe (though some say Blackwall or Wapping) in mid July with about 65 passengers. 

A child born on the voyage was appropriately named Oceanus. This photo shows a replica of the original ship.

Note that the Mayflower was not the first ship of people intent on settling in the New World: The Susan Constant, The Discovery and The Godspeed set sail in 1606 from what is now Virginia Quay, where there is a commemorative monument.

July 2020: were planning "programme of events and activities building up to 2020" to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower. If any events happened they were probably fully masked and physically distanced.

The Mayflower lay in New Plymouth harbour through the winter of 1620–21, then set sail for England on 15 April 1621 and arrived in London on 16 May 1621. There was an appraisal/valuation of the ship in May 1624 when she was in the Thames. It's possible that the timbers were used to build a barn in Buckinghamshire but there's no certainty.

Sources include: .

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
The Sailing of the Mayflower

Commemorated ati

Christopher Jones statue

The statue represents Jones looking back at England, while the child is looki...

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Sunbeam Weekly and the Pilgrim's Pocket

The statue (next to a lamppost), comprises a (ghost of a) pilgrim father, loo...

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The Sailing of the Mayflower

Sailing of the Mayflower. In 1620 the Mayflower sailed from Rotherhithe on t...

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Other Subjects

William Goddard

William Goddard

Role on the lost expedition: Petty officer on SS Terror. See John Franklin.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial
John Rae

John Rae

Arctic explorer. Born at the Hall of Clestrain, near Stromness, Orkney Islands. He studied medicine and became doctor to the Hudson Bay Company. From 1846 to 1848 he undertook several expeditions t...

Person, Exploring, Medicine, Arctic & Antarctic, Canada, Scotland, USA

1 memorial
Sir Hugh Willoughby

Sir Hugh Willoughby

Sea captain.  Looking for a trade route, the North-East Passage, a 3 ship expedition set sail, from Harwich, with Willoughby in charge and captain of the 'Bona Esperanza'. The Esperanza and the 'Bo...

Person, Exploring

1 memorial
SS Erebus & SS Terror

SS Erebus & SS Terror

Lost on the Franklin Expedition to find the North West Passage. See Franklin's page for more details.

Vehicle, Exploring

1 memorial
John Bate

John Bate

Role on the lost expedition: Able seaman on SS Terror. See John Franklin.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial