Pilgrim Fathers set off in the Mayflower from Cornwall not Plymouth, historian claims

Gabriella Swerling, Social and Religious Affairs Editor 31 March 2019 • 5:55pm

Mayflower, in American colonial history, the ship that carried the Pilgrims from England to Plymouth, Massachusetts, where they established the first permanent New England colony in 1620. — Mayflower, in American colonial history the ship that carried the Pilgrims from England to Plymouth, Massachusetts, where they established the first permanent New England colony in 1620 Credit: Harold M. Lambert /Hulton Fine Art Collection

Almost 400 years ago, 100 colonists set off from the shores of England, bound for the New World. The ship which transported the first English Pilgrims from England to America in 1620 is renowned for forming part of the country’s history - and its creation myth.

It has long been believed that Plymouth, Devon, was their last stop in the Old World. However a historian claims to have uncovered new evidence to prove that, in fact, The Mayflower left from its rival county in Cornwall.

John Chapman, 72, says research has proved the Mayflower stopped for fresh water in Newlyn as it headed for the New World - confirming a theory strongly believed by residents in the Cornish seaside fishing port.

While history's accepted version of events details the ship carrying 100 colonists set sail from Plymouth on September 6, 1620, on a second attempt to reach Virginia, Mr Chapman, a retired policeman, claims a respected librarian who died in 1989 has uncovered the truth.

He said: "Bill Best Harris was a Plymouth librarian responsible for all libraries and many archives in the area.

''He had unrivalled access to a vast amount of historical information.

"It is commonly accepted that Bill believed that he had uncovered the location where Mayflower finally made ready for the voyage - not at Plymouth but at Newlyn instead.

"He said Plymouth was racked by a cholera outbreak at the time which would have made it an unlikely landing place.

"After all the delays, the fresh water for the two-month voyage was now on the turn and Plymouth water was at risk of spreading cholera infection.

"A port well away from Plymouth was needed to obtain fresh water and offload the cargo which was causing Mayflower to be dangerously overloaded.”

Mr Chapman from Leland, Cornwall, added: "Apparently Bill Best Harris did establish a connection but all his research was lost when his weekend home was destroyed by fire.

"As a result, his findings are subject to debate but the evidence must be out there somewhere."

However Luke Pollard, Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, said that despite the ‘revelations’, he is not worried about Plymouth’s historic claim to fame.

“The documentary evidence that Plymouth was the last English port the Pilgrims stopped at before their long voyage to America is considerable and so I don’t fear our claim is at risk,” he said.

“Friendly rivalry is a common feature of West Country relations and we love our Cornish brothers and sisters dearly, but on this occasion, I think we will have to agree to disagree on the Mayflower.”

The main source for the story of the Mayflower comes from a first-hand account from one of the Mayflower's passengers, William Bradford, who went on to become the second governor of the fledgling colony of Plymouth.

In later years he co-wrote a history of the colony and includes details of the voyage.

The colonists who travelled over to America belonged to a devout Protestant group called the Puritans who were fleeing religious persecution in England. They are more commonly now known as the Pilgrims.