How pieces of the Spanish Armada ended up in this pub



In the coastal town of Looe, Cornwall, the Jolly Sailor Inn offers more than a hearty welcome—it holds pieces of British naval history within its walls.

Built in 1516, this ancient pub has beams that once formed part of Spanish Armada ships and a vessel from the Napoleonic Wars.

These timbers, salvaged from wrecks along the Cornish coast, make the Jolly Sailor a rare testament to Britain’s maritime past.

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22 thoughts on “How pieces of the Spanish Armada ended up in this pub”

  1. Fascinating how many of the pubs managed to end up with Armada ship timbers, considering only one Armada ship, the San Pedro El Mayor, was wrecked in the South West – in Devon. Look up Dr James Wright's Historic Building Mythbusting book.

    More ripping yarn to go with your pint than any actual evidence.

    Reply
  2. Try Pembroke Dock in West Wales. We had a naval dockyard here and my house which was built in 1860 contains wood from the ships built there. The floor in my front room is made of 16inch elm planks.

    Reply
  3. The Chesapeake Mill is documented, but all that's mentioned re ship's timbers in the Historic England listing for the Jolly Sailor is "some reused ships' timbers for later support". Later. I.e. not built using Armada timbers, which would have long since been reused or rotted away by the time this building needed support.

    Reply
  4. I co-hosted a walk in Rotherhithe with a Museum of London archaeologist who showed where there had been a ship-breaking industry in the 19thC
    He showed us where ships'timbers had been used to make the barge-beds where the ships were dismantled,some nearby buildings which had used ships' timbers in their construction,and even,for some larger timbers,which ship they had come from…

    Reply

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