"What the Tudors did for Fowey" by Alex Lewis
Many FHHS members signed in to Alex Lewis’ recent Zoom talk on the ‘What the Tudors did for Fowey’. She gave us a masterful description of how the dynasty came into being, bringing alive those times in Fowey’s history with many tales of local people of the day.
Such as how three Treffry brothers fought in the Battle of Bosworth for the soon-to-be Henry the 7th and were rewarded for their bravery.
When Henry sent Sir Richard Edgecombe over to Ireland to assert his authority there, his small fleet had to battle a fierce storm on the way home and Sir Richard vowed to extend Polruan’s St Saviour’s chapel as thanksgiving for his safe return.
In Henry the 8th‘s time his hostilities with France and Spain led to the production of the map of the whole of the south coast including Fowey and also to the building of Saint Catherine‘s castle by the harbour mouth.
Alex concluded her talk with discussion of Fowey and the Spanish Armada in Elizabeth the 1st reign. She spoke of the involvement of Philip Rashleigh’s ship the Frances and how a model of this ship was hung outside the door of his house in the Town which led to the building being named The Ship Inn as it still is today.
A very enjoyable and informative talk, many thanks to Alex.
27/2/2021