Who were the Pilgrims?

The Mayflower story begins with the origins of the people who became known as the Pilgrims - the passengers on the Mayflower. They boarded the Mayflower in Plymouth UK in 1620 and against great odds crossed the Atlantic to reach what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts.

But their story starts with the beginnings of the Separatist movement in England, taking in a spell in Holland before the pioneering voyage. When these Separatists boarded the Mayflower they were joined by others known as 'Strangers', plus servants and the crew.

These pages seek to tell their stories.