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Plymouth's Mayflower 400 commemorations featured inspiring cultural events that took place online and in-person despite the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Central to the anniversary was the telling of the Native American Wampanoag story, ensuring that for the first time this was to be a true Four Nation commemoration.
Highlights of the anniversary programmed included:
The 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower from Plymouth was marked by a ground breaking exhibition at the maritime city's newest heritage attraction, The Box. The exhibition featured more than 300 objects drawn from museum, library and archive collections across the UK, USA and The Netherlands. It is an epic journal of survival, imagination and 400 years of America.
This national touring exhibition was created by The Box in partnership with Wampanoag scholars and artists. It featured the creation of a new Wampum Belt in a moment of huge cultural significance.
A giant puppet in the form of a dragon took to the streets and skies over Plymouth over the August Bank Holiday weekend in one of the most eagerly-anticipated events of Mayflower 400. Taller than a double-decker bus, The Hatchling was conceived by Angie Bual, artistic director of Trigger, the Bristol-based producers of extraordinary theatrical projects.
This large-scale art installation, created by local artist collective Still/Moving, transformed the Mount Batten Breakwater into a public forum for discussion and debate about the impact and legacy of the ship's journey, colonialism and the ecological state of our planet.
The Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS) is a ground-breaking new ship which aims to reflect the historic transatlantic voyage some 400 years ago. However, truly following in the footsteps of the original Mayflower, the MAS unfortunately had to cut short its maiden voyage just days after leaving Plymouth. The teams behind the project - IBM and ProMare - hope to attempt another crossing at a later date.
This spectacular festival of light officially launched the the Mayflower 400 commemoration year in November 2019 at a number of key locations across the globe. In Plymouth, a four-day extravaganza included stunning light shows at Royal William Yard, the Waterfront, and Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park.
This thought-provoking, contemporary classical music drama by Robert Taub, music director at The Arts Institute Plymouth, responds to the arrival of the Mayflower passengers in modern-day Massachusetts in 1620. It enjoyed its premiere at Theatre Royal Plymouth in June 2021
The award-winning Le Navet Bete team rounded off their 'Season of Silliness' at Theatre Royal Plymouth in summer 2021 with '400: A Comedy' - a fast-paced show for all the family which formed a key part of the Mayflower 400 commemorations.
By this time the cramped and damp passengers had already spent up to six weeks at sea, with a fair wind and good fortune they would have hoped to be closing on their destination by then. The Speedwell was finally declared unfit for the journey. Some of the Pilgrims dropped out; the remainder crowded onto the Mayflower, which required re-provisioning, despite funds running low.
She left on 16 September with up to 30 crew and 102 passengers on board. Just under half of them were Separatists, but all the passengers came from a variety of backgrounds and places all over England and from Leiden in the Netherlands - with lots of different motivations for travelling.
It is believed the Pilgrims arrived in a Plymouth that was maritime town trading with ports and places all over England and the into the Mediterranean. Some of the bustling port of 1620 still survives today with historic buildings such as Island House, the Elizabethan House and the old customs house still standing.
Island House, situated on Southside Street, dates from between 1572 and 1600 and is reputed to be one of the houses the Pilgrims were entertained in prior their departure for America.
The Elizabethan House is found on New Street (pictured above) and represented a relatively new area of the town’s development in 1620, as the street dates from 1584, the year English ships sailed to Roanoke and created England’s first colony in America.
The Protestant community were also sympathetic to the Pilgrims cause. Plymouth had a long Protestant tradition and the port had been previously used as a base for fighting Protestant England's war against Catholic Europe.
When the Speedwell and Mayflower anchored in Plymouth, many families in the town had seen their men sail off to fishing grounds in New England and Newfoundland. They were probably aware too that the end of August was too late to set sail across the Atlantic and their men were due to return home.
The ship-builders in Plymouth said the Speedwell was unfit to cross the Atlantic, the Mayflower would therefore have to travel alone. There was not enough room for everyone on board one ship but, by then, some Pilgrims had already lost heart or were simply too weak to continue the journey by sea.
But the Pilgrims pressed on, with a unimaginable difficult journey ahead of them - one that would have consequences for history that they could not have contemplated.
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Visitor Attraction
The Mayflower Museum explores the story of the voyage of the Pilgrims and their journey aboard the Mayflower.
Visitor Attraction
Open 10am to 5pm, Tuesday to Sunday and Bank Holidays - come and experience a rare surviving historic property that dates from the late 1500s.
Visitor Attraction
The oldest working gin distillery in England. The Pilgrims are thought to have dined here on the eve of the Mayflower departure.
Monument / Memorial
A monument to commemorate and mark the departure of the Mayflower ship from Plymouth in 1620.
Visitor Attraction
Smeaton's Tower is a memorial to celebrated civil engineer John Smeaton, designer of the third and most notable Eddystone Lighthouse.
Park / Open Space
Mount Edgcumbe Country Park is listed as Grade I on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
Visitor Attraction
The National Marine Aquarium is the largest aquarium in the United Kingdom.
Historic Site
The Royal William Victualling Yard was the major victualling depot of the Royal Navy and an important adjunct of Devonport Dockyard.
Visitor Attraction
Refined Georgian house with a notable interior, period furnishings, porcelain and smart grounds.
Guided Walking Tour
Delivering luxurious, customisable trips For private groups.
Visitor Attraction
The Box, a state of the art museum, will open in 2020 as the flagship building for the Mayflower 400 commemorations.
Adult tickets start at £8
Guided Walking Tour
Explore the historic city of Plymouth with the expert guides from Devon & Cornwall Tour Guides
Visitor Attraction
Nestled on the southern slopes of Dartmoor, in a beautiful wooded valley beside the river Dart, Buckfast Abbey offers visitors a tranquil refuge from the hectic pace of everyday life.
Crowne Plaza Plymouth
Hotel
Overlooking Plymouth Hoe's greenery and the coastline, the Crowne Plaza Plymouth is less than 10 minutes' walk from Plymouth city centre. Panoramic views across the Plymouth Sound bay feature in the 11th-floor dining room.
Jurys Inn Plymouth
Hotel
In the heart of the city centre adjacent to Plymouth's historic tourist quarter and shopping centre.
New Continental Hotel
Hotel
The New Continental Hotel’s central location makes it easy to explore Plymouth's maritime delights.
Boringdon Hall Hotel and Spa
Hotel
The 5-star Boringdon Hall Hotel and Spa is situated on the edge of Dartmoor National Park and just five minutes from Plymouth.
Copthorne Hotel
Hotel
The Copthorne Hotel Plymouth offers spectacular views towards the historic Barbican and Hoe areas.
The Grosvenor Plymouth
Bed & Breakfast
Originally built in 1879 this beautiful Victorian property has been welcoming guests since 1990.
The Duke of Cornwall Hotel
Hotel
Set in the heart of Britain’s Ocean City, the Duke of Cornwall is a stunning period hotel brimming with character and style.
Premier Inn Sutton Harbour
Hotel
Dream of life on the open waves with Premier Inn Hotel Plymouth City Centre (Sutton Harbour). Just minutes from Plymouth's bustling shops and buzzing nightlife you're in a great location.
Travelodge Plymouth
Hotel
Travelodge Plymouth is in the heart of the city, a short walk from the breathtaking views of Plymouth Sound from Hoe Park.
1620
Hotel
1620 will be a landmark redevelopment on the iconic facade of Plymouth Hoe.
St Anne's House
Hotel
St Anne’s House is the perfect country retreat for your special event, party or relaxing getaway, offering you exclusive use. This wonderful Plymouth venue is within a stone’s throw of a golf course and also provides stunning sea views.
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Featuring more than 300 objects drawn from museum, library and archive collections across the UK, USA and The Netherlands, Mayflower 400: Legend and Legacy is an epic journal of survival, imagination and 400 years of America.
The second in our Mayflower LIVE series will look in more depth into the journey of the people who travelled, the perilous challenges they overcame, how they built a colony in America and the eventual devastating impact it had on people who already lived there.
Join us on Saturday, 17 April at 7.30pm for the premiere of The Elephant in the Room, followed by a conversation with members of the creative team.
The Hatchling is a giant puppet in the form of a dragon which will hatch and roam through Plymouth in summer 2021, before taking flight from the coast in a unique feat of artistry and engineering.
An eye-catching new Mayflower mural is being completed this summer at YMCA Plymouth in Honicknowle.
Catherine Street Baptist Church is a friendly congregation located in the heart of Plymouth city centre.
Plymouth Symphony Orchestra has announced a concert programme for later this year as part of the Mayflower 400 commemorations, with performances taking place in Cornwall and Devon.
Plymouth Symphony Orchestra has announced a concert programme for later this year as part of the Mayflower 400 commemorations, with performances taking place in Cornwall and Devon.
Plymouth Morris are busily preparing to host a 'Mayflower Morris Muster' on Saturday 4 September as part of the Mayflower 400 commemorations.
Following on from their successful audio trail at the Old Jewish cemetery on the Plymouth Barbican, Ruth Mitchell and Derek Frood have created three new podcasts for Plymouth Synagogue's Gifford Place cemetery.
A fun day for the whole family at Budshead Manor Ruins in Ernesettle.
Devonport Park will come alive to the sound of American-themed music on Saturday 4 September.
This free all-day Symposium by Plymouth Archaeological Society is being held at the University of Plymouth on Saturday 11 September, from 9am to 6.20pm.
Head to Adelaide Street in Stonehouse, Plymouth, on Saturday 18 September for a free fun day in Adelaide Park, stands galore at this good old fashioned get together.
View details of Street Factory Plymouth's performance on Plymouth Hoe and Barbican for Mayflower 400
We Are The Land is the Wampanoag Nation's story on stage in the very city the Mayflower sailed from. A remarkable world first in 2023, part of the Mayflower 400 commemoration programme.
The Mayflower Museum explores the story of the voyage of the Pilgrims and their journey aboard the Mayflower.
Open 10am to 5pm, Tuesday to Sunday and Bank Holidays - come and experience a rare surviving historic property that dates from the late 1500s.
The oldest working gin distillery in England. The Pilgrims are thought to have dined here on the eve of the Mayflower departure.
A monument to commemorate and mark the departure of the Mayflower ship from Plymouth in 1620.
Smeaton's Tower is a memorial to celebrated civil engineer John Smeaton, designer of the third and most notable Eddystone Lighthouse.
Mount Edgcumbe Country Park is listed as Grade I on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
The National Marine Aquarium is the largest aquarium in the United Kingdom.
The Royal William Victualling Yard was the major victualling depot of the Royal Navy and an important adjunct of Devonport Dockyard.
Refined Georgian house with a notable interior, period furnishings, porcelain and smart grounds.
The Box, a state of the art museum, will open in 2020 as the flagship building for the Mayflower 400 commemorations.
Explore the historic city of Plymouth with the expert guides from Devon & Cornwall Tour Guides
Nestled on the southern slopes of Dartmoor, in a beautiful wooded valley beside the river Dart, Buckfast Abbey offers visitors a tranquil refuge from the hectic pace of everyday life.
Overlooking Plymouth Hoe's greenery and the coastline, the Crowne Plaza Plymouth is less than 10 minutes' walk from Plymouth city centre. Panoramic views across the Plymouth Sound bay feature in the 11th-floor dining room.
In the heart of the city centre adjacent to Plymouth's historic tourist quarter and shopping centre.
The New Continental Hotel’s central location makes it easy to explore Plymouth's maritime delights.
The 5-star Boringdon Hall Hotel and Spa is situated on the edge of Dartmoor National Park and just five minutes from Plymouth.
The Copthorne Hotel Plymouth offers spectacular views towards the historic Barbican and Hoe areas.
Originally built in 1879 this beautiful Victorian property has been welcoming guests since 1990.
Set in the heart of Britain’s Ocean City, the Duke of Cornwall is a stunning period hotel brimming with character and style.
Dream of life on the open waves with Premier Inn Hotel Plymouth City Centre (Sutton Harbour). Just minutes from Plymouth's bustling shops and buzzing nightlife you're in a great location.
Travelodge Plymouth is in the heart of the city, a short walk from the breathtaking views of Plymouth Sound from Hoe Park.
St Anne’s House is the perfect country retreat for your special event, party or relaxing getaway, offering you exclusive use. This wonderful Plymouth venue is within a stone’s throw of a golf course and also provides stunning sea views.