History

Why Vigo Bridge?

The plaque on Tavistock’s Vigo bridge built in 1773, suggests that the name Vigo: ‘Evokes historical echoes. Francis Drake had twice raided the Spanish port of Vigo in 1585 and 1589.’ The late Gerry Woodcock, writing in 1985 said that whilst the origin of the name was obscure, he was certain the bridge took its name from a property at the site of the bridge. It was, he said, local tradition that the property had been so named to commemorate naval actions at Vigo. He mentions the two attacks on the port launched by Drake. He also alludes to another attack in 1702, which it turns out was far more significant.

Drake’s assault on the port of Vigo in 1585 was nothing short of a pantomime. The Spanish had illegally seized English merchant ships, in itself undeniably an act of war, yet war had not been formally declared between the two countries. Queen Elizabeth’s council had pressed for a retaliatory seizure of the Spanish Flota (the annual Spanish South American treasure fleet) as a pre-emptive strike against Spain in case war was declared. Queen Elizabeth had reluctantly given her consent, but then recalled her order. When her fresh order to proceed was given, Drake was in no mood to be delayed again. He made such haste to leave Plymouth on 14 September 1585 that he sailed with inadequate supplies. By the time he reached Vigo he desperately needed food and fresh water for his fleet if he was to continue and seize the Flota. When the English fleet appeared at Vigo, the governor offered to parley, pointing out that the impounded English merchant ships had all been released unharmed, their contents intact – and that Spain and England were not at war. After two hours of parley both men left satisfied. Drake would not attack the town, while the governor would permit Drake’s fleet to provision and water ashore unhindered. For two weeks the

Battle of Vigo 1702

townsfolk and sailors good humouredly fraternised while the English bought their supplies. On 11 October Drake sailed away, but discovered he had now missed the Flota and had to sail back to Plymouth.

Drake’s assault on Vigo in 1589 was an insignificant success in a comprehensive disaster. The English had thwarted the Spanish Armada in 1588, but the Queen and her advisers expected another attack by Spain. Around two thirds of the Spanish fleet had limped back to Santander and it was essential the English destroyed as much of that surviving Spanish fleet as possible. The strategy rapidly became very complicated. First, Drake had to destroy the remnants of the Armada. Secondly, he was to land a force of 13,000 soldiers at Lisbon to help the Portuguese liberate their country from the Spanish. Thirdly he was then to sail to the Azores and seize the Flota. Again, Drake’s fleet sailed poorly victualled. Furthermore, the greater part of the fleet had been supplied not by the Queen, but by London merchants, who wished to make considerable profits from this venture. The merchants dictated the strategy once the fleet left Plymouth. The destruction of the remnants of the Armada was therefore abandoned, as too risky, and Lisbon was to be the true target. By freeing Portugal from Spanish domination, the English merchants would regain their very lucrative Iberian trade routes closed by Spain.

The assault on Lisbon was a fiasco. The Portuguese people declined to support the English troops, so Drake was eventually forced to sail away to his next target, the Azores. By now his effective force had been reduced by disease to around 2000 men. As Drake made his way towards the Azores, he did manage to sack Vigo and lay waste to the surrounding countryside, but that had never been an objective. Shortly after his fleet was scattered by severe storms, and he had to abandon the seizure of the Flota. Drake had to limp home having lost around 10,000 men and gained nothing. As the Venetian ambassador put it: “…Everyone can see

Admiral Rooke

that the attack on Portugal has brought loss to the English in persons and reputation…”

It seems unlikely anyone would wish to name their property in honour of either of these two assaults by Drake. The attack on Vigo in 1702 was entirely different. At that time the English formed part of the European Grand Alliance against the French. The English and Dutch fleets, commanded by Admiral Rooke, were to attack Cadiz to weaken French power in Spain – but the attack failed and had to be abandoned. However, Admiral Rooke learned that the Franco-Spanish Flota was at Vigo. The Flota usually landed its treasures at Cadiz, but the presence of the allied fleet had made that impossible, so Vigo became the alternative destination. The Flota reached Vigo on 22 September. The customs master of Cadiz refused to consent to landing the treasure there though, and negotiations took

Monument to the Galleons, San Sebastian (relating to Battle of Rande 1702)

until 20 October before unloading was permitted. On 23 October the allied fleet arrived at Vigo and battle was joined immediately, resulting in the annihilation of the entire Franco-Spanish fleet, although the town of Vigo could not be taken.

The failure at Cadiz was redeemed by a resounding, albeit accidental, victory. Although little or no silver was left to be seized by the allies, they did seize some other commodities. When one of these commodities arrived in England it changed English fashion for nearly one hundred and fifty years. Before 1702, snuff taking in England had been confined to wealthy foreigners. However, among the merchandise seized at Vigo were several thousand barrels of the finest grade snuff together with over fifty tons of coarse snuff. The officers took shares in the barrels of the finest snuff. However, the coarse snuff, which was called ‘Vigo’, was shared out amongst the sailors. They sold it in waggon loads at Plymouth, Portsmouth and Chatham at three pence or four pence a pound, resulting in a rapid rise in the popularity of snuff taking in England. The fact that snuff had originally been seized from the Franco-Spanish fleet, no doubt gave a patriotic impetus to the habit. Snuff taking became an essential fashionable accomplishment for both men and women, and remained throughout the Hanoverian age. No doubt those entrepreneurial enough to have bought the original coarse snuff from the sailors so cheaply, thereby starting the trend, would have made considerable profits.

It seems more probable therefore that the house that gave its name to Vigo Bridge would have been named to acknowledge Admiral Rooke’s ‘Vigo’, rather than the ‘Vigo’ of Francis Drake.

Andrew Pain

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