Maritime record MWX2386 - San Salvador

1588 wreck of a Spanish carrack which was damaged by an explosion off Dorset on the 21st of July and was subsequently captured by the English. She was towed to Weymouth where she remained until November when she foundered in Studland Bay en route to Portsmouth. A wooden sailing vessel which was in the Guipuzcoan Squadron of the Spanish Armada fleet. Loss Date: 01/11/1588

Armament: 25 cannon (11) Crew: 75 (11) Soldiers: 321 (11) Lives Lost in Explosion: 250 (6) Crew Lost en route to Portsmouth: 23 (11) Crew Saved en route to Portsmouth: 34 (11) Squadron: Guipuzcoan (6)(9)(11) Squadron Commander: Don Miguel Oquendo (9)(11) Squadron Position: Vice Almiranta (6) Almiranta (11) Paymaster General: Juan De La Huerta (6) Master: Captain Priego (?) (6) Date of Loss Qualifier: R Part of the Spanish Armada of 1588, the SAN SALVADOR was one of the most heavily armed ships in the fleet, and the headquarters of the Armadas Paymaster. Whilst off Dorset she suffered a tremendous internal explosion which has never been explained, but was said to be sabotage by a German gunner on board who had allegedly been cuckolded by a Spanish officer, but could equally well have been an accident. Two decks and her stern-castle were blown away and half of the 400 or so men on board killed by the explosion or drowned when they fell or jumped into the sea. The fire was extinguished but next day the ship was abandoned, captured by the English and towed to Weymouth. Here she was stripped of her guns, powder and shot, which went to reinforce the English army. Some days later she left under an English crew for Portsmouth, but foundered at sea whilst on passage. The wreck as yet, has not been found. (1)(4) Magazine exploded during the fighting on the 21st July killing 200 soldiers. She was subsequently abandoned to the English who brought her into Weymouth Bay where she eventually sank. (2) The rescued survivors were later wrecked on the SAN PEDRO MAYOR on Bolt Tail, 3 months later. The SAN SALVADOR was being towed to Weymouth. (5) `...an English list notes the presence of a `German woman accompanied by her husband, a gunner, on the SAN SALVADOR (later captured in the Channel half burnt out). `...a blinding ball of fire burst into the dusk. A moment later a shattering explosion echoed across the waves, and a heavy red and black cloud mushroomed up above the SAN SALVADOR. The whole of her poop was ablaze. On board the SAN SALVADOR were the Vice-Admiral of the Guipuscoan squadron and the Paymaster-General-Juan de la Huerta, together with a sizeable part of the Armada whole powder magazine had blown up...It was almost certainly an accident, although subsequently at least half a dozen versions of the story grew up, all different and all highly coloured, putting the explosion down to sabotage or personal revenge on the part of a gunner, German, Dutch, English or French according to the version, flogged by Captain Priego...A rescue operation was soon began. Two pinnaces hooked the prow of the ship to tug her into the wind so that the flames could not blow forward. Rescuers climbed aboard from the pataches, to help survivors fight the fire and to take off the wounded...The number of the dead and wounded came to two hundred. According to the Dukes reckoning another fifty were drowned jumping overboard to escape the furnace. Once the fire was under control the Duke gave two galleasses orders to tow the hull of the SAN SALVADOR over to the hulks...His final instructions were to `transfer the coffers without delay onto a seaworthy ship... `...SAN SALVADOR, vice almiranta of the Guipuzcoans, captured in the Channel, said to have then contained a chest, but it disappeared. `..that night, 31 July to 1 August...towards 11 o'clock the Duke received a message from the SAN SALVADOR that she was no longer seaworthy and was going down. Sidonia ordered the silver and the crew taken off, and the ship scuttled. He adds in his diario that this was done; but it was not. Her captain was badly wounded and the survivors more than anxious to get out of that hellhole. They took off the treasure...Luis de Miranda wrote: `...orders were to take off the money...there were 50,000 or 60,000 ducats on board but only a small amount was removed. `There were many on board suffering from wounds and burns whom it was not possible to save, reported the purser, Pedro Coco Calderon. (This may relate to the other SAN SALVADOR. See note below) `The ship was abandoned in full view of the English, noted Don Jorge Manrique. `She was taken by the enemy in full view of the Armada... is a comment in the diary of one of the ZUNIGAs crew...there was still some precious shot there and there were even a few barrels of powder left. Having been towed into an English harbour, the SAN SALVADOR, like the ROSARIO before her, was thoroughly looked over by fishermen and locals, long before any officials arrived on the scene... (6) `A Spanish flagship was bought into Torbay on 26 July, and Carew Ralegh, elder brother of Sir Walter, at once asked that six of her guns might be sent to Portland Castle. It was late in the day to think of coast defences, but the Weymouth people, taking advantage of the arrival of another captured Spanish flagship, the SAN SALVADOR, in Portland Roads, petitioned for some guns out of her for their platform which was built but not armed. The council acceded to this request and ordered eight brass and six iron guns to be given to them. The SAN SALVADOR remained at Portland for some months; she was lost in Studland Bay, on her way to Portsmouth, in November. Her crew stayed, as prisoners, in Weymouth, and in December were behaving in a very disorderly manner perhaps because, as in Devon, they were left to starve or to depend on the charity of the country-side; the Council ordered them to prison and a diet of bread and water. (This source cites the following sources; The Calendar State Papers Domestic ccxiii, No. 43; Ibid. ccxiv, No.11; Idid. ccxiv, No. 55.; Ibid. ccxviii, No. 24.; Acts of the Privy Council, 31 Dec. 1588.) (Taken from the `Dorset Maritime History section of this web site.) (7) `...Don Miguel Oquendo, commanded the Guipuzcoan Squadron, sailing himself in his flagship, the SANTA ANA (not the one that turned back)... (The SAN SALVADOR was part of this squadron.) `...there was a tremendous explosion aboard the SAN SALVADOR, which tore out her stern castle, splintered her masts and killed two hundred of her crew. Many romantic stories have been told of the cause of this explosion, the most picturesque being Ubaldinos of a Flemish gunnery officer who took exception to an army captain making free with his wife, `who was with him, as is the custom in this country. The army captain ordered the Fleming to be beaten, whereupon, when he was released, the gunner plunged a lighted taper into a barrel of gunpowder and wrecked the ship. However, a more mundane explanation is far more likely, namely that the ship had been in action and a gunners carelessness resulted in a spark reaching the gunpowder in the rear hold. Whatever the cause, the SAN SALVADOR, a vessel of nine hundred and fifty-eight tons with a crew of three hundred and ninety-six, belonging to Oquendos squadron, became almost a total wreck... (This source gives an account by an eye-witness Calderon but this witness would have been on board the other SAN SALVADOR belonging to the armada of hulks.) (9) Source (13) provides further stories regarding the explosion upon the SAN SALVADOR. to which his Lordship sent the Lord Thomas Howard and Sir John Hawkyns, knight, who together, in a small skiff of the VICTORYs, went aboard her, where they saw a very pitiful sight...the deck of the ship fallen down, the steerage broken, the stern blown out...his Lordship took present order that a small bark named the BARK FLEMYNG (GOLDEN HIND), wherein was Captain Thomas Flemyng, should conduct her to some port in England which he could best recover, which was performed, and the said ship brought into Weymouth the next day. `The Council to George Trenchard and Frances Hawley...27th July, 1588...we are informed that the Spanish ship lately taken and brought into Portland hath good store of powder, bullets, and other munition and furniture, fit to be employed in her Majesty's service, we...require you...Francis Hawley...to take a...perfect inventory of all such powder, bullets, and other things of worth that shall be found in the said ship, and carefully to be kept until you receive our further direction; but for the powder, you may not fail, with all the speed possible, to convey the same to Dover on some little bark... (10) `August 9th. Burghley to Trenchard and Hawley. `...the mayor and other of the town of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis...request...that they may, for the better defence of their town and country thereabouts, be provided of some great ordnance...the remain of such ordnance as (was) brought to their town in the carrack lately taken from the enemy: to wit, eight pieces of brass, four old iron minions, and two old fowlers:...deliver all these pieces of ordnance to the said mayor and town...in the said carrack were divers other commodities, which for want of landing and looking unto may perish or take much hurt, and also certain Spaniards: for the same commodities...taking unto you the said mayor, and one or two other honest, skilful merchants from Weymouth and Melcombe Regis, to see the same landed, and safely preserved in some convenient storehouses..the said merchants can estimate, the just value and prices of these commodities...the persons taken in the carrack, you shall do well to commit them to safe custody...examine whether there be any man of quality or great account amongst them... `August 24th. Trenchard and Hawley to the Council...we...have performed your commandment...greatly delayed by reason of the far distance of the ship in the bay from this town, and by high winds...our duties not to conceal from your Lordships the notable spoils that were made upon the ship, which came to Portland road seven days before our dealing therein; and much more had been, if ...the Lord Admiral had not sent Mr. Warner, a servant of his, before our coming, to take some care thereof; the disorder growing so far, as we could very hardly repress it ourselves, the great repair from all places being such...The carrack is so great as that she cannot be brought into this haven, and therefore we do attend your Lordships direction what shall be done with her. She is much splitted, torn, and the charge will be great in keeping her here, for we are forced to keep therein ten persons continually to pump her for fear of sinking...in the stealing of her ropes and casks from her, and rotting and spoiling of sails and cables and c., the disorder was very great. It is credibly thought that there were in her 200 Venetian barrels of powder of some 120 (pounds) weight apiece, and yet but 141 were sent to the Lord Admiral. This very night some inkling came unto us that a chest of great weight should be found in the forepeak of the ship the Friday before our dealing...All search hath been made sithence our coming, but no treasure can be found...We find here no Spaniards of any account... (This source provides an inventory of the goods found on the SAN SALVADOR which states that this vessel arrived in the road of Portland on the 24th of July. see pages 154-158) (p378 gives a list of the 12 vessels in the Armada of the Province of Guipuzcoa. It states that the SANTA ANA was the Capitana of the squadron and the N. S. DE LA ROSA was the Almiranta.) `The Almirante of the Guipuzcoan squadron would seem to have left the NUESTRA SENORA DE LA ROSA and gone on board the SAN SALVADOR, probably at the Groyne. Both Spanish and English accounts speak of the ship that was partially blown up on the evening of July 21 as the almiranta or vice-admiral of Oquendo, and it is perfectly certain that this ship was the SAN SALVADOR... (Appendix G p385) The inventory given p154-159 states `Le SAN SALVADOR, Almirante de Oquendo. (11) `...she appears to have begun the voyage as a private ship, and only to have been raised to the status of Squadron- Source (2) provides further information regarding the status of the SAN SALVADOR p43-45. The inventory estimates the burden of the vessel to be 600 tons. She appears in the Spanish lists as of 958. (11) `Portsmouth, November 15. John Thoms to Howard...the great Spaniard; she was lost at Studland...there is saved 34 of our best men; and there was lost 23 men, whereof 6 of them was Flemings and Frenchmen that came in the same ship out of Spain; and by good hap there came out of Studland a small man-of-war and saved these men...the ship had a new foresail, which was in Nicholas Jones hands, of Portland Castle...so said Mr. Jones: `I pray send for it; you shall have it, and a dozen of oars. But it was least part of his meaning, for the next day the said Jones rode away to London, and left no order to deliver the same sail, neither none could be had...I charge him before Mr. Trenchard, that the ship or men should miscarry, that he should answer for it; for truly, if Mr. Jones had not promised me the sail, I would not a defrayed any moneys upon her, but should a lien still. There be of his neighbours that are saved, and others of the company, that will venture their lives whenever they meet with him; for all those that are saved will depose that he was the casting away the ship and the death of the men. Sithence...I have been westward, to belay all such masts, yards, shrouds and small ropes or sails that should come ashore, to be kept for the Queens use or any of her 2 pinnaces. Their anchors...I have given order that if they may have any fair weather they will sweep for them. There are 4 which weighs 30 hundred a piece, which I hope will help to quite (Requite) this charge. (11) A wine jug was supposedly taken from the SAN SALVADOR by a British sailor from Burton Bradstock, Dorset, named Symes when it was captured in July 1588. It was handed down from father to son from 1588 until the death of the last William Symes who died in 1920. The jug is presently in Dorchester Museum. (An image of the jug can be found on this website under the heading of `Wrecks off Burton Bradstock and then under the heading of `Spanish Armada Wine Jug from 1588.) (8) To avoid confusion; There was another vessel called the SAN SALVADOR in the Armada of hulks which was under Juan Gomes de Medina. This vessel was the Almiranta of that squadron and was commanded by the Armadas chief stores officer, Pedro Coco Calderon. (p379) (11) A wreck in Studland Bay discovered in 1984 [SZ 08 SE 15] was at first thought to be the San Salvador, but this is now considered unlikely. In the winter of 2000/2001, a substantial timber from an ancient ship was washed up on Studland beach. It is now in the care of the National Trust. At the beginning of 2002 three further timbers were washed up on Studland beach including a knee bracket. `Mike Markey of the Poole Bay Archaeological Group and licensee of the designated Studland Bay Wreck was consulted regarding the possibility that the timber had eroded from the protected site. He felt that the timber was too large to have been from that particular wreck. (Taken from the `Coastal Information section on this website.) (15) `...whilst diving 250 metres from cliff face about 500 metres south from the present position of the above wreck, (Studland Bay designated wreck) my dive buddy had seen timber ribs of a ship protruding from the sand…could this be connected to the Studland Bay wreck?... (Found in the wreck database under the heading Studland Bay wreck.) (16) Source (7) seems to contradict source (5) in relation to the fate of the crew. Sources (1) and (4) state that the vessel left for Portsmouth some days after capture Sources (7) and (11) state that the vessel remained at Portland for some months and was en route to Portsmouth in November.

Possible Archaeological Remains:

In the winter of 2000/2001, a substantial timber from an ancient ship was washed up on Studland beach. It is now in the care of the National Trust. At the beginning of 2002 three further timbers were washed up on Studland beach including a knee bracket. 'Mike Markey of the Poole Bay Archaeological Group and licensee of the designated Studland Bay Wreck was consulted regarding the possibility that the timber had eroded from the protected site. He felt that the timber was too large to have been from that particular wreck.' (Taken from the 'Coastal Information' section on this website.) (15) <http://www.dorsetcoast.com> [Accessed 31-Mar-2003

' . . . Whilst diving 250 metres from cliff face about 500 metres south from the present position of the above wreck, (Studland Bay designated wreck) my dive buddy had seen timber ribs of a ship protruding from the sand . . . Could this be connected to the Studland Bay wreck? . . . ' (Found in the wreck database under the heading Studland Bay wreck.) (16) <http://www.ukdiving.co.uk> [Accessed 31-Mar-2003]

Both the Studland Bay (1082101) and the Swash Channel (1408546) designated wreck sites have formerly been considered as candidates for this wreck but both appear to have other origins. (17) Compiler's comments: 19-FEB-2014

Armament: 25 cannon (11)
Crew: 75 (11)
Soldiers: 321 (11)
Lives Lost in Explosion: 250 (6)
Crew Lost en route to Portsmouth: 23 (11)
Crew Saved en route to Portsmouth: 34 (11)
Squadron: Guipuzcoan (6)(9)(11)
Squadron Commander: Don Miguel Oquendo (9)(11)
Squadron Position: Vice Almiranta (6) Almiranta (11)
Paymaster General: Juan De La Huerta (6)
Master: Captain Priego (?) (6)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Approximate date of loss

Catalogue of State Papers: Elizabeth I, Vol.214, Nos. 42(I), 55 (Index). SDO20508.

Catalogue of State Papers: Elizabeth I, Vol.215, Nos.49, 49(I), (II), and (III) (Index). SDO20509.

Catalogue of State Papers: Elizabeth I, Vol.218, No.24 (Index). SDO20510.

Catalogue of State Papers: Elizabeth II, Vol.213, Nos.13, 47 and 71 (Index). SDO20507.

National Record of the Historic Environment, 900416 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<1> Larn, Richard, 1992, United Kingdom shipwreck index, Extracted 23 November 1992 (Index). SWX5030.

<2> Martin, C J M, Full Fathom Five, p43-45, 104, 214, 216, 272 (Monograph). SWX7066.

<4> Larn, R, and Larn, B, 1995, Shipwreck index of the British Isles, volume 1 : Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset Section 6, Dorset (AJ) Vol 1 (Monograph). SWX4541.

<5> The Spanish Armada, Plate 19, pgs167-168, 196, 207, 245, 255 (Monograph). SWX7069.

<6> Treasures of the Armada, 40,75-81,169 (Monograph). SWX7070.

<7> World Wide Web page andlt;http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/Naval.htmlandgt; [Accessed 24-Mar-2003] (Digital archive). SWX4879.

<8> World Wide Web page andlt;http://www.burtonbradstock.org.uk/Historyandgt; [Accessed 25-Mar-2003] (Digital archive). SWX7072.

<9> The Spanish Armada, p88-90, 106, 133-4, 229 (Monograph). SWX7069.

<10> Langston, J, 1971, State papers relating to the defeat of the Spanish Armada Vol 1, p9-10, 334 (Monograph). SWX7074.

<11> State papers relating to the defeat of the Spanish Armada Vol 2, p55-56, 85-87, 151-158, 296-298, 378, 385 (Monograph). SWX7075.

<12> The Spanish Armada, Plate 16, pgs68, 123, 127-128, 136 (Monograph). SWX7069.

<13> The defeat of the Spanish Armada, p243-244 (Monograph). SWX7077.

<14> Lewis, M, 1942, Armada Guns : a Comparative Study of English and Spanish Armaments, p83, 141-158, 184-186, 223-227 (Article in serial). SWX7078.

<15> World Wide Web page andlt;http://www.dorsetcoast.comandgt; [Accessed 31-Mar-2003] (Digital archive). SWX7079.

<16> World Wide Web page: http://www.ukdiving.co.uk/places, Accessed 31-Mar-2003 (Digital archive). SWX7080.

<17> Le Pard, G, 1995-2003, Dorset Coast Forum Maritime Archaeological Database, Shipwreck 319 (Digital archive). SWX8707.

Record last edited

Feb 15 2024 3:28PM