www.EnglandsPastForEveryone.org.uk/Explore
SOMERSET
EARLY SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY VISITORS TO MINEHEAD
HARBOUR
Minehead rose to prominence as a port in the early 15th century but the design of the quay as
it stands today largely dates from the 17th and 18th century.
THOMAS GERARD
Thomas Gerard of Trent on the Somerset—Dorset border surveyed both counties probably
from the late 1620s. The survey of Somerset, arranged by river valleys, was finished c.1633
and certainly before his early death in October 1634. Gerard was probably inspired by the
work of John Norden and his Somerset survey survives copied into a manuscript volume with
Norden’s 1595 surveys of five counties and the islands of Eight, Guernsey and Jersey.
Although Minehead did not fit into Gerard’s river explorations he clearly paid it a visit.
‘A little Markett Towne, which name surely it tooke from the Brittaynes Myndde, which
imports as much as an hill or mountaine, and store of such even backe this place. Under the
Towne lyes an harbour for ordinary Barkes, much frequented by such as pas to and from
Ireland as most fitt for the lading and unladinge of such commodities as are transported to and
from that Kingdome’.
Mary Siraut
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THE SIEUR DE GUISE
The Sieur de la Boullaye le Gouz visited England during the Civil War and decided to visit
Ireland. 1644 was not a good year to visit as it was a time of substantial military activity in
West Somerset and there were substantial troop movements through Minehead.
As was customary at the time he took a ship from Bristol to Minehead to await a passage for
Ireland because severe storms prevented onward travel for several days. A coal ship that left
for Wales ran aground and crew members who abandoned ship for a skiff were drowned but
those left on ship were carried in to shore on the tide.
The French tourist spent his waiting time exploring and admired Minehead quay, which he
thought the most beautiful in the world. It had been completed only a couple of decades
earlier of unmortared large stones and he was told they had been raised by tying empty casks
which lifted the stone in place with tide. The same story is told of Hartland quay in Devon.
The captain of the ship that was to carry the French visitor to Ireland was drunk and finally
left Minehead without warning leaving several passengers in their inns.
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Mary Siraut
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Somerset Reference
Mary Siraut
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Somerset Reference