Summary : 1639 wreck of Spanish galleon commanded by Don Andrea de Castro, which is said to have foundered following an explosion south-west of Dover, after being intercepted by the Dutch in an action of the Eighty Years' War known as the Battle of the Downs (1582748). The battle, which took place on 11 October 1639, according to the Julian Calendar, or 21 October 1639 according to the Gregorian Calendar, was observed by the English from the castles of Deal (468386), Dover (467778) and Walmer (468409). In one source she is described as Portuguese and having sunk after being blown up; in another source she is noted as Spanish, and among the ships which stranded in the Downs. For other Spanish ships lost or potentially lost in this engagement, please see: 1179072, 1179083, 1179087, 1329675, 1329695, 1329736, 1329738, 1329750, 1329755, 1329758, 1329772, 1329775, 1329800, 1329807, 1329812, 1587795. For a Neapolitan ship fighting in the Armada, see 1587801. For the Portuguese flagship SANTA TERESA destroyed in action, please see 1439232, and for the Dutch fireships expended against her, please see 1179089 and 1587863; for another Dutch fireship expended agains the SANTIAGO (1587795) please see 1329644. For six Lübeckers which appear to have been inadvertently caught up in the action, please see: 1179051, 1329509, 1329519, 1329521, 1329525 and 1329545. |
More information : The first of five ships of the Spanish fleet blown up west of Dover during the Battle of the Downs. The number of ships recorded as involved in some sort of wrecking event as a result of the battle varies from source to source, some of which also appear to have been recovered. The number is given in one source as 24 and 24 names are given in a list in (6), but these names, with a few exceptions, cannot be mapped directly onto the wreck events as described in the sources. Therefore, to avoid unduly inflating the numbers of ships lost, only those events recorded in English sources are here recorded:
Primary Sources:
Oct 11 1639, Dover 3pm. Theophilus, Earl of Suffolk, to Sec. Windebank: Since my last letter I stayed at the Downs until such time as the Spaniards and Hollanders being under sail made their way from the Downs westward, fighting as they passed. (2)
Oct 11 1639. Relation by Sir John Pennington, Admiral [and] . . . captains and masters of the fleet for guard of the Narrow Seas, concerning the beginning of the fight in the Downs between the Spaniards and Hollanders . . . we continued chasing and shooting at them until they were past the South Foreland . . . (3)
Oct 12 1639, Dover. Theophilus, Earl of Suffolk, to Sec. Windebank: I know that you hear all particulars from the Downs by Sir John Pennington, what ships are fired and what run aground, but of that which has happened towards the west from Dover may happily by this way come best to your knowledge, and these are the particulars which I have received from Nicholas Roberts, a sea captain . . . viz . . . it is further reported that 5 more of the Spaniards have blown up themselves, whereof it is thought the Admiral is one . . . It is verily believed . . . that the most part of the Spanish fleet, besides those aground in the Downs, are fired, taken, or blown up themselves. (4)
[Oct 12?] 1639. News letter containing a continuation of the relation of the [engagement between the] Spanish and Holland fleets. Since the last news there came intelligence that it was not the Spanish Admiral, Don Antonio de Ocquendo [sic], who blew up his ship, but Don Andrea de Castro, the Admiral of Portugal, which may be pardoned as an easy and small mistake on the part of the relator. (5)
'And then immediatly Van Trompe charged the Spaniardes with canon and fyre shippes, so furiouslye as made them all cutt ther cables; and being fifty-three in number, twenty-three ranne on shore and stranded in the Downes, whereof three were burnt, two suncke, and two perished on the shore. One of thes was the gallion admirall of Gallitia, Don Andrea de Castro, who carryd no lesse than fifty-two peece of brass ordinance.' (8)
Secondary Sources:
' . . . they assembled a fleet of seventy-seven ships, Spanish and Portuguese, under Admiral d'Oquendo.' (1)
One contemporary source, referenced in, for example, 1329758, refers to 24 Spanish ships which had run ashore. A list of 24 names of ships from the Spanish fleet which had undergone some form of wrecking event on the English side of the Channel is given in source (6): most of which had been driven ashore, some of which had subsequently been recovered, and others lost by other means. This confusion is typical of vessels recorded as lost in action. However, except in a couple of cases, it is not possible to specifically identify them by name. The list is therefore quoted below without attribution. (7)
SAN ANTONIO, pinnace, driven ashore 11/21 October SAN AGUSTIN, pinnace, driven ashore 11/21 October SANTA TERESA, 60, Portugal, Don Lopes de Hoces, commander, destroyed in action 11/21 October SAN AGUSTIN, Naples, Vice-Admiral, Driven ashore 11/21 October, sunk 3 or 4 days later SANTA CATALINA, driven ashore 11/21 October SAN BLAS, driven ashore 11/21 October SAN JERONIMO, burnt in the Downs 11/21 October SANTIAGO, burnt off Dover 13/23 October SAN JUAN BAUTISTA, sunk 11/21 October LOS ANGELES, driven ashore 11/21 October SANTIAGO, Portugal, driven ashore 11/21 October DELFIN DORADO, Naples, driven ashore 11/21 October SAN ANTONIO, Naples, driven ashore 11/21 October EL PINGUE (hired) sunk in the Downs 11/21 October ORFEO, Naples, lost on the Goodwin Sands 11/21 October SANTO TOMAS, driven ashore 11/21 October SAN CARLOS, sunk 11/21 October SANTO DOMINGO DE POLONIA, hired Polish ship, driven ashore 11/21 October SAN PEDRO MARTIR, hired, driven ashore 11/21 October FAMA, hired, driven ashore 11/21 October SAN DANIEL, driven ashore 11/21 October SAN JUAN EVANGELISTA, Hamburg, hired, driven ashore 11/21 October SANTA AGNES, Naples, stranded but got off, 14/24 October GRUNE, driven ashore 11/21 October (6)
Commanding Officer: Don Andrea de Castro (5)(8), Admiral of Portugal (5); Admiral of Galicia (8) Armament: 53 brass cannon (8) Owner: Portuguese Navy (5); Spanish (Galician) Navy (8)
Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss |