There is plenty of time to win this game, and to thrash the Spaniards too: Deconstructing the Nationalist Histories of Plymouth, UK

Summary

During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Plymouth, UK, played host and stage to a number of people and events which form an important part of England’s national historical narrative. Popular discourse paints Plymouth as a place of legendary English explorers, merchants and naval captains: a fledging ground for the early ambitions of Nation and Empire. Hawkins, Drake, Frobisher, Gilbert and Raleigh all sailed, at various times, from Plymouth. The English fleet victualed in Plymouth before engaging with the Spanish Armada. This paper will explore how archaeological evidence can enrich and challenge the current historical discourse aiming to deconstruct the national ideologies which have influenced the presentation of Plymouth’’s history. The archaeological collections from Plymouth for this period are spectacular and unique. They have potential to yield information on the intricate experiences of the people who lived through what is now a significant period and place in the formation of the English national identity.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Enfants de la patrie: Historical Archaeologies of National Identity and Nationalism   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2014

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): SYM-42,02