RESEARCH into religion in Harwich at the time of the Mayflower Ship sailing to America and its captain Christopher Jones has been carried out by two university students.

Jake Millar and Sarah Mott both chose to look at Harwich’s history for their dissertations at the University of Essex in Colchester.

The Mayflower Ship sailed with 132 people, both passengers and crew, from Plymouth to America in 1620.

It is believed the ship was built in Harwich, sometime before 1600, as the town was registered as it’s home port, and was famously commanded and part-owned by Captain Christopher Jones, who lived in Kings Head Street.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard:

  • Christopher Jones' former home in King's Head Street

Jake, 25, from Great Clacton, completed his MA dissertation on “Harwich, religion and the Mayflower”.

He said: “Over 350,000 English men and women crossed the Atlantic to reach America throughout the 17th century, with many of them leaving in an effort to pursue what they deemed to be true religious freedom.

“I was very interested to understand how the religious changes which preceded the Mayflower’s departure affected the lives of Harwich residents, and to understand the extent to which local people actually engaged with these issues.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard:

  • Student Jake Millar

“I completed a significant amount of archival research within a variety of different libraries and archives, including Harwich’s Guildhall archive.

“My research demonstrates the borough of Harwich was in a constant state of flux throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, as parishioners and civic officials alike renegotiated their confessional identities upon a backdrop of profound religious upheaval.”

Jake looked at various incidents in the town at the time, including the burning of the Dovercourt Rood, which was a large wooden crucifix, by four men in 1532.

He said: “The destruction marks an important moment within the borough’s history, as it demonstrates that evangelical ideas were beginning to surface this early on.”

Jake also researched William Innes, the vicar of Harwich from 1618 to 1639.

Holding strong Catholic convictions, Innes openly expressed his desire for the Pope to return as the head of the Church, and for Catholicism to be returned to its former glory.

Jake added: “He also scolded residents for certain ‘immoral practices’, and criticised the Puritan sentiment, which was displayed within Harwich.

“Naturally these views brought him into conflict with the local community, and there are numerous examples in which his parishioners choose to disobey his orders – decisions which occasionally led to violence.

“What’s clear – from the burning of the Dovercourt Rood to the rejection of a local vicar named William Innes – is that a pattern of evangelical recalcitrance emerged within Harwich as the fight for religious freedom intensified.”

As a result of his work, Jake was awarded the John S. Appleby Prize for his dissertation on an Essex history theme and is set to make his work public later this year.

Jake gave a speech at the town’s Illuminate Festival last November.

The town’s streets lit up by a procession of lanterns carried by schoolchildren for the event, which was part of the run-up to the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower voyage in 2020.

Mature student and mum-of-two Sarah Mott also spoke.

The 37-year-old has researched Captain Christopher Jones ready to write her history MA dissertation.

She said: “Harwich is very underestimated in its importance in the history of the Mayflower.

“I spent some time at the Guildhall archives in Harwich and at the Essex Record Office.

“I looked at his standing in the community – he signed the poor rate, an early form of social care, and would have been considered one of the wealthy members of the community. He was married twice, both times to local girls.

“It’s really interesting.”

Harwich and Manningtree Standard:

  • St Nicholas Church where Christopher Jones got married

Sarah also spoke to the owners of Jones’ former house in Harwich and visited St Nicholas Church where he married his first wife Sara Twitt in 1593.

The pair had a son, who sadly died.

Sara died aged 27 and was buried in May 1603.

Jones remarried within a few months to Josian Gray – they went on to have eight children and moved to Rotherhithe in 1611.