Drake's Drum

The legend of 'Drake's drum' refers to a snare drum which was supposedly owned by the renowned English privateer Sir Francis Drake. During Drake's dying days, it is said he instructed for the drum to be taken to his home of Buckland Abbey, located in England. The legend also says that Drake himself told those around him, during his dying days, that if ever the drum was to be stuck then he would return from the grave to defend England from peril. This legend has inspired poems, children's books, and it's been said that the drum has been heard during a number of historical events since Drake's passing. Some of these events include Napoleon Bonaparte entering Plymouth Harbour as a prisoner, the surrender of the German fleet during 1918, and the Battle of Britain which occured during 1940.

History

Sir Francis Drake was an English explorer, slave trader, naval commander, and privateer under Queen Elizabeth I. To the Spanish, he was a pirate who they called 'El Draque', meaning 'The Dragon'; however, to the English he was a hero. Sir Francis Drake was born during the year of 1540, knighted during the year of 1581, and then died during the year of 1596. It can be argued that Sir Francis Drake's most notable role in English history is that he led the English against the threat of the Spanish Armada during the year of 1588. The Armada was successfully defeated, and this is why Sir Francis Drake is known as a hero to the English. This event also secured Drake's legacy as a defender of the English against the Spanish.

Regarding Sir Francis Drake's drum; it's a european snare drum, also called a side drum, which is just over 2ft tall and 2ft in diameter. The shell is a thin sheet of walnut, and the drum head is probably made from calf skin. This drum is also decorated with the Drake coat of arms. Sir Francis Drake supposedly took the drum with him aboard the 'Golden Hind' on his 1577-1580 journey which circumnavigated the globe. The drum is also associated to Drake's flagship the 'Revenge'. Drake's drum would have been used as a military signaling instrument aboard Drake's ships, and so would have been used to call the crew to quarters, muster, or battle stations during naval engagements. The drum could also have been used for entertainment onboard Drake's ship. Apparently, Drake was fond of music and took four viol players with him on his circumnavigation.

The scarcity of records dating from the 16th century, also known as the 1500s, means that historians debate the drums direct connection to Sir Francis Drake. Although the drum does date from the 1500s, the coat of arms decorating the drum was added during the 17th century, also known as the 1600s. It is generally believed that Drake's drum was among the thirteen drums rescued from Drake and Hawkins' fatal voyage to the Caribbean during the year of 1596. It was on the 28th of January 1596 that Sir Francis Francis died of dysentery off the coast of Panama, and he was then buried at sea in a lead-lined coffin which has apparently never been found.

It's said that shortly before Drake's death, he ordered the drum to be taken to Buckland Abbey, his home which had had bought during 1581, located in Devon. Apparently, he also is said to have vowed on his deathbed that if England was ever in danger and the drum was sounded, then he would return to defend his homeland. It's thought that the legend of Drake's drum could actually have originated with Sir Francis Drake, as described here, due to him being seriously ill and delirious before his death. According to an eye witness, Drake 'raved in words which nobody cared to record' and so it's thought these words could have been the instructions and legend around the drum. There is, however, no evidence that the drum accompanied Drake on his circumnavigation or that it had any particular personal significance to him.

We do know that the drum has been in the ownership of Sir Francis Drake's descendants since the late 16th century, also known as the 1500s. It was first mentioned to be at Buckland Abbey during a 1799 account of the traveller called George Lipscomb. It is also according to both Lady Elliot Drake and Isaac Foot that the drum has been on frequent display at Buckland Abbey since the 1700s. Although, apparently the drum was immediately placed in Buckland Abbey following Drake's death and then cared for by the Drake family. It's thought that Thomas Drake and his immediate descendants are the ones who initiated this care by the family.

Not only is it said that Sir Francis Drake will return to defend England if ever the drum is played, but it's also said that the drum will beat by itself during times of peril. Apparently, the earliest time this was said to occur was during the year of 1620 when the Mayflower left Plymouth for the New World. I have found sources wrongly say this event occured during the year of 1690, but the correct date of this event is the 16th of September 1620. As it's said that the legend around the drum dates from the 18th century, also known as the 1700s, it's possible that the legend was retrospectively combined with this historical event.

The folklorist called Robert Hunt recorded in the early 19th century, also known as the early 1800s, that Betty Donithorne, an existing housekeeper at Buckland Abbey, told him that 'if the old warrior hears the drum that hangs in the hall at the Abbey and which accompanied him around the world, he rises and has a revel'. This shows that the legend was not only in circulation around this time, but it was also being passed on by those associated with Buckland. It's also been said that the drum has been heard during the Napoleonic wars which occured between the years of 1803 and 1815. It's said the drum was heard by Brixham fishermen during this time, and that it was heard when Napoleon Bonaparte entered Plymouth Harbour as a prisoner aboard the Bellerophon.

It was during the year of 1897 that Sir Henry John Newbolt published a poem called 'Drake's Drum'. It's been said this was first published in the St James' Gazette, but other sources have said it was published in the collection 'Admirals All and Other Verses' by Hodder and Stoughton. There has also been conflicting information saying it was first published during the year of 1895, but most sources seem to agree on the 1897 year. This poem by Sir Henry portrays Drake resting in his hammock in the afterlife ready to return if the drum beat summoned him. It was during the year of 1898 that Newbolt's work was republished in 'The Island Race', and the full poem by Newbolt reads as follows:

"Drake he's in his hammock an' a thousand miles away,
(Capten, art tha sleepin' there below?)
Slung atween the round shot in Nombre Dios Bay,
An' dreamin' arl the time O' Plymouth Hoe.
Yarnder lumes the Island, yarnder lie the ships,
Wi' sailor lads a-dancing' heel-an'-toe,
An' the shore-lights flashin', an' the night-tide dashin',
He sees et arl so plainly as he saw et long ago.

Drake he was a Devon man, an' ruled the Devon seas,
(Capten, art tha' sleepin' there below?)
Roving' tho' his death fell, he went wi' heart at ease,
A' dreamin' arl the time o' Plymouth Hoe.
"Take my drum to England, hang et by the shore,
Strike et when your powder's runnin' low;
If the Dons sight Devon, I'll quit the port o' Heaven,
An' drum them up the Channel as we drumm'd them long ago."

Drake he's in his hammock till the great Armadas come,
(Capten, art tha sleepin' there below?)
Slung atween the round shot, listenin' for the drum,
An' dreamin arl the time o' Plymouth Hoe.
Call him on the deep sea, call him up the Sound,
Call him when ye sail to meet the foe;
Where the old trade's plyin' an' the old flag flyin'
They shall find him ware an' wakin', as they found him long ago!"

It was during the early 20th century, also known as the early 1900s, that Norah M. Holland wrote a poem also titled 'Drake's Drum'. This poem was included in the 1918 collection 'Spun-Yarn and Spindrift' which was published by J.M. Dent and Sons. This poem reinforced the drums role as a mystical beacon of national defence and reads as follows:

"Drake's drum is beating along the coasts of Devon:
"Mariners, O Mariners, who warred so well with Spain,
Lo, the foe is here once more! Leave the ports of Heaven,
Haste across the jasper sea, and drive them home again."

All the streets of Paradise echo to its rattle—
Golden roads a-tremble to the chime of tramping feet;
Hawkins, Drake and Frobisher are marching forth to battle:
"Peter, open wide the gates. We're out to join the fleet."

Pinnace, caravel, caracque—many a galleon drifting—
Shadowy sails of old renown upon the shadowy sea;
Ghostly voices through the mists; "Lo, the white cliffs lifting;
Heaven's streets for those who will, but Devon's shores for me."

Drake's drum is beating along the coasts of Devon,
Calling, as in days of old it called to vanquish Spain;
Drake and Blake and Raleigh, they have left the ports of Heaven,
Homing back across the stars to England's cliffs again."

The next hearing of the drum is said to have been by staff within Buckland Abbey upon the outbreak of World War One, during the year of 1914. It's said these staff members heard the drum sounding within the Great Hall of the building. Later, in the November of 1918, a distant victory drum roll could alledgedly be heard on the HMS Royal Oak when the German Fleet surrendered at Scapa Flow during the year of 1918. It's said that three searches were conducted aboard the ship to find the drum or drummer, but neither were ever found.

Interestingly, there is a second legend associated with Drake's drum. This legend says that if the drum is ever removed from it's rightfully home, then the city will fall. This is important to mention here in the timeline because the drum did a bit of moving around from this point. The drum was at Buckland Abbey during the fire which broke out in the location on the 6th of January 1938, and it was successfully rescued from the flames. Then, during World War Two, it was relocated from Buckland Abbey to Buckfast Abbey for safekeeping. The Plymouth Blitz, which occured during 1941, then left the city in ruin.

It's claimed that the drum was heard again during Operation Dynamo, also known as the evacuation of Dunkirk, which occured on the 26th of May 1940. It's said that, during the September of 1940, two British officers recalled hearing the drum during the events of the Battle of Britain; an event which occured from the 10th of July of 1940 until the 31st of October 1940. It was during the year of 1946 that Buckland Abbey was bought by the National Trust, and it was during the 1950s that Drake's drum was aquired from the Drake family by the Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery. During the year of 1951, the drum was returned to Buckland Abbey on loan from Plymouth City Museum where it had been housed following it's aquirement.

It has been said the drum could be heard quietly beating during the Falklands war of 1982. The drum is also been said to have been heard on the 7th of July 2005 when London was hit by a terrorist attack. During the year of 2018, there were proposals made to move Drake's drum to The Box, located in Plymouth, in 2020. As of 2020, The Box museum is where Drake's drum resides on long term loan from the National Trust. While the original drum does still exist at The Box, a replica of the drum can be seen at Buckland Abbey. Drkae's drum has also been used in the children's novel 'Knight of Stars and Storms', and it's believed that this book popularised the belief in the powers of the drum. According to it's author, you don't have to strike the drum; you just have to talk to it nicely. The drum has also been used in the earlier children's book 'Merlin's Magic'; a story where the outcome also relied on the drums powers. There has also been a 1988 TV episode of 'Casualty' titled 'Drake's Drum'.

My Thoughts

I think that the story and history around Drake's drum is incredibly fascinating. The thing i particularly enjoy when it comes to artifacts is the fact they're physical, they're real, we know their history, and we know they exist. So, whenever there are legends such as the ones attached to Drake's drum, I can tell but be fascinated because the very existence of the item lends a degree of credibility to the legend. However, it is important to stress that just because the item exists does not mean the legends around the item are true.

So, do I think the legends around Drake's drum are true? I'm inclined to say not. Both legends are interesting as the various reports all provide credibility to the legends. However, unless the legend around the city falling would only be a one time thing, the city has not fallen again since the drum was moved to The Box. Also, the reports around the drum being heard during historical events are very sporadic. Plus, Drake was nowhere to be found within the reports of the drum being heard.

Looking at the drum through the lense of someone who does believe in the paranormal, I would say it's possible for Drake's spirit to have a connection to the drum. If the legend did have some truth to it, I suspect it would work in a way where Drake wouldn't 'return' to defend England, but rather his spirit would use the drum as a way of providing a warning to imminent danger; hence giving advanced warning, a valid method used to prevent, avoid, or better deal with danger. This explanation would explain why Drake hasn't appeared on any battlefields in connection to the drum, and it would explain why the drum seems to beat by itself. As for how Drake's spirit would be aware of these threats in order to provide this warning; it's a common belief that spirits have knowledge of things beyond our own, such as that of future events.

Looking at the drum through the lense of someone skeptical to the paranormal, I would say the legend begun from the words of a very ill man and that people have only retroactively reported to hear the drum. Sir Francis Drake was a big name for his time, probably akin to a celebrity, and so I think people would have wanted to have believed he would return; especially when he died and grief became a factor. His family cared for the drum, and they would have been mourning their relative who died a long distance away from them. It seems likely that they would want to believe in a legend which says their relative will one day return to be the hero they once were.

So, my own thoughts are the drum are a marraige of both the skeptical and believer viewpoints. I don't believe that Sir Francis Drake is ready to return from the dead in England's time of need, but I do believe that his spirit will still exist and may very well play the drum during these times of danger. As for the legend around the city falling, I do believe that's not true and will be pure coincidence. I feel investigations should be held in the presence of the drum, but in a location which isn't reported to be actively haunted. This would be a good way of testing if there really is a spirit residing in the presence of the drum.

Thank You!

Thank you for reading this article! I really did enjoy writing this one as the legend is so bizarre, yet is still rooted in history with the physical drum existing. The next article will hopefully be published on Monday the 22nd of December and it will document a haunted location in Gloucestershire. The following article will be published on Friday the 26th of December and will document some paranormal folklore.

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