Rare maps depicting the defeat of the Spanish Armada are going on display near Plymouth this summer in a limited exhibition at Buckland Abbey, the former home of Sir Francis Drake.

The exhibition at the National Trust site near Plymouth will bring to life the Spanish Armada through the collection of 400-year-old maps. This will be only the second time the collection has been publicly displayed since its acquisition.

The unique items were first revealed by the Royal Navy Museums in 2023. The Armada Maps depict scenes from the famous defensive campaign in 1588, completed by unknown Elizabethan artists after the final battle.

The maps were later used by mid-century artist Roland Pym to inspire Buckland Abbey’s majestic ‘Pym Murals,’ giant artworks commissioned for the opening of the historic site in 1951. Visitors will be able to directly compare the two, displayed together for the first time.

Liana Tucker, Senior House and Collections Officer for the National Trust at Buckland Abbey, said:

“It’s mind-blowing to see the maps next to the Pym murals. 75 years ago, the maps’ significance was not fully understood and they were lent to Roland Pym as a useful reference for his paintings. We now appreciate their place in Britain’s history, and we’re thrilled to reunite them with our murals.”

Now considered a national treasure, the Armada Maps were bought in 2020 by the Royal Navy Museums with the support of the public, the National Memorial Heritage Fund, the Art Fund and others to preserve the precious artefacts for future generations.

Rich Burrow, Visitor Experience Manager for the National Trust in the Tamar Valley, said: 

“This is a rare opportunity for people in Devon to experience nationally significant objects with a direct connection to Plymouth and one of the city’s most famous historical figures.”

Drake’s role in the story of the Spanish Armada is nationally significant. Born near Tavistock around 1540, he was an experienced naval commander by July 1588 when he led the English fleet from Plymouth to confront the Spanish Armada. The following battle and other key scenes are depicted in the Armada Maps in painstaking detail. 

The limited exhibition will be in the Nave Gallery at Buckland Abbey from Saturday 6 June to Friday 31 July between 11am and 4.30pm daily. Normal admission to Buckland Abbey applies. Free for National Trust members.