THE Mayflower was a ship that came from East Aberthaw, a main exporting port in the 1600s.

About this time the port harbour board at Ilfracombe, Devon, was approached by a group of businessmen to see if they could supply a small cargo ship that could sail to the New Americas.

They contacted East Aberthaw, and offered the Speedwell, which fitted the bill perfectly. They took it to Ilfracombe and the group agreed to take it.

They loaded it with their goods and chattels and decided to dry dock it just to check that it was ship-shape, but to their horror it was rotten. Panicking, they sailed back to East Aberthaw to see if they could get their money back.

East Aberthaw said they couldn't, but they could check out the Speedwell's sister ship the Mayflower.

The Mayflower was dry docked and found to be perfect, and they accepted it. (All these facts are true and are kept in the Ilfracombe Museum in the park by the twin towers, also in the Secret Vale of Glamorgan by Terry Breverton).

They first sailed to Plymouth to pick up the Plymouth brethren at Plymouth at the loading dock, there is a huge monument there. It then sailed to Southampton before sailing for America. The whole dock there is preserved as a monument to the Mayflower.

I met an American in my pub and he was a Mayflower addict and has spent his life trying to find out what happened to the Mayflower, but there was nothing on record of it being sold, used in trading, or sent back to Britain.

When in Plymouth I bought a small model of the Mayflower to present to the landlord of The Mayflower pub, but to my horror it has closed and been bought by Tesco.

So if you go to Tesco Rhoose, spare a thought for the Mayflower and East Aberthaw Dock, only half a mile down the road.

If you have any knowledge of what happened to the Mayflower let me know.

James Evans Owain Court St Athan Tel: 01446 751842