Skip to main content

‘Arripay’ - Poole’s Most Feared Pirate

Harry Page, also known as Harry Paye, was a notorious pirate, smuggler and adventurer from Poole. Scourge of the Spaniards and the French, they nicknamed him ‘Arripay’. Operating in the late 14th and early 15th centuries, he would attack Spanish and French vessels and bring their cargoes of gold, wine and exotic goods back to Poole. It has been claimed that he liberated so much alcohol on one occasion that it kept the whole of Poole drunk for a month. Harry was given permission by King Henry IV to inflict as much damage as he could to the King’s enemies.

Harry led raids on the French and Spanish coasts from Normandy right down to the Bay of Biscay. To the people of Poole, he was an adventurer and a hero but to the Spaniards and French he was a criminal. In his home town, Harry was regarded as a maritime Robin Hood. In 1398, he sacked the town of Gijon in Northern Spain and stole a famous cross from a church in Finisterre. Six centuries later, Poole sent a replacement wooden cross over to Spain to say sorry for Harry’s exploits. On another occasion, he sailed up the River Seine flying the French flag plundering as he went until he turned around and sailed back home. 

To pay Harry back, the two countries came together in 1406 deciding to attack his home port of Poole. Every man aboard the five vessel fleet knew they were going to attack the home of ‘Arripay’. This added the spice of reveange to their mission. They believed the town of Poole belonged to Harry. There was fierce fighting in the streets and many were killed including Harry’s brother. 

‘Arrows fell so thick upon the ground that no man could walk without treading on arrows.’

Eventually, the continental invaders withdrew. This action failed to discourage Harry from retiring from his buccaneering ways and his assaults on Spanish and French targets continued. Old Harry Rocks, the chalk sea stacks close to Studland Bay are reckoned to be named after Harry Paye. It is said he hid behind the rocks waiting to pounce on passing merchant vessels.

Harry Paye died in 1419 but he is still remembered in Poole each year with Harry Paye Day and throughout the year in the town’s Harry Paye pub. Little is known of Harry outside of Poole but in Spain he is regarded as the most infamous pirate of these times.




Labels:

Comments

  1. Anonymous19 July 2024 at 20:20

    Interesting article, but being from the Poole area, I don’t recall a harry paye pub!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous20 July 2024 at 06:58

      It’s on the High Street. It used to be called The Globe, I think, and before that The Old Harry.

      Delete
  2. Paula Allcroft20 July 2024 at 08:46

    Some of The Pirates of Poole are off to Finisterre in a few weeks to join in their pirate festival. :-)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Panda Pops

Panda  Blue Rasperry Ade, Strawberry Jelly & Ice Cream and Casper Ghostly Limeade were all unique soft drink flavours produced by the Panda Pops brand owned by Badger Beers. Panda Pops were often sold in small bottles of fizzy drink that were as sweet and sticky as it was as possible for them to be. Other popular Panda Pop flavours were Cherry Ade and Bright Green Cola. Even more singular blends could be concocted by mixing two or more flavours in a Panda Pops mixing bowl. Panda Cola achieved a sort of cult status and there is even a song, ‘ Warm Panda Cola’ . While among Panda aficionados there was even the spoof blend of Princess Diana Memorial flavour! The Blandford drink competed remarkably well against American giants Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola. Panda Pops date back to the 1960s when the Blandford brewer dropped the name of Sunparlor for its soft drink brands. Sunparlor had also been the name of a winning race horse owned by a member of the Woodhouse family. Cream soda was...
3 comments
Read more

History Slice with an Aussie Flavour.

  From Dorset Gallows to Van Diemen’s Land is the unlikely but true story of political corruption, hangings and transportation in the small market town of Blandford in Southern England.  It is available as a paperback from  Amazon in the United Kingdom, Australia and the USA. The book uncovers the extraordinary tale of two ordinary men, George Long a shoemaker and Richard Bleathman a butcher. Driven by belief and dissatisfaction they are swept along by events. Sentenced to be hanged in Dorchester Gaol for their protests against political corruption they are instead, following clemency appeals,  transported to Van Diemen’s Land -  on the other side of the world. ‘A fascinatingly  good read.  This book entirely complements the story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs - also transported to Australia.’ (Richard Holledge, newspaper editor, freelance journalist - London. As read in the Independent, New York Times & Financial Times. Author of   Voices of the M...
Post a Comment
Read more

Blandford’s Magpie Mick

Do you remember Mick Robertson - presenter with Jenny Hanley on ITV children’s programme Magpie  in the 1970s? For many years, Mick lived just outside Blandford in the village of Ibberton in the shadows of Bulbarrow Hill. Living nearby was Jack Hargreaves another television presenter and writer who had a keen interest in the North Dorset countryside.  Initially, Mick trained as a teacher before working in television as a researcher. After presenting Magpie, Mick produced many award winning programmes for children. In 2007, he was given the Special Children’s BAFTA Award for his television work . Although now retired Mick retains an interest in television as a family member is the Executive Producer on the popular television series the  Repair Shop. He is a lifetime follower of both County Cricket and Portsmouth Football Club. Together with  ex-Magpie presenting mate Tommy Boyd,  he is a regular contributor to internet radio station  Pompey Sound.  Mick...
Post a Comment
Read more