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

True Lovers Knot - a Tragic Tale

True Lovers Knot public house describes itself as a traditional  inn set in a picturesque Dorset valley in Tarrant Keynston. Yet, this historical hostelry is said to have gained its name from a particularly tragic tale and still to be haunted by a distressed former publican. This publican’s son met and fell in love with the daughter of the local squire. Because the young lad was not from the gentry they decided to keep their relationship secret from her father. Unfortunately, a stable hand saw the two young lovers together and told her father. Set firmly against this friendship the squire made plans to send his daughter away from the district. Not able to face up to life without her boyfriend, the young girl decided to commit suicide and hanged herself from a tree in the village. So upset was the publican’s son of hearing of his girlfriend’s death he too hanged himself from the same tree. The Tarrant Keynston publican had, himself lost his wife at child birth and now losing his son b
4 comments
Read more

Tarrant Rushton's Nuclear Secret

Tarrant Rushton was a large RAF base used for glider operations during World War II. It was then taken over by Flight Refuelling for the conversion of aircraft for the development of aircraft in-flight refuelling. However, between 1958 & 1965, the Tarrant Rushton airfield had a much more secretive and less publicised role. This was in support of the nation’s nuclear bomber deterrent, as Tarrant Rushton airfield became a QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) dispersal unit.   During 1958, contractors Costain reinforced the main runway and carried out other work to ensure the giant bomber aircraft could be accommodated. At times just a few miles from Blandford, there would have been up to four RAF Vickers Valiant bombers at Tarrant Rushton ready to become airborne in minutes charged with nuclear weapons. The bombers were from 148 Squadron at RAF Marham in Norfolk. As there was no suitable accommodation at the airfield, an old US Air Force Hospital building at Martin was used. At the time, the
8 comments
Read more

Holton Heath's Tragic Explosion

Ten were killed and 23 were injured according to newspaper reports at the time. This made it one of Dorset’s worst ever industrial accidents. Holton Heath employees were blown into unrecognisable fragments necessitating a roll call of the factory’s entire staff before the identities of those killed were identified. Eleven men were originally believed to have been killed but when a roll call was held one turned up. A crimson red plume of acid vapour had towered into the sky resembling the shuddering eruption of a volcano. It was caused by the bursting of a sulphuric acid tank. Close by low buildings vanished and the shock affected houses for 20 miles with roof slates dislodged, ornaments knocked down and windows broken. The sound of the explosion could be heard at Shillingstone some 18 miles away. Closer to the factory, a hoe was wrenched from the hands of a gardener who was flung against a tree. One fortunate employee, Charles Rogers owed his life to having to leave, just before the
1 comment
Read more