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The Province of Avalon was the area around the English settlement of
Ferryland Ferryland is a town in Newfoundland and Labrador on the Avalon Peninsula. According to the 2021 Statistics Canada census, its population is 371. Seventeenth century settlement Ferryland was originally established as a station for migratory f ...
in what is now
Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
,
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tota ...
in the 17th century, which upon the success of the colony grew to include the land held by Sir William Vaughan and all the land that lay between Ferryland and
Petty Harbour Petty may refer to: People * Bruce Petty (born 1929), Australian political satirist and cartoonist * Bryce Petty (born 1991), American football player * Dini Petty (born 1945), Canadian television and radio host * Eric D. Petty (born 1954), Ameri ...
.


History

The Avalon Peninsula was one of the first European-inhabited areas in North America. In 1497 the Bristol Guild of Merchants financed a voyage by
John Cabot John Cabot ( it, Giovanni Caboto ; 1450 – 1500) was an Italian navigator and explorer. His 1497 voyage to the coast of North America under the commission of Henry VII of England is the earliest-known European exploration of coastal No ...
to Newfoundland, where he is reported to have landed at
Cape Bonavista Cape Bonavista is a headland located on the east coast of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is located at the northeastern tip of the Bonavista Peninsula, which separates Trinity Bay to the south ...
. Breton, Basque, and Portuguese fishermen spoke of "a land of codfish". They were familiar with the Avalon Peninsula where many would set up temporary shelters to dry fish.


The London and Bristol Company

In the early 17th century English merchants began to take an interest in the
Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
fishery. The Bristol Society of Merchant Venturers established the London and Bristol Company (the Newfoundland Company) in 1608 and sent John Guy, to locate a favourable location for a colony. The first permanent English settlement was established at
Cuper's Cove Cuper's Cove, on the southwest shore of Conception Bay on Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula was an early English settlement in the New World, and the third one after Harbour Grace, Newfoundland (1583) and Jamestown, Virginia (1607) to endure for l ...
in 1610. The company was granted a charter by
James I James I may refer to: People *James I of Aragon (1208–1276) * James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327) * James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu * James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347) *James I of Cyprus (1334� ...
on 2 May 1610 giving it a monopoly in agriculture, mining, fishing and hunting on the Avalon Peninsula. They retained exclusive rights until 1616 when the Crown began to grant lands to others.


Lord Baltimore

Sir George Calvert acquired a large land holding on the peninsula and hired an agent Captain Edward Wynne to set up headquarters in
Ferryland Ferryland is a town in Newfoundland and Labrador on the Avalon Peninsula. According to the 2021 Statistics Canada census, its population is 371. Seventeenth century settlement Ferryland was originally established as a station for migratory f ...
. The initial colony grew to a population of 100, becoming the first successful permanent settlement on
Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
island. In 1620 Calvert obtained a grant from Sir William Vaughan for all of the land that lay north of a point between Fermeuse and
Aquaforte Aquaforte is a town on the south shore of Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The town's economy has always rested primarily on fishing. The harbour has been used as a seasonal fishing station sin ...
to as far north as Caplin Bay (now Calvert) on the southern shore of the Avalon Peninsula. In 1623, Calvert was given a
Royal Charter A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, but ...
extending the Royal lands and granting them the name the Province of Avalon "in imitation of Old
Avalon Avalon (; la, Insula Avallonis; cy, Ynys Afallon, Ynys Afallach; kw, Enys Avalow; literally meaning "the isle of fruit r appletrees"; also written ''Avallon'' or ''Avilion'' among various other spellings) is a mythical island featured in th ...
in Somersetshire wherein
Glassenbury There have been nine baronetcies created for persons with the surname Roberts, three in the Baronetage of England and six in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. As of 2014 four of the creations are extant. The Roberts Baronetcy, of Glassenbury ...
stands, the first fruits of Christianity in
Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
".
Kevin Major Kevin Major (born September 12, 1949) is a Canadian author who lives in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador with his wife. He writes for both young people and adults, including fiction, literary non-fiction, poetry, and plays. Major was born a ...
, ''As Near to Heaven by Sea: A History of Newfoundland and Labrador'', 2001,
The charter created the province as a
palatinate Palatinate or county palatine may refer to: *the territory or jurisdiction of a count palatine United Kingdom and Ireland *County palatine in England and Ireland * Palatinate (award), student sporting award of Durham University *Palatinate (col ...
in which Calvert had absolute authority. Calvert wished to make the colony a refuge for
Roman Catholics The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
facing persecution in England. In 1625 Calvert was elevated to the
Peerage of Ireland The Peerage of Ireland consists of those titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is one of the five divi ...
as The 1st
Baron Baltimore Baron Baltimore, of Baltimore, County Longford, was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1625 and ended in 1771, upon the death of its sixth-generation male heir, aged 40. Holders of the title were usually known as Lord Baltimor ...
. A series of crises and calamities led Calvert to quit the colony in 1629 for "some other warmer climate of this new world", which turned out to be
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; ...
, though his family maintained agents to govern Avalon until 1637, when the entire island of
Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
was granted by charter to Sir David Kirke and The 3rd Marquess of Hamilton (who was later created The 1st
Duke of Hamilton Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in April 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that peerage (except for the Dukedom of Rothesay held by the Sovereign's eldest son), and as such its holder is the premier peer of Sc ...
). Lord Baltimore's son,
Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore Cecil Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore (8 August 1605 – 30 November 1675), also often known as Cecilius Calvert, was an English nobleman, who was the first Proprietor of the Province of Maryland, ninth Proprietary Governor of the Colony of New ...
, fought against the new charter, and in 1660 gained official recognition of the old Charter of Avalon, but never attempted to retake the colony. The site of the colony was designated a National Historic Site in 1953 It was also designated a Municipal Heritage District in 1998.


See also

*
List of communities in Newfoundland and Labrador This article lists unincorporated communities of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Incorporated towns and cities are incorporated municipalities and can be found on List of municipalities in Newfoundland and Labrador. Newfoundla ...
*
Cuper's Cove Cuper's Cove, on the southwest shore of Conception Bay on Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula was an early English settlement in the New World, and the third one after Harbour Grace, Newfoundland (1583) and Jamestown, Virginia (1607) to endure for l ...
* Bristol's Hope *
British colonisation of the Americas The British colonization of the Americas was the history of establishment of control, settlement, and colonization of the continents of the Americas by Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland and, after 1707, Kingdom of Gre ...
*
William Vaughan (writer) Sir William Vaughan (c. 1575August 1641) was a Welsh writer in English and Latin. He promoted colonization in Newfoundland, but with mixed success. Early life He was the son of Walter Vaughan (died 1598) and was born at Golden Grove (Gelli Aur), ...


References


External links


Official Colony of Avalon website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Avalon, Province of History of Newfoundland and Labrador by location States and territories established in 1621 1610 establishments in the British Empire Former English colonies