The Province of Avalon was the area around the English settlement of
Ferryland in what is now
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the populatio ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
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.
History
The
Avalon Peninsula
The Avalon Peninsula () is a large peninsula that makes up the southeast portion of the island of Newfoundland in Canada. It is in size.
The peninsula is home to 270,348 people, about 52% of the province's population, according to the 2016 Ca ...
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 ( ; 1450 – 1499) was an Italians, Italian navigator and exploration, explorer. His 1497 voyage to the coast of North America under the commission of Henry VII of England, Henry VII, King of England is the earliest known Europe ...
to Newfoundland, where he is reported to have landed at
Cape Bonavista. Basque sailors used the area as a base for whale hunting.
The London and Bristol Company
In the early 17th century English merchants began to take an interest in the
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
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 in 1610.
The company was granted a charter by
James I on 2 May 1610 giving it a monopoly in agriculture, mining, fishing and hunting on the
Avalon Peninsula
The Avalon Peninsula () is a large peninsula that makes up the southeast portion of the island of Newfoundland in Canada. It is in size.
The peninsula is home to 270,348 people, about 52% of the province's population, according to the 2016 Ca ...
. 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. The initial colony grew to a population of 100, becoming the first successful permanent settlement on
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
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 to as far north as Caplin Bay (now
Calvert) on the southern shore of the
Avalon Peninsula
The Avalon Peninsula () is a large peninsula that makes up the southeast portion of the island of Newfoundland in Canada. It is in size.
The peninsula is home to 270,348 people, about 52% of the province's population, according to the 2016 Ca ...
.
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 in Somersetshire wherein
Glassenbury stands, the first fruits of Christianity in
Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales
* The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...
".
[ Kevin Major, ''As Near to Heaven by Sea: A History of Newfoundland and Labrador'', 2001, ] The charter created the province as a
palatinate 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 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
facing persecution in England. In 1625 Calvert was elevated to the
Peerage of Ireland
The peerage of Ireland consists of those Peerage, titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lordship of Ireland, Lord or Monarchy of Ireland, King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great B ...
as The 1st
Baron Baltimore.
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 borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...
, though his family maintained agents to govern Avalon until 1637, when the entire island of
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
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 Duke of Rothesay, Dukedom of Rothesay held by the sovereign's eldest son), and as such its holder is the pr ...
). Lord Baltimore's son,
Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, 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.
Newfoundl ...
*
Cuper's Cove
*
Bristol's Hope
*
British colonisation of the Americas
The British colonization of the Americas is the history of establishment of control, settlement, and colonization of the continents of the Americas by England, Scotland, and, after 1707, Great Britain. Colonization efforts began in the late 16 ...
*
William Vaughan (writer)
Sir William Vaughan (c. 1575August 1641) was a Wales, 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, Carma ...
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