After a time, Amyas fits out a ship and prepares to go with Drake to Virginia, but before they sail, the Spanish Armada arrives off English shores. Amyas, with his ship, joins the rest of the fleet in that famous battle. After twelve terrible days, the Armada is defeated and almost every Spanish ship destroyed. Amyas, however, is not satisfied. Don Guzman is aboard one of the Spanish ships, and although Amyas pursues him relentlessly, he has to sit by and watch a storm tear the Spaniard’s ship apart. Amyas curses that he himself was not able to kill Don Guzman and thus avenge his brother’s death. Kingsley dedicated the novel to Sir James Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak, and Bishop George Selwyn, whom he saw as modern representatives of the heroic values of the privateers who were active during the Elizabethan era. The book is written in pretend Elizabethan and is named after river boats on the Thames in London. During the Elizabethan period, sailors would shout ‘Eastward Ho!’ or ‘Westward Ho!’ depending on the boat’s final destination. The full novel’s title is:

Hodges, C. Walter (1979). The Battlement Garden: Britain from the Wars of the Roses to the Age of Shakespeare (1st Americaned.). New York: Houghton. p. 116. ISBN 9780816430048. Set initially in Bideford in North Devon during the reign of Elizabeth I, Westward Ho! follows the adventures of Amyas Leigh, an unruly child who as a young man follows Francis Drake to sea. Amyas loves local beauty Rose Salterne, as does nearly everyone else; much of the novel involves Rose's elopement with a Spaniard. A little outside of the village, you’ll find the quaint little pub of The Pig on the Hill. As the name suggests, the eatery is located at the very summit of a hill and provides amazing views over the surrounding countryside. Holy Trinity Church A prominent theme of the novel is the 16th-century fear of Catholic domination, [5] and this reflects Kingsley's own dislike of Catholicism. [4] The novel repeatedly shows the Protestant English correcting the worst excesses of the Spanish Jesuits and the Inquisition. [4] In comparison with other Devonian towns (even the nearby large town of Bideford), Westward Ho! is a fairly new addition to the landscape, meaning that there aren’t too many historicbuildings of interest about. However, that’s not to say that there aren’t interesting things to do (and spots to eat at). The Pig on the HillThe book is the inspiration behind the unusual name of the village of Westward Ho! in Devon, the only place name in the United Kingdom that contains an exclamation mark. [10] In fact, it turns out that the town of Westward Ho! is the only one in the UK to include punctuation marks (pretty cool fact!) Located just over a mile down the coastline from ever popular Bideford, you’ll find Westward Ho! And the Earl of Portsmouth founded a hotel named ‘Westward Ho!’ Soon enough, other villas started to pop up nearby. And thus, the town of Westward Ho! was born. Find the Westward Ho! book for sale here. Westward Ho! Beach Now, of course, the main attraction of Westward Ho! is its long sandy beach. After all, the village was first built as a resort specifically to serve the shoreline and act as a gateway to the great expanse of gold that stretches as far as the eye can see. Although originally a political radical, Kingsley had by the 1850s become increasingly conservative and a strong supporter of overseas expansion. [4] The novel consistently emphasises the superiority of English values over those of the "decadent Spanish". [1] Although originally written for adults, its mixture of patriotism, sentiment and romance deemed it suitable for children, and it became a firm favourite of children's literature. [5]

This little church was built in 1870. Fairly modern as churches go, it was built in a much older style and overlooks the sandy beach the town is so famous for. The church is free to visit (though donations for its upkeep are always welcome) and is open throughout the week. A weekly service is held on Sundays at 11 AM. Westward Ho Pier The seafront and the part of the village leading down to the water are part of a Natural Landscape(AONB) which covers the majority of Devon’s north coast.

Frequently Asked Questions

Westward Ho! is one of the most welcoming places in the south west when it comes to dogs. Dogs are allowed on the beachall year round, with restrictions in place during the summer. Signs around the beach provide handy maps so dog owners will know where they can go and alternative routes for those exploring with their dogs by foot. Seaside traditions Construction of the town began in 1865 during the Victorian era and was built in a style typical of resort towns in the 19th-Century. The house façades are high and palm trees are everywhere. Should you opt to visit the seaside resort today, you’ll find a town which is much like many other former Victorian seaside resorts in the UK (a little weathered in places and otherwise very popular). Westward Ho! The Novel by Charles Kingsley

Published in 1855, the novel Westward Ho! was an almost immediate success. Written by native Devonian, Charles Kingsley, the book follows the adventures of English Corsair Amyas Preston. The Natural Landscape (AONB) includes the beachwhich is one of a number of Blue Flag rated beaches in this region. During the summer life guards are stationed making it one of the safest in Devon for swimming and water sports. Like much of the coastline in this area of Devon, the current makes conditions perfect for a number of water based activities and the village is popular with those that like surfing, as such you’ll find a host of organisations renting equipment and offering lessons in a wide range of sports including paddle boarding and kayaking. There are also a number of businesses based in the village who offer training sessions and tours of the coastline by boat or board, so those of you interested in a sightseeing tour with a difference can really learn more about this fascinating village from the water. Altogether there are almost two miles of sand, reaching the horizon on either side of the town. And just one trip here shows you exactly why the Victorians chose to build along these shorelines. Best things to do in Westward Ho! We’d never intended to visit Westward Ho! But sometimes it’s best to just follow the signs and follow wherever they might lead to. (And besides, did curiosity really kill the cat?) Driving through the North Devonian countryside following a visit tonearby Clovelly (which is supposedly the prettiest village in the UK), we couldn’t help but notice the signposts for a name with an actual exclamation mark in it.First off, I didn't really get into this book until almost half-way through. The start seemed to be largely about Amyas Leigh, the protagonist, desiring to go to sea, and his romance with the character Rose.