News about Francis Drake

Once home to a prison and an adventure camp, tiny Drake's Island has planning permission for a 43-room hotel. Just 600 yards off the Plymouth coast, the island could be a world of opportunity for the new owner. The current owner of Drake's Island is Morgan Philips, a local Plymouth businessman. He had plans to build two hotels, a museum and a wellbeing centre on the Island but is now looking for someone to 'take over and bring these dreams to life more quickly'.

Francis Drake (left) played a major role in preventing the country being conquered by the Spanish in the 16th Century, and was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe in one trip. A favourite of Elizabeth I, he claimed California for England in 1579. However, artworks featuring the renowned sailor and commander have now been added to a controversial list of connections to slavery. The move emerged in the latest update to a review of the Parliamentary collection, launched around four years ago in response to the Black Lives Matter movement. The cross-party committee that oversees art at Westminster says it is wrong to 'venerate people who have supported and committed acts of atrocity'. Bottom right, Robert Peel is also on the list.

Although Britain has produced some of the world's best explorers, Captain James Cook and Francis Drake may be revolving in their graves at the findings of a new report, which shows how millions of Brits haven't visited other countries within the UK.

Sir Francis Drake, the Spanish Armada hero, has been given a new information panel describing his slave trade expeditions (right). Following the Black Lives Matter protests, the local town council reviewed the monument to the Elizabethan sailor in Tavistock, Devon. Despite only receiving one letter of support and 89 protests, a new sign has been put into place. The new information board beside Sir Francis Drake's statue is described as 'balanced' and 'objective.'