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<title>The Armada Service</title>

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The Armada Service

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</style><table class="infobox vcard"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above">Armada Service</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image"><div class="infobox-caption">The Armada Service on display at the British Museum</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Material</th><td class="infobox-data">Silver</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Size</th><td class="infobox-data">Diameter 12.1cm (min)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Created</th><td class="infobox-data">Late 16th - early 17th Century AD</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Present location</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="British_Museum" title="British Museum">British Museum</a>, <a href="London" title="London">London</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Registration</th><td class="infobox-data">M&ME 1992,6-14,1-26</td></tr></tbody></table>

The Armada Service (alias Tudor Service) is a set of more than 31 gilded silver dishes, dated between 1581 and 1601, formerly owned by Sir <a href="Christopher_Harris_(died_1625)" title="Christopher Harris (died 1625)">Christopher Harris</a> (c. 1553–1625), MP, of <a href="Radford%2C_Plymstock" title="Radford, Plymstock">Radford House</a> in the parish of <a href="Plymstock" title="Plymstock">Plymstock</a> in <a href="Devon" title="Devon">Devon</a>, <a href="England" title="England">England</a>. Twenty-six of these dishes are now in the collection of the <a href="British_Museum" title="British Museum">British Museum</a> in London.

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Description">Description</h2></div>

The dishes are <a href="Gilding" title="Gilding">parcel gilt</a> with reeded rims and are engraved with the arms of Sir Christopher Harris of Radford.<a href="#cite_note-1">[1]</a> The <a href="Sherborne_Mercury" title="Sherborne Mercury">Sherborne Mercury</a> newspaper of Dorset reported on 28 January 1828, that following an "inspection the Herald's office, London, the arms, which are very perfect all the pieces, were those of Sir Christopher Harris, an ancestor of the Harris family of Radford, near Plymouth, quartered with those of his wives, and who lived in the year 1600".<a href="#cite_note-2">[2]</a> The arms of Sydenham are also said to be present, supposedly of one of Harris's wives "Mary Sydenham", who is not however listed in authoritative biographies.<a href="#cite_note-3">[3]</a> Sir Francis Drake did however have a connection with the Sydenham family of <a href="Combe_Sydenham" title="Combe Sydenham">Combe Sydenham</a> in Somerset. They bear prominent and large <a href="Hallmark" title="Hallmark">London hallmarks</a> on the upper rims for the years 1581, 1599, 1600 and 1601.<a href="#cite_note-Caygill1999-4">[4]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Provenance">Provenance</h2></div>

The Armada Service was commissioned by Sir <a href="Christopher_Harris_(died_1625)" title="Christopher Harris (died 1625)">Christopher Harris</a> (c. 1553–1625),<a href="#cite_note-7">[7]</a><a href="#cite_note-Merriman2009-8">[8]</a> of <a href="Radford%2C_Plymstock" title="Radford, Plymstock">Radford</a> in the parish of <a href="Plymstock" title="Plymstock">Plymstock</a>, <a href="Devon" title="Devon">Devon</a>, a <a href="Member_of_Parliament" class="mw-redirect" title="Member of Parliament">Member of Parliament</a> for <a href="Plymouth_(UK_Parliament_constituency)" title="Plymouth (UK Parliament constituency)">Plymouth</a> in Devon in 1584,<a href="#cite_note-9">[9]</a> <a href="List_of_Vice-Admirals_of_Devon" class="mw-redirect" title="List of Vice-Admirals of Devon">Vice-Admiral of Devon</a> during the reign of <a href="James_VI_and_I" title="James VI and I">James I</a> and a Commissioner for Booty at <a href="Plymouth" title="Plymouth">Plymouth</a> under <a href="Sir_Walter_Raleigh" class="mw-redirect" title="Sir Walter Raleigh">Sir Walter Raleigh</a>. He was a close friend of Admiral Sir <a href="Francis_Drake" title="Francis Drake">Francis Drake</a>, who on one occasion lodged part of his captured treasure at Radford.<a href="#cite_note-10">[10]</a> In partnership with <a href="John_Hele_(died_1608)" title="John Hele (died 1608)">John Hele</a> (died 1608)

of <a href="Wembury" title="Wembury">Wembury</a> in Devon, <a href="Serjeant-at-law" title="Serjeant-at-law">serjeant-at-law</a> and MP, Harris acquired the estate of <a href="Buckland_Abbey" title="Buckland Abbey">Buckland Abbey</a> in Devon as a seat for Drake.<a href="#cite_note-11">[11]</a> During the 16th and 17th centuries amassing silver was usual for wealthy English families. Such collections served two distinct purposes: to increase family prestige and to act as a store of value or investment.

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Discovery">Discovery</h2></div>

During the <a href="English_Civil_War" title="English Civil War">Civil War</a> (1642–1651) huge amounts of silver were melted down to pay for military supplies and wages, and the silver dishes were buried by the Harris family on the wild moorland of <a href="Dartmoor" title="Dartmoor">Dartmoor</a>, near to Radford, to avoid being looted by <a href="Roundhead" title="Roundhead">Parliamentary</a> troops. The silver was never subsequently recovered by the Harris family, who remained at Radford until after 1810,<a href="#cite_note-12">[12]</a> but was at last discovered in 1827, when three farm labourers employed by the Splat company of <a href="Brixham" title="Brixham">Brixham</a>, discovered it in a cave they were excavating to increase the storage capacity for the company's potatoes. The local newspaper reported that "upwards of 30 dishes" had been found.<a href="#cite_note-Roadshow-13">[13]</a> In June 1911 the Splat family sold the dishes at <a href="Christie's" title="Christie's">Christie's</a> auctioneers in London for £11,500 .<a href="#cite_note-Hersey-14">[14]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Importance">Importance</h2></div>

The service has been described as "one of the most important groups of English silver to have been found in England."<a href="#cite_note-Thornton-15">[15]</a> As a set of relatively plain objects, of which the <a href="Bullion" title="Bullion">bullion</a> value may have exceeded the artistic worth, this service represents "the unique survival of a type of utilitarian plate which is listed in the inventories of the gentry and aristocracy of the late <a href="Tudor_period" title="Tudor period">Tudor</a> and early <a href="Stuart_period" title="Stuart period">Stuart</a> periods."<a href="#cite_note-Thornton-15">[15]</a><a href="#cite_note-Hersey-14">[14]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Nomenclature">Nomenclature</h2></div>

The <a href="Nomenclature" title="Nomenclature">nomenclature</a> of the hoard's name is subject to speculation by scholars. It was named by modern scholars the Armada Service in allusion to the <a href="Spanish_Armada" title="Spanish Armada">Spanish Armada</a> of 1588, a failed attempt by Spain to invade England, as it is believed to have a connection to <a href="New_World" title="New World">New World</a> silver captured and pilfered from the <a href="Spanish_treasure_fleet" title="Spanish treasure fleet">Spanish treasure fleet</a> operating at about that time. 31 pieces were "commissioned to mark the conquering of the Spanish naval fleet and used at a dinner thrown" at Harris's seat at Radford.<a href="#cite_note-Alastair-16">[16]</a> Some modern scholars have suggested a connection to the <a href="Madre_de_Deus" title="Madre de Deus">Madre de Deus</a> (Mother of God), a Portuguese ship <a href="Battle_of_Flores_(1592)" title="Battle of Flores (1592)">captured by the English</a> in 1592.<a href="#cite_note-Hersey-14">[14]</a> However, Sir Christopher Harris worked for <a href="Sir_Walter_Raleigh" class="mw-redirect" title="Sir Walter Raleigh">Sir Walter Raleigh</a> in the <a href="British_Admiralty" class="mw-redirect" title="British Admiralty">Admiralty</a> during the <a href="Anglo-Spanish_War_(1585%E2%80%931604)" title="Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604)">Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604)</a>. His acquisition of these dishes at about the same time may suggest that they "represent the profits of his office".<a href="#cite_note-BM-5">[5]</a>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Subsequent_history">Subsequent history</h2></div>

26 dishes were acquired in July 1992 by the <a href="British_Museum" title="British Museum">British Museum</a>, when valued at <a href="Pound_sign" title="Pound sign">£</a>900,000.<a href="#cite_note-17">[17]</a> In April 2013 an additional silver spice dish from the service was valued at "about £100,000" on the <a href="BBC_One" title="BBC One">BBC One</a> television show <a href="Antiques_Roadshow" title="Antiques Roadshow">Antiques Roadshow</a>, by <a href="Alastair_Dickenson" title="Alastair Dickenson">Alastair Dickenson</a>, the programme’s silver expert.<a href="#cite_note-Roadshow-13">[13]</a> At an auction at Lawrence's of <a href="Crewkerne" title="Crewkerne">Crewkerne</a> in Somerset, Dickenson acquired for a client two related pieces for £135,000, which had been exported to the southern <a href="United_States" title="United States">United States</a> before being repatriated to England. The present location of these "three" (sic) pieces is unknown.<a href="#cite_note-Alastair-16">[16]</a>

<ul><li><a href="Art_theft" title="Art theft">Art theft</a></li>

<li><a href="Silver_(household)" class="mw-redirect" title="Silver (household)">Household silver or silverware</a></li>

<li><a href="Treasure_trove" title="Treasure trove">Treasure trove</a></li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>

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<li id="cite_note-1"><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details/collection_image_gallery.aspx?partid=1&assetid=1140979001&objectid=70665#more-views">Image</a> British Museum

</li>

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</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/searchbna/results?memberlastsubclass=none&searchhistorykey=0&keywords=christopher%20harris&county=dorset,%20england">"Search British Newspaper Archive records - Genes Reunited"</a>.</cite>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-3"><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a> Harris married twice (per his authoritative <a href="History_of_Parliament" class="mw-redirect" title="History of Parliament">History of Parliament</a> biography <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1558-1603/member/harris-christopher-1553-1625">[1]</a>), but not to a "Mary Sydenham" as is stated in many sources

</li>

<li id="cite_note-Caygill1999-4"><a href="#cite_ref-Caygill1999_4-0">^</a> <cite id="CITEREFCaygill1999" class="citation book cs1">Caygill, Marjorie (1999). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=o0hGAQAAIAAJ">The British Museum: A-Z companion</a>. <a href="British_Museum_Press" class="mw-redirect" title="British Museum Press">British Museum Press</a>. p. 28. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-7141-2157-4</bdi>. Retrieved 11 April 2013.</cite>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-BM-5">^ <a href="#cite_ref-BM_5-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-BM_5-1">b</a> <cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/pe_mla/t/the_armada_service.aspx">"The Armada Service"</a>. <a href="British_Museum" title="British Museum">British Museum</a>. Retrieved 10 April 2013.</cite>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-SC-6"><a href="#cite_ref-SC_6-0">^</a> <cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.silvercompany.co.uk/browse-products-silver-armada-dishes-c-74_51.html">"Silver Armada Dishes"</a>. The Silver Company, London. Retrieved 10 April 2013.</cite>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-7"><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a> <cite id="CITEREFSusan_M_Pearce1995" class="citation book cs1">Susan M Pearce (1995). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=4b_8yeeZ2NcC&pg=PA95">On Collecting: An Investigation Into Collecting In The European Tradition</a>. Routledge. pp. 95–. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-415-07561-9</bdi>. Retrieved 14 April 2013.</cite>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-Merriman2009-8"><a href="#cite_ref-Merriman2009_8-0">^</a> <cite id="CITEREFPhilippa_Merriman2009" class="citation book cs1">Philippa Merriman (2009). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=MKnYTmgwubMC&pg=PA36">Silver</a>. Harvard University Press. pp. 36–. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-674-03094-7</bdi>. Retrieved 14 April 2013.</cite>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-9"><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a> <a href="John_Lambrick_Vivian" title="John Lambrick Vivian">Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L.</a>, (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the <a href="Heraldic_visitation" title="Heraldic visitation">Heralds' Visitations</a> of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p.447, pedigree of "Harris of Radford"

</li>

<li id="cite_note-10"><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a> <a href="John_Lambrick_Vivian" title="John Lambrick Vivian">Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L.</a>, (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the <a href="Heraldic_visitation" title="Heraldic visitation">Heralds' Visitations</a> of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p.448, pedigree of "Harris of Radford", footnote

</li>

<li id="cite_note-11"><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a> Vivian, p.448, footnote

</li>

<li id="cite_note-12"><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a> <a href="Tristram_Risdon" title="Tristram Risdon">Risdon, Tristram</a> (d.1640), Survey of Devon, 1811 edition, London, 1811, with 1810 Additions, 1810 Additions, p.396

</li>

<li id="cite_note-Roadshow-13">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Roadshow_13-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Roadshow_13-1">b</a> <cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0159j80/Antiques_Roadshow_Series_35_Cheltenham_Town_Hall_1/">"Antiques Roadshow – Series 35 – 18. Cheltenham Town Hall 1"</a>. bbc.co.uk. 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2013.</cite>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-Hersey-14">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Hersey_14-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Hersey_14-1">b</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Hersey_14-2">c</a> <cite id="CITEREFHersey2009" class="citation web cs1">Hersey, Stewart (1 May 2009). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.goarticles.com/article/The-Silver-Armada-Dish-and-Their-History/1579896/">"The Silver Armada Dish and Their History"</a>. GoArticles.com. Retrieved 10 April 2013.</cite>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-Thornton-15">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Thornton_15-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Thornton_15-1">b</a> <cite id="CITEREFThorntonCowell1996" class="citation journal cs1">Thornton, Dora; Cowell, Michael (March 1996). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid=63AE671F8C90528BD19D11130A9BFD77.journals?fromPage=online&aid=7869294">"The 'Armada Service': a Set of Late Tudor Dining Silver"</a>. The Antiquaries Journal. 76. The Society of Antiquaries of London/Cambridge Journals On Line: 153–180. <a href="Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0003581500047454">10.1017/S0003581500047454</a>. <a href="S2CID_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="S2CID (identifier)">S2CID</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:163121784">163121784</a>. Retrieved 10 April 2013.</cite>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-Alastair-16">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Alastair_16-0">a</a> <a href="#cite_ref-Alastair_16-1">b</a> <cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.homesandantiques.com/feature/antiques-roadshow/alastairs-armada-silver">"Alastair's Armada silver"</a>. Homes & Antiques. <a href="BBC_Worldwide" title="BBC Worldwide">BBC Worldwide</a>/<a href="Immediate_Media_Company" title="Immediate Media Company">Immediate Media Company</a>. Retrieved 11 April 2013.</cite>

</li>

<li id="cite_note-17"><a href="#cite_ref-17">^</a> <cite id="CITEREFPearce1995" class="citation book cs1">Pearce, Susan M (1995). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=4b_8yeeZ2NcC&pg=PA296">On Collecting: An Investigation Into Collecting In The European Tradition</a>. London, New York: Routledge. p. 296. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-0-415-07561-9</bdi>. Retrieved 11 April 2013.</cite>

</li>

</ol></div>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Further_reading">Further reading</h2></div>

<ul><li><cite id="CITEREFThornton1993" class="citation journal cs1">Thornton, Dora (Spring 1993). "The Armada Service". British Museum Magazine.</cite></li></ul>

<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.articler.com/Arts-Entertainment/457562-Armada-Dishes-in-Sterling-Silver.html">Armada Dishes in Sterling Silver</a>

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