Bartholomew Gosnold

Lore & Background

Gosnold was born in Grundisburgh, Suffolk, in 1571, the son of Anthony Gosnold and Dorothy Bacon. He graduated from Jesus College, Cambridge, studied law at the Middle Temple, and married Mary Goldinge in 1595. Through his wife, he gained connections to wealthy London merchants, including Thomas Smith, a founder of the Virginia Company. Gosnold had seven children, six baptized at Bury St Edmunds between 1597 and 1607.

In 1602, Gosnold captained the Concord from Falmouth, Cornwall, with 32 men, including John Brereton and Gabriel Archer. He pioneered a direct sailing route from the Azores to New England, making landfall at Cape Elizabeth, Maine, in May 1602. He named Cape Cod for the abundant fish and explored Martha's Vineyard, naming it after his deceased daughter and the wild grapes. His party attempted a settlement on Cuttyhunk Island, building a fort and trading with Native peoples, but relations grew strained, and a Native attack wounded one Englishman.

Reader's Guide

Gosnold's significance lies in his role as a driving force behind English colonization of North America. His 1602 expedition to Cape Cod and the Elizabeth Islands demonstrated a viable northern route and highlighted the region's resources, including sassafras and fish. He helped organize the Virginia Company, which established Jamestown in 1607, the first permanent English settlement in America. Preservation Virginia calls him the 'prime mover of the colonization of Virginia,' underscoring his influence despite his early death in 1607. His marriage connected him to key investors, and his efforts bridged earlier failed attempts, like Roanoke, with later successful colonization. Gosnold's work laid groundwork for English expansion, though his own settlement attempt on Cuttyhunk was abandoned.

Did You Know?

• Gosnold named Cape Cod for the abundant fish found there.
• He named Martha's Vineyard after his deceased daughter Martha and the wild grapes.
• His daughter Mary married Richard Pepys, great-uncle of diarist Samuel Pepys.
• Gosnold pioneered a direct sailing route from the Azores to New England.