Walter Raleigh impossible for Raleigh to have discovered the potato in the places he visited. Due to Raleigh's role in the popularisation of smoking, John Lennon humorously referred to him as "such a stupid get" in the song "I'm So Tired" on the "White Album" "The Beatles" (1968). Various colourful stories are told about him, such as laying his cloak over a puddle for the Queen, but they are probably apocryphal. Walter Raleigh Sir Walter Raleigh (; (or 1554)29 October 1618), also spelled Ralegh, was an English landed gentleman, writer, poet, soldier, politician, courtier, spy and explorer. He was cousin to Sir
Carew Raleigh Carew Raleigh Sir Carew Raleigh or Ralegh (ca. 1550ca. 1625) was an English naval commander and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1586 and 1622. He was the elder brother of Sir Walter Raleigh, Raleigh was born in Fardel, Devon, the son of Walter Raleigh and Catherine Champernowne. He was gentleman of the horse to John Thynne of Longleat for some time before Thynne's death in 1580. In 1578, Raleigh served on the expedition led by his half-brother, Sir Humphrey Gilbert. On his marriage he sold his property in Devon, and settled at Downton