Brixham lighthouse, Iron Age fort and national nature reserve. Warships have been seen in Torbay from the days of the Vikings, up until 1944 when part of the D-Day fleet sailed from here. In 1588, Brixham watched Sir Francis Drake attacking the Spanish Armada after he had (so the legend goes) finished his game of bowls on Plymouth Hoe. Today in Brixham harbour, there is a full-sized replica of the ship, the "Golden Hind", in which Drake circumnavigated the globe; visitors can go on board. For centuries, ships going down the English Channel have come into Torbay to seek refuge from
Sir Francis Drake Society 1980, the Society was promoting Drake’s landing, issuing a commemorative glass bottle filled with Drakes Bay sand, one of which was presented to Queen Elizabeth II. Sir Francis Drake Society The Sir Francis Drake Society was an organization which supported research and celebrations related to Francis Drake’s 1579 landing at New Albion in Marin County, California. The Society was operated as an element within the California Historical Society. . The Society had annual meetings at Drakes Bay and invited speakers related to Drake’s landing. In 1949, the Society erected a cross at Drake’s Beach. Services from the Episcopal Church recognized