The Witch of Mull

Just a few hundred metres from Tobermory harbour on the Isle of Mull, the wreck of a Spanish galleon lies below the waves with its story shrouded in myth and mystery.

Identified as the San Juan de Sicilia, although also known by other names, including the Florencia, the ship was part of the Spanish Armada that attacked England in the late 16th century. Having been heavily damaged, it was anchored in the Sound of Mull in September 1588 while the crew sought the assistance of the islanders. An agreement is said to have been made, with support given by the Macleans of Duart in return for the Spaniards’ help in an attack on Mingary Castle.

The following month, an unexplained explosion and resultant fire led to the sinking of the ship, which has lain silently on the sea bed ever since.

With mystery surrounding the loss of the vessel, tales soon began to circulate that supernatural forces were responsible. It is said that a Spanish princess had been aboard, having joined the fleet after receiving a vision instructing her to travel to a distant island where she would meet the man of her dreams. She recognised Mull as the isle she had been shown and, soon after landing, met a man with whom she became besotted. There was, however, a problem, he was already happily married.

Undeterred, the princess continued to pursue her love, prompting his wife to take the desperate measure of seeking the help of a local woman known as Doideag, who was believed to possess the power of witchcraft, to rid her of her rival once and for all.

Versions of what happened vary and include the explosion being caused directly by Doideag’s magic, her releasing a plague of unearthly cats on board, their claws igniting the gunpowder, or a great storm being summoned, during which gunpowder barrels were hurled about by the rough sea and exploded. Some confusion appears to have arisen in later storytelling, mixing these events with the sinking of the Dartmouth in 1690. The official account holds that the San Juan de Sicilia’s sinking was most likely sabotage by a supporter of Queen Elizabeth I of England.

To add to the tales about the ship, it was also rumoured to have held a vast amount of treasure, with some claiming the entire funds of the Armada were on board. Numerous salvage attempts have been made, starting as early as the 1630s, and gun emplacements were later constructed to protect the site, suggesting that what lay within the wreckage was considered worth both the expense and the risk of recovery.

Although many artefacts have been retrieved, the bullion has remained elusive. It is believed to have been largely recovered in 1688 by Sir William Sacheverell, Governor of the Isle of Man. Speculation has, however, arisen that, as with the sinking, supernatural forces are at play, preventing the treasure from being discovered.