August 2 – A Protestant burnt in Rome, and Spaniards land in Cornwall

On this day in Tudor history, 2nd August 1581, Richard Atkins, an English Protestant, was burnt to death for heresy in Rome.

What had led this Englishman to his end in Rome? What had he done? And why was he tortured on his way to his execution?

Find out...

On 2nd August 1595, as part of the Anglo-Spanish War of 1585-1604, four galleys containing somewhere between 200 and 400 Spanish soldiers landed at Mount's Bay on the coast of western Cornwall.

The local militia fled and so the Spaniards went on to cause devastation in the area.

Find out exactly what the Spaniards did in Cornwall...