Old Photograph Sir Andrew Wood's Tower Upper Largo Scotland

Old photograph of Sir Andrew Wood's Tower by Upper Largo by Lower Largo, East Neuk of Fife, Scotland. Sir Andrew Wood of Largo, died 1515, was a Scottish sea captain. Beginning as a merchant in Leith, Edinburgh, he was involved in national naval actions and rose to become Lord High Admiral of Scotland. He was knighted in 1495. He may have transported King James III across the Firth of Forth to escape the rebels in 1488. He superintended the rebuilding of Dunbar Castle in 1497. One of Andrew's sons, John Wood was assassinated in 1570. Andrew Wood is the subject of the historical novel The Admiral by Nigel Tranter. Wood began his naval career as a privateer under King James III, who reigned from 1460 to 1488, and flourished under King James IV, who reigned from 1488 to 1513. By 1489 he owned the Flower and the Yellow Carvel, both fighting ships, which fought and captured five English ships offshore near Dunbar. In response, the English launched a larger expedition the following year under Stephen Bull, which attacked Wood's ships in the Firth of Forth. The fight lasted two days, stopping only at night, and was watched by crowds in Edinburgh. Wood eventually triumphed, despite being outnumbered in ships and guns, and the English ships were captured. King James IV knighted Wood following this battle, and allowed him to impress some of the captured English sailors, who later were put to work build the castle at Largo. Sir Andrew was the first Captain of James IV's carrack, the Great Michael, which when constructed was the largest ship in Christendom.



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