Ferryland: Located on the Avalon Peninsula, south of St. John's and Cape Broyle, Ferryland, as mentioned previously, was the site chosen by Sir George Calvert to set up his colony, which he named Avalon.

There is little consensus on the derivation of the name of the community of Ferryland, however most toponomists believe it comes from the Portuguese word, Farelhao or Farilham", a couple of words with a number of meanings, including a "foreland or island close to the mainland" or a "steep cape” or a “headland".

It is thought by some that the French later called it "Forillon", and finally it was anglicized it to "Ferryland". Connolly (1980) suggested that forillon is an old French word meaning "rock or island separated from the mainland by a very narrow channel which has been dug out or worn away by the action of the sea".

To back up his suggestion he stated, "witness the Latin "forare", to bore or dig out, and "forabilis, that can be bored through, that is, penetrable".

Early on its history shows that the area was used by French, Spanish and Portuguese as a station and by the 1590s it was, according to the town's website, one of the most popular fishing harbours in Newfoundland and "acclaimed" by Sir Walter Raleigh. The town's motto is "Tolerance, Courage, Endurance".

The most recent Census showed a population of 414 (2016), a fairly large decrease of 11.0% from the 465 recorded only 5-years earlier.

Why did Calvert choose "Avalon" as the name of his colony is a question asked by many? Most historians believe he chose the name because of its religious significance, and of his intentions, as is shown in the following excerpt:

In 1623 [Sir] Calvert was given a Royal Charter extending the Royal lands and granting them the name Province of Avalon "in imitation of Old Avalon in Somersetshire wherein Glassenbury stands, the first fruits of Christianity in Britain as the other was in that party of America."

Calvert wished to make the colony a refuge for Roman Catholics facing persecution in England. The site of the "Colony of Avalon" was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1953, as well as a Municipal Heritage Site in 2006.

A great deal of archaeological work has been undertaken since the 1980s and continues to this day. Under supervision of the late James A. Tuck (who died May 10, 2019 at the over 2 million artifacts have been found and catalogued from the 16,000 m2 (4-acre) age of 79) site. The work has unearthed a portion of Calver's mansion, the remains of a bakery/brewhouse, cobblestone streets, a warehouse, a forge, a well, a sea wall and a sea-flushed privy! The site is open to the public. In 2016 there were 414 residents (a decrease of 11.0% since 2011).

Used with permission from "Uncovering the Origin of 1001 Unique Place Names in Newfoundland and Labrador" 2021 Jennifer Leigh Hill

Address of this page: http://nl.ruralroutes.com/Ferryland