history of Severodvinsk

Russian Artic coast was the place where English-Russian contacts were established in the 16 century.

In 1553 England was looking for new trade markents. Three merchant ships set sail from the Thames estuary to discover north-eastern routes to India and China. The storm destroyed two of them but the third one the Edward Bonaventure under the command of Richard Chanctllor continued its way to the north.

On August, 24 1553 Richard Chancellor’s ship arrived at the Northern Dvina mouth and the Britich sailors advanced as the Nikolo-Korelsky Monastery. The English called the island “Rose Island” as they were amazed by the flourishing bushes of dog roses.

Ivan the Terrible invited Chancellor to Moscow where he gave hime the permission to trade with Russia.

As a result, the Muscovy Company was established with exclusive rights for the English-Russian trade. Trade ships started coming to the White Sea coast. English merchants bought houses and built a warehouse on Yagri (Rose Island). We have Richard Chancellor Street in Severodvinsk now, although there are no houses in it.

For 40 years the Nikolo-Korelsky Monastery remained the main Northern port of Russia. At the end of the 16th century the trade shifted to Arkhangelsk (Novye Kholmogory). Severnaya Dvina remained the most important river in Russia for about a century.

Sir Hugh Willoughby was given three ships for the search, and Chancellor went as second-in-command. A Norwegian coastal storm separated them; Willoughby, with two ships, sailed east and discovered Novaya Zemlya but died with all his men on the Lapland coast. Chancellor, with the ship Edward Bonaventure, found the entrance to the White Sea and anchored at the port of Archangel.