10/27/2026
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🇨🇦 NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR — A TO Z
🏘️ TOWN #11 — BAY BULLS
Every Town Has a Story!
Did you know that a British warship has been resting at the bottom of Bay Bulls Harbour for more than 330 years?
Today, we’re visiting Bay Bulls, a historic fishing community on Newfoundland’s Southern Shore, approximately 29 kilometres south of St. John’s.
👥 Population: 1,566 (2021 Census)
📜 A LITTLE HISTORY
Bay Bulls is one of Newfoundland’s oldest European settlements.
The community appeared on a map as early as 1592, and English settlers were spending winters there by 1635.
Its sheltered harbour and proximity to the rich fishing grounds of the Grand Banks made it an important location for the fishing industry.
But Bay Bulls wasn’t always the peaceful community we know today.
⚔️ A TOWN UNDER ATTACK!
Between 1696 and 1796, Bay Bulls was attacked five times by French forces during conflicts between Britain and France.
One particularly important event occurred on June 24, 1762, when approximately 700 French soldiers landed at Bay Bulls before marching toward St. John’s.
The community was attacked again in September 1796, when French forces burned parts of the settlement.
⚓ DID YOU KNOW?
One of the most fascinating pieces of Newfoundland’s maritime history is hidden beneath Bay Bulls Harbour.
On September 11, 1696, the British warship HMS Sapphire was trapped by French naval vessels.
Rather than surrender the ship, Captain Thomas Cleasby ordered it set on fire and sunk.
The wreck remains in the harbour today!
Its remains were rediscovered in the 1960s, and archaeological investigations later recovered thousands of artifacts.
The shipwreck site was designated a Provincial Historic Site in 1974.
🐋 BAY BULLS TODAY
Fishing remains an important part of the community’s heritage, but Bay Bulls has also become a popular destination for tourists.
Its spectacular coastline attracts visitors hoping to see whales, seabirds and the natural beauty of Newfoundland’s Southern Shore.
The community has also developed connections to the offshore oil and gas industry.
❤️ LET’S HEAR FROM BAY BULLS!
Are you from Bay Bulls, or do you have family connections there?
Do you remember the fishing boats, old businesses or what the community looked like years ago?
And here’s something we’d love to know: What’s one story about Bay Bulls that more Newfoundlanders should hear?
Share your memories and old photographs in the comments!
🇨🇦 Every Town Has a Story — and we want to tell yours!
