Our Lady of Victory (chapel)
Original title: Nossa Senhora da Vitória (Capela de)
Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Vitória on the coast road near the Socorridos stream in São Martinho, reportedly founded in 1594 by Francisco de Bettencourt on his entailed estate.
On the coast road that leads from Funchal to Câmara de Lobos (‘seals’ den’), on the left bank of the Ribeira dos Socorridos, stands the chantry (capela) of Nossa Senhora da Vitória (Our Lady of Victory), at the far edge of the parish (freguesia) of São Martinho (‘St Martin’). The annotator of the Saudades gives 1594 as the year of its construction and says that it was founded by Jean de Béthencourt on the lands of the entailed estate (morgadio) he established there. It was rebuilt in a year we cannot determine, and roughly forty years ago it was enlarged and underwent considerable repairs.