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History of PlymouthEverywhere you turn in Plymouth you will be met by a reminder of the city’s rich history and significant role in the country’s past. Blue Chip’s luxury Plymouth holiday cottages position guests in just the right location to immerse themselves in the discovery of fascinating times gone by. |
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Sir Francis DrakePlymouth was the departure point for many an important sea voyage, several of which were undertaken by Sir Francis Drake. Born to the west of Plymouth in Tavistock, Sir Francis Drake went on to become one of the most famous names associated with the city. Once the Mayor of Plymouth, Sir Francis Drake’s famous voyage around the world departed from Plymouth in the Golden Hind, and made him the first Englishman to sail the globe. Drake’s adventures are remembered with a statue on Plymouth Hoe, the view from which is largely the same today as it looked in 1577!
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The Tamar BridgeOne of Plymouth’s most significant historical sites is The Tamar Bridge. The Tamar Bridge links the counties of Devon and Cornwall, and was the UK’s longest suspension bridge when it was constructed in 1961. The bridge was widened in 2001, adding two lanes to its original three and replaced car ferries which were relied upon for making the crossing before its arrival. This was another first, as no other suspension bridge had been widened previously! Prior to the Tamar Bridge, the Gunnislake New Bridge at Gunnislake has been used since its construction around 1520, although still in use this bridge only has space for one lane.
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Plymouth HoeSir Francis Drake reportedly completed his game of bowls on Plymouth Hoe before leaving to defeat the Spanish Armada, and the spot is entwined with the exciting naval history of Plymouth. Overlooking Plymouth Sound, the hoe is home to Smeaton’s Tower, which was originally built on the Eddystone Reef from 1759, but was dismantled and painstakingly moved stone by stone during the 1880s. Also, more recently, the exact replica of the historic pilgrim’s ship, Mayflower, was launched from Plymouth in 2005,. The ship sailed its way to America where it now stands as an attraction in Boston.
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Port of PlymouthThe Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth was built in 1690, although the naval importance of the city had been underlined when the English navy’s fleet set off for the Spanish Armada in 1588. The Royal Naval Dockyard remains today, and is the Royal Navy’s only nuclear repair facility. The Port of Plymouth’s Millbay Docks have also seen their share of history, and 167 Titanic crew survivors arrived at Millbay in May 1912 after travelling home on the Red Star Liner Lapland. Catherine of Aragon arrived at the port in 1501, and Pocahontas in 1616. During the English Civil War Plymouth endured a prolonged siege from royalists between 1952 and 1946, after supporting parliament, and Millbay was the only harbour sheltered from the attacks and so the city’s sole supply route.
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For Plymouth holiday and area guides please see below: |
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