Plymouth History

Plymouth was largely destroyed in the Second World War and only a small part of the original town, the Barbican area, survived. Consequently, the town was rebuilt and added to with the result that Plymouth is now far and away Devons largest town. Despite the fact that it is largely an anonymous new town you dont have to look too far for evidence of Plymouths rich history.

Given its location where the Tamar, Plym and Tavy estuaries converge, it is hardly surprising that Plymouth has a distinguished maritime heritage. In 1588 Sir Francis Drake was playing bowls on Plymouth Hoe when he spied the Spanish Armada fleet off the coast and famously declared that he would finish his game before turning his attention to the approaching Spaniards.

The Pilgrim Fathers sailed from Plymouth on the Mayflower in 1620 and established the colony of New Plymouth in America, which became the epicentre of English settlement on the continent. The towns maritime importance continued down the years as seamen like Captain Cook set sail from here much more recently Sir Francis Chichester set sail from Plymouth on his single handed voyage around the world in 1966 and today the National Maritime Museum is located in Plymouth.