Plymouth is a modern city. Much of the city centre was destroyed by bombing raids in WW2 and has been completely rebuilt with wide streets and rather uninspiring 1960s architecture.
Plymouth has a long history stretching back to the Bronze Age and has been an important trading port since Roman times. A town grew up around Sutton Pool.
Little remains of the early C15th castle built to defend the town and harbour from attack by the French. It was replaced by the Royal Citadel, a star shaped fort built in 1665, during the wars between England and the Dutch. It is one of the few surviving examples of a permanent C17th fort in England. Guns and a garrison protected the seaward approaches to the naval anchorage at Sutton Pool, as well as guarding against land attack.
It was used as the headquarters of the Coast Artillery Training Centre during WW2 and is still used by the military. Access is by guided tour only.
A naval dockyard opened at Devonport in 1690 The neighbouring town of Devonport became strategically important to the Royal Navy for its shipyards and dockyard, hence the 59 devastating bombing raids in 1941. As well as destroying much of the town, 4448 civilians were injured and 1178 killed.
Both city churches were destroyed. Charles Church is still a roofless ruin and now the centre of a roundabout.
St Andrews church was also reduced to a roofless shell but was rebuilt after the war.
Cont...
Plymouth has a long history stretching back to the Bronze Age and has been an important trading port since Roman times. A town grew up around Sutton Pool.
Little remains of the early C15th castle built to defend the town and harbour from attack by the French. It was replaced by the Royal Citadel, a star shaped fort built in 1665, during the wars between England and the Dutch. It is one of the few surviving examples of a permanent C17th fort in England. Guns and a garrison protected the seaward approaches to the naval anchorage at Sutton Pool, as well as guarding against land attack.
It was used as the headquarters of the Coast Artillery Training Centre during WW2 and is still used by the military. Access is by guided tour only.
A naval dockyard opened at Devonport in 1690 The neighbouring town of Devonport became strategically important to the Royal Navy for its shipyards and dockyard, hence the 59 devastating bombing raids in 1941. As well as destroying much of the town, 4448 civilians were injured and 1178 killed.
Both city churches were destroyed. Charles Church is still a roofless ruin and now the centre of a roundabout.
St Andrews church was also reduced to a roofless shell but was rebuilt after the war.
Cont...