A perfect corner of England
At the heart of maritime history
DEVONPORT is situated in Plymouth, one of the most important locations in maritime history and a thriving naval, commercial and leisure port today.
It was in the 16th century that Plymouth first established its reputation. Transatlantic trade originated here with William Hawkins in 1528 and it was his son John who laid the foundations of an organised naval force.
Plymouth was the driving force behind the exploration and military success of the Elizabethan era. In 1572, Plymouth resident Sir Francis Drake became the first Englishman to sail into the Pacific, and in 1577 he embarked on the first ever circumnavigation of the globe. Back home, Drake masterminded the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. According to popular legend, he played bowls on Plymouth Hoe as the Armada sailed up the Channel.
Exploration
Perhaps the most celebrated expedition to leave Plymouth was that of the Pilgrim Fathers, who set sail for the New World on board the Mayflower in 1620. After spending a few weeks in Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod, they eventually landed in what is now Plymouth Harbour in the USA and established a new Plymouth community there.
Captain Cook, the first explorer to set foot on what are now the Hawaiian Islands, made three of his discovery voyages to the Southern Ocean and the Pacific from Plymouth while in 1831 Charles Darwin left Plymouth for the Galapagos Islands, where he formulated his revolutionary theories of natural selection and the Origins of Species.
More recently, in 1967 Sir Francis Chichester started and finished the first ever solo circumnavigation of the globe in Plymouth, on board his yacht Gypsy Moth IV.
Expansion
Plymouth's military expansion began in earnest in 1670 when a citadel was built on the highest point above the town, the Hoe, meaning high ground. In 1690, the first Royal Dockyard opened on the banks of the Tamar west of Plymouth. Further docks were built throughout the 18th century and a huge naval complex was later established, including the communities of Plymouth Dock and Stonehouse.
Today, Plymouth remains a vital navy port with over 5,000 ship movements annually. DEVONPORT is the largest naval base in Western Europe and the base port of the largest ship in the Royal Navy, the 21,000 tonne HMS Ocean. It is also home to fourteen Type 22 and Type 23 frigates, seven Trafalgar class submarines and four of the five hydrographic ships forming the Royal Naval Surveying squadron.