Plymouth

Plymouth
Cityand unitary authority
Top:West Hoe Upper:Smeaton's Tower;Barbican Lower: New George Street;Royal Albert Bridge Bottom:the GuildhallandMinster Church;Royal William Yard
Flag
Nickname: Britain's Ocean City
Motto(s): Turris fortissima est nomen Jehova "The name of Jehovah is the strongest tower" [1]
Shown within Devon
Plymouth Location within England Show map of England Plymouth Location within the United Kingdom Show map of the United Kingdom Plymouth Location in Europe Show map of Europe
Coordinates:50°22′17″N4°08′32″W / 50.37139°N 4.14222°W /50.37139; -4.14222
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Country	England
Region	South West England
Ceremonial county	Devon
City status	1928
Unitary Authority	1998
Areas of the city	List Barne Barton Cattedown Compton Crabtree Crownhill Devonport(One of theThree Towns) Drake Efford Eggbuckland Ernesettle Estover Greenbank Ham Hartley Hooe Honicknowle Keyham King's Tamerton Laira Leigham Lipson Manadon Mannamead Milehouse Millbay Millbridge Morice Town North Prospect Pennycomequick Pennycross Peverell Plymouth (One of theThree Towns) Plympton Plymstock Roborough(Village, part) St Budeaux Southway Stoke Stonehouse(One of theThree Towns) Tamerton Foliot(Village) West Hoe Weston Mill Whitleigh Woolwell
Government
• Type	Unitary authority
• Body	Plymouth City Council
• Leadership	Leader and cabinet
• Council control	Labour (as of04 July 2023)
•Members of Parliament	Fred Thomas(L) Luke Pollard(L) Rebecca Smith(C)
Area [2]
• Total	30 sq mi (80 km2)
• Rank	215th(of 296)
Highest elevation	509 ft (155 m)
Lowest elevation	0 ft (0 m)
Population (2021 Census)
• Total	264,695 (city / unitary authority) 266,983 (urban)
• Rank	66th(of 296)
•Demonyms	Plymothian (formal) Janner(informal)
Ethnicity(2021)
•Ethnic groups	List 94%White 2.2%Asian 1.7%Mixed 1%Black 0.3%other
Religion(2021) [3]
•Religion	List 51.8%no religion 45.3%Christianity 1.4%Islam 0.6%other 0.4%Buddhism 0.3%Hinduism 0.1%Sikhism 0.1%Judaism
Time zone	UTC0(GMT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1(BST)
Postcode district	PL1–9
Area code	01752
Police	Devon and Cornwall
Ambulance	South Western
Fire	Devon and Somerset
Website	plymouth.gov.uk

Plymouth(/ˈplɪməθ/^ⓘPLIH-məth) is a portcityandunitary authorityinDevon,South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the riversPlymandTamar, about 36 miles (58 km) southwest ofExeterand 193 miles (311 km) southwest of London. It is the most populous city south ofLondon.

Plymouth's history extends back to theBronze Age, evolving from a trading post atMount Batteninto the thrivingmarket townof Sutton, which was formally re-named as Plymouth in 1439 when it was made aborough. The settlement has played a significant role in English history, notably in 1588 when an English fleet based here defeated theSpanish Armada, and in 1620 as the departure point for thePilgrim Fathersto theNew World. During theEnglish Civil War, the town was held by theParliamentariansand was besieged between 1642 and 1646. In 1690 adockyardwas established on the River Tamar for theRoyal Navyand Plymouth grew as a commercial shipping port throughout theIndustrial Revolution.

After absorbing nearby settlements in 1914, the borough was awarded city status in 1928. DuringWorld War II, Plymouth suffered extensive damage in thePlymouth Blitz, leading to post-war rebuilding that significantly shaped its modern appearance. A further expansion of its boundaries in 1967 contributed to its current status as the30th-most populous built-up areain the UK and the second-largest city in the South West afterBristol, with a population in 2022 of 266,862.

Plymouth's economy, historically rooted in shipbuilding and seafaring, has transitioned towards a service-based economy since the 1990s. It maintains strong maritime connections, hostingHMNB Devonport, the largest operational naval base in Western Europe, and offering ferry links to Brittany and Spain. The city is also home to theUniversity of Plymouth, reflecting its educational and cultural significance. Today, the city is governed locally byPlymouth City Counciland is represented nationally by twoMembers of Parliament.

Upper Palaeolithicdeposits, including bones ofHomo sapiens, have been found in local caves,^[4]and artefacts dating from theBronze Ageto the MiddleIron Agehave been found atMount Batten,^[5]showing that it was one of few principal trading ports of pre-RomanBritanniadominating continental trade withArmorica.^[6]An unidentified settlement namedTAMARI OSTIA(mouth/estuaries of the Tamar) is listed in Ptolemy'sGeographiaand is presumed to be located in the area of the modern city.^[7]An ancientpromontory fortwas located atRame Headat the mouth ofPlymouth Sound^[8]with ancienthillfortslocated atLynehamWarren to the east,Boringdon Camp^[9]andMaristowCamp to the north.^[10]

The settlement ofPlympton, further up theRiver Plymthan the current Plymouth, was also an early trading port. (SeePlymptonfor the derivation of the namePlym.) As the river silted up in the early 11th century, mariners and merchants were forced to settle downriver, at the current dayBarbicannear the river mouth.^[11]At the time this village was called Sutton, meaningsouth towninOld English.^[11]The namePlym Mouth, meaning "mouth of the River Plym" was first mentioned in aPipe Rollof 1211.^[12]Plympton Prioryowned land at Sutton and secured a charter fromHenry IIIin 1254 granting the priory the right to hold a weekly market and annual fair at Sutton, making it amarket town.^[13]

During theHundred Years' Wara French attack in 1340 burned a manor house and took some prisoners, but failed to get into the town.^[14]In 1403 the town was burned byBreton raiders.^[15]On 12 November 1439 the market town of Sutton was incorporated as aboroughand formally renamed Plymouth, with a subsequent charter the following year formalising its boundaries. It was the first time a borough charter had been issued byparliamentrather than directly from the monarch.^[16][17]

In the late fifteenth century,Plymouth Castle, a "castle quadrate", was constructed close to the area now known as The Barbican; it included four round towers, one at each corner, as featured on the city coat of arms.^[18]

The castle served to protectSutton Pool, which is where the fleet was based in Plymouth prior to the establishment ofPlymouth Dockyard. In 1512, an Act of Parliament was passed to further fortify Plymouth. The work included defensive walls at the entrance to Sutton Pool (across which a chain was extended in times of danger).^[19]Defences onSt Nicholas Islandalso date from this time, and a string of six artilleryblockhouseswere built, including one on Fishers Nose at the south-eastern corner of the Hoe.^[20]This location was further strengthened by the building of a fort (later known as Drake's Fort) in 1596; it was the site of theCitadel, established in the 1660s (see below).^[21]

During the 16th century, locally produced wool was the major export commodity.^[22]Plymouth was the home port for successful maritime traders, among themSir John Hawkins, who led England's first foray into theAtlantic slave trade,^[23]as well as SirFrancis Drake, Mayor of Plymouth in 1581–2. Crews for the first English failed settlement attempt atRoanoke Colonyin North America departed in 1587 under SirWalter Raleigh's and Drake's leadership; returning bearing maize, tobacco andpotatoes. In 1588, according to legend, Drake insisted on completing his game of bowls on theHoebefore engaging theSpanish Armada.^[24]In 1620 thePilgrimsset sail for theNew Worldfrom Plymouth, establishingPlymouth Colony– the second English colony in what is now the United States.^[25]In 1625, the town Mayor estimated that African slavers captured that summer about 1,000 villagers from the area, to be sold in Africa.^[26]

During theEnglish Civil WarPlymouth sided with theParliamentariansand wasbesiegedfor almost four years by theRoyalists.^[27]The last major attack by the Royalists was by SirRichard Grenvilleleading thousands of soldiers towards Plymouth, but they were defeated by the Plymothians at Freedom Fields Park.^[27][28]The civil war ended as a Parliamentary win, but monarchy was restored byKing Charles IIin 1660, who imprisoned many of the Parliamentary heroes onDrake's Island.^[27]Construction of theRoyal Citadelbegan in 1665, afterthe Restoration; it was armed with cannon facing both out to sea and into the town, rumoured to be a reminder to residents not to opposethe Crown.^[29]Mount Battentower also dates from around this time.^[30]

Throughout the 17th century, Plymouth had gradually lost its pre-eminence as a trading port. By the mid-17th century, commodities manufactured elsewhere in England cost too much to transport to Plymouth, and the city had no means of processing sugar or tobacco imports, major products from the colonies. Local sailors turning to piracy such asHenry Everybecame infamous, celebrated in the London playThe Successful Pyrate. It played a part in theAtlantic slave tradeduring the early 18th century, although it was relatively small.^[22]

In the nearby parish ofStoke Damerelthe first dockyard,HMNB Devonport, opened in 1690 on the eastern bank of theRiver Tamar. Further docks were built here in 1727, 1762 and 1793.^[1]The settlement that developed here was called "Dock" or "Plymouth Dock" at the time,^[31]and a new town, separate from Plymouth, grew up. In 1712 there were 318 men employed and by 1733 the population had grown to 3,000 people.^[11]

Before the latter half of the 18th century, grain, timber and then coal were Plymouth's main imports.^[32]During this time the real source of wealth was from the neighbouring town of Plymouth Dock (renamed in 1824 to Devonport) and the major employer in the entire region was the dockyard.^[11]TheThree Townsconurbation of Plymouth,StonehouseandDevonportenjoyed some prosperity during the late 18th and early 19th century and were enriched by a series ofneo-classicalurban developments designed by London architectJohn Foulston.^[33]Foulston was important for both Devonport and Plymouth and was responsible for several grand public buildings, many now destroyed,^[34]including the Athenaeum, theTheatre Royaland Royal Hotel, and much ofUnion Street.^[33]

Local chemistWilliam Cookworthyestablished his short-livedPlymouth Porcelainventure in 1768 to exploit the deposits ofchina claythat he had discovered in Cornwall. He was acquainted with engineerJohn Smeaton, the builder of the thirdEddystone Lighthouse.^[35]

The 1-mile-long (2 km) Breakwater in Plymouth Sound was designed byJohn Rennieto protect the fleet moving in and out of Devonport; work started in 1812. Numerous technical difficulties and repeated storm damage meant that it was not completed until 1841, twenty years after Rennie's death.^[36]In the 1860s, a ring ofPalmerston fortswas constructed around the outskirts of Devonport, to protect the dockyard from attack from any direction.^[37]

Some of the most significant imports to Plymouth from the Americas and Europe during the latter half of the 19th century included maize, wheat, barley, sugar cane,guano,sodium nitrateandphosphate.^[38]Aside from the dockyard in the town of Devonport, industries in Plymouth such as the gasworks, the railways and tramways, and a number of small chemical works had begun to develop in the 19th century, continuing into the 20th century.^[39]

During theFirst World War, Plymouth was the port of entry for many troops from around theEmpire. It was developed as a facility for the manufacture ofmunitions.^[40]Although major units of the Royal Navy moved to the safety ofScapa Flow, Devonport was an important base for escort vessels and repairs. Flying boats operated from Mount Batten.^[40]

During the Second World War,Devonportwas the headquarters ofWestern Approaches Commanduntil 1941, andSunderlandflying boats were operated by theRoyal Australian Air Force. It was an important embarkation point for US troops forD-Day.^[41]The city was heavily bombed by theLuftwaffe, in a series of 59 raids known as thePlymouth Blitz.^[39]Although thedockyardswere the principal targets, much of the city centre and over 3,700 houses were completely destroyed and more than 1,000 civilians lost their lives. This was largely due to Plymouth's status as a major port.^[42]Charles Churchwas hit byincendiary bombsand partially destroyed in 1941 during the Blitz, but has not been demolished. It has been designated as an official permanent monument to the bombing of Plymouth during World War II.^[43]

The redevelopment of the city was planned bySir Patrick Abercrombiein his 1943Plan for Plymouthwhilst simultaneously working on the reconstruction plan for London.^[44]This initially included plans to expand the city intosouth east Cornwall, but these were abandoned after opposition fromCornwall County Council.^[45]Between 1951 and 1957 over 1000 homes were completed every year, mostly using innovative prefabricated systems of just three main types.^[46]

ThePlan for Plymouthwas, on the one hand, a template for the rapid reassembly of a destroyed city centre, but Abercrombie also took the opportunity to lay out a whole hierarchy of settlements across the city of communities, neighbourhoods and districts. Central to this was a revision of transport infrastructure that prioritised the position of the railway as a gateway to the city centre and provided in the long-term for a dual carriageway road by-pass that only finally came into being in the 1980s (forty years after being planned). The plan is the subject ofJill Craigie's documentaryThe Way We Live(1946).

By 1964 over 20,000 new homes had been built, transforming the dense overcrowded and unsanitary slums of the pre-war city into a low density, dispersed suburbia.^[46][47]Most of the city centre shops had been destroyed and those that remained were cleared to enable a zoned reconstruction according to his plan.^[46][47]In 1962 themodernisthigh rise of theCivic Centrewas constructed, an architecturally significant example of mid-twentieth century civic slab-and-tower set piece. ThePlymouth City Councilallowed it to fall into disrepair but it wasgrade II listedin 2007 byEnglish Heritageto prevent its demolition.^[46][48]

Post-war, Devonport Dockyard was kept busy refitting aircraft carriers such as theArk Royaland, later,nuclear submarines. New light industrial factories were constructed in the newlyzonedindustrial sector, attracting rapid growth of the urban population. The army had substantially left the city by 1971, after barracks were pulled down in the 1960s,^[47]but the city remains home to29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery^[49]and also42 Commandoof theRoyal Marines.^[47]

As aunitary authoritythere is only one tier of local government covering Plymouth.Plymouth City Councilmeets at theCouncil Houseon Armada Way in the city centre. There are nocivil parishesin the city, which is anunparished area.^[50]The city forms part of theceremonial countyof Devon for the purposes oflieutenancy, but has been administratively independent fromDevon County Councilsince it became a unitary authority in 1998.^[51][52]

The first record of the existence of a settlement at Plymouth was in theDomesday Bookin 1086 asSudtone(Sutton), Saxon for south farm, located at the present-dayBarbican.^[1]From Saxon times, it was in thehundredofRoborough.^[53]Sutton became a market town in 1254 and a borough in 1439, when it was formally renamed Plymouth.^[1]

Plymouth was reformed to become amunicipal boroughin 1836, governed by a corporate body officially called the "mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Plymouth", but generally known as the corporation or town council.^[54]When elected county councils were established in 1889, both Plymouth and neighbouring Devonport were considered large enough to provide their own county-level services and so they were madecounty boroughs, independent fromDevon County Council.^[55]In 1914 the county boroughs of Plymouth and Devonport and the adjoiningurban districtofEast Stonehousewere merged to form a single county borough of Plymouth.^[56][11]Collectively they were referred to as "The Three Towns".^[57]

Plymouth was grantedcity statuson 18 October 1928.^[58]Between 1439 and 1935, Plymouth had a mayor.^[59]In 1935 the city was given the right to appoint a Lord Mayor. The city's boundaries further expanded in 1967 to include the town ofPlymptonand theparishofPlymstock.^[11]

The 1971Local Government White Paperproposed abolishing county boroughs, which would have left Plymouth, a town of 250,000 people, being administered from a council based at the smallerExeter, on the other side of the county. This led to Plymouth lobbying for the creation of a Tamarside county, to include Plymouth,Torpoint,Saltash, and the ruralhinterland.^[60]The campaign was not successful, and Plymouth ceased to be a county borough on 1 April 1974 with responsibility for education, social services, highways and libraries transferred toDevon County Council. All powers returned when the city became aunitary authorityon 1 April 1998 under recommendations of theBanham Commission.^[61]

In theParliament of the United Kingdom, Plymouth is represented by the threeconstituenciesofPlymouth Moor View,Plymouth Sutton and DevonportandSouth West Devon. Prior toBrexitin 2020 it was represented within theEuropean ParliamentasSouth West England.^[62]

In 1919,Nancy Astorwas elected the first-ever female member of parliament to take office in the British Houses of Parliament for the constituency ofPlymouth Sutton. She was elected to the seat vacated by her husbandWaldorf Astoron his elevation to the peerage. Lady Astor was a vibrantly active campaigner for her resident constituents.

In 1945, Plymouth-bornMichael Footwas elected Labour MP for the constituency ofPlymouth Devonportwhich had been heavily damaged in thePlymouth Blitz. He represented the seat until 1955. After serving as Secretary of State for Education and being responsible for the 1974Health and Safety at Work Act, he went on to become the leader of theLabour Party(1980–1983).

The City of Plymouth is divided into 20wards, 17 of which elect three councillors and the other three electing two councillors, making up a total council of 57.^[63]Elecitions are held three years out of every four, with a third of the council being elected each time for a four year term.^[63]The totalelectoratefor Plymouth's Parliamentary constituencies was 190,006 in April 2019.^[64]Since May 2023 Plymouth has had a Labour majority Council.^[65]Plymouth City Council is formallytwinnedwith:Brest, France (1963),Gdynia, Poland (1976),Novorossiysk, Russia (1990)San Sebastián, Spain (1990) andPlymouth, United States (2001).^[66]

Plymouth was granted the dignity ofLord Mayorby KingGeorge Vin 1935. The position is elected each year by a group of six councillors.^[67]It is traditional that the position of the Lord Mayor alternates between the Conservative Party and the Labour Party annually and that the Lord Mayor chooses the Deputy Lord Mayor.^[67]

The Lord Mayor's official residence is 3 Elliot Terrace, located onthe Hoe.^[68]Once a home ofWaldorfandNancy Astor, it was given by Lady Astor to the City of Plymouth as an official residence for future Lord Mayors and is also used today for civic hospitality, as lodgings for visiting dignitaries and High Court judges and it is also available to hire for private events.^[68]The Civic Centre municipal office building in Armada Way became alisted buildingin June 2007 because of its quality and period features, but has become the centre of a controversy as the council planned for its demolition estimating that it could cost £40m to refurbish it, resulting in possible job losses.^[69]

Plymouth lies between theRiver Plymto the east and theRiver Tamarto the west; both rivers flow into the natural harbour ofPlymouth Sound.^[70]Since 1967, theunitary authorityof Plymouth has included the, once independent, towns ofPlymptonandPlymstockwhich lie along the east of the River Plym.^[11]The River Tamar forms the county boundary betweenDevonandCornwalland its estuary forms theHamoazeon which is sitedDevonport Dockyard.^[70]

The River Plym, which flows offDartmoorto the north-east, forms a smaller estuary to the east of the city calledCattewater.Plymouth Soundis protected from the sea by thePlymouth Breakwater, in use since 1814.^[71]In the Sound isDrake's Islandwhich is seen fromPlymouth Hoe, a flat public area on top oflimestonecliffs.^[72]TheUnitary Authorityof Plymouth is 80 square kilometres (31 sq mi).^[2]The topography rises from sea level to a height, atRoborough, of about 509 feet (155 m) aboveOrdnance Datum(AOD).^[73]

Geologically, Plymouth has a mixture of limestone, Devonianslate,graniteand MiddleDevonianlimestone.^[74]Plymouth Sound, Shores and Cliffsis aSite of Special Scientific Interest, because of its geology.^[75]The bulk of the city is built upon Upper Devonian slates and shales and the headlands at the entrance to Plymouth Sound are formed of Lower Devonian slates, which can withstand the power of the sea.^[74]

A band of Middle Devonian limestone runs west to east fromCremylltoPlymstockincluding the Hoe.^[74]Local limestone may be seen in numerous buildings, walls and pavements throughout Plymouth.^[74]To the north and northeast of the city is the granite mass of Dartmoor; the granite was mined and exported via Plymouth. Rocks brought down the Tamar from Dartmoor include ores containing tin, copper,tungsten, lead and other minerals.^[74]There is evidence that the middle Devonian limestone belt at the south edge of Plymouth and in Plymstock was quarried at West Hoe, Cattedown and Radford.^[76]

On 27 April 1944Sir Patrick Abercrombie'sPlan for Plymouthto rebuild the bomb-damaged city was published; it called for demolition of the few remaining pre-War buildings in the city centre to make way for their replacement with wide, parallel, modernboulevardsaligned east–west linked by a north–southavenue(Armada Way) linking the railway station with the vista of Plymouth Hoe.^[44]

A peripheral road system connecting the historic Barbican on the east and Union Street to the west determines the principal form of the city centre, even following pedestrianisation of the shopping centre in the late 1980s, and continues to inform the present 'Vision for Plymouth' developed by a team led by Barcelona-based architectDavid MacKayin 2003 which calls for revivification of the city centre with mixed-use and residential.^[77]

In suburban areas, post-Warprefabshad already begun to appear by 1946, and over 1,000 permanentcouncil houseswere built each year from 1951 to 1957 according to theModernistzonedlow-densitygarden citymodel advocated by Abercrombie.^[47]By 1964 over 20,000 new homes had been built, more than 13,500 of them permanent council homes and 853 built by theAdmiralty.^[47]

Plymouth is home to 28 parks with an average size of 45,638 square metres (491,240 sq ft).^[78]Its largest park isCentral Park,^[79]with other sizeable green spaces includingVictoria Park,Freedom Fields Park, Alexandra Park,Devonport Parkand the Hoe.^[78]Central Park is the home of Plymouth Argyle Football Club and a number of other leisure facilities.

The Plymouth Plan 2019–2034 was published May 2019 and sets the direction for future development with a new spatial strategy^[80]which reinforces links with the wider region in west Devon and east Cornwall in its Joint Local Plan and identifies three development areas within the city: the City centre and waterfront; a 'northern corridor' including Derriford and the vacant airfield site atRoborough; and an 'eastern corridor' including major new settlements atSherfordandLangage.^[81]Plymouth is categorized as a Small-Port City using the Southampton System for port-city classification.^[82]

Plymouth has a moderated temperateoceanic climate(KöppenCfb) which is wetter and milder than the rest of England. This means a wide range of exotic plants, palm trees, and yuccas can be cultivated. The annual mean high temperature is approximately 14 °C (57 °F). Due to the moderating effect of the sea and the south-westerly location, the climate is among the mildest of British cities, and one of the warmest UK cities in winter.^[83]The coldest month of February is similarly moderate, having mild mean minimum temperatures between 3 and 4 °C (37 and 39 °F). Snow usually falls in small amounts but a noteworthy recent exception was the period of theEuropean winter storms of 2009–10which, in early January 2010, covered Plymouth in at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of snow; more on higher ground. Another notable event was the 8 inches (20 cm) of snowfall between 17 and 19 December 2010 – though only 2 inches (5.1 cm) would lie at any one time due to melting. Over the 1961–1990 period, annual snowfall accumulation averaged less than 7 cm (3 in) per year.^[84]

South West England has a favoured location when theAzores Highpressure area extends north-eastwards towards the UK, particularly in summer. Coastal areas have average annual sunshine totals over 1,600 hours.^[85]

Owing to its geographic location, rainfall tends to be associated with Atlanticdepressionsor with convection and is more frequent and heavier than in London and southeast England. The Atlantic depressions are more vigorous in autumn and winter and most of the rain which falls in those seasons in the south-west is from this source. Average annual rainfall is around 980 millimetres (39 in). November to March have the highest mean wind speeds, with June to August having the lightest winds. The predominant wind direction is from the south-west.^[85]

Typically, the warmest day of the year (1971–2000) will achieve a temperature of 28.6 °C (83 °F),^[86]although in July 2022 the temperature reached 33.9 °C (93.0 °F),^[87]the site record. On average, 4.25 days^[88]of the year will report a maximum temperature of 25.1 °C (77 °F) or above. During the winter half of the year, the coldest night will typically fall to −4.1 °C (25 °F)^[89]although in January 1979 the temperature fell to −8.8 °C (16 °F).^[90]Typically, 18.6 nights^[91]of the year will register an air frost.

Climate data for Plymouth (normals for 1961-1990)[98]
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean number of days with precipitation > 10.0 mm (0.39 in)	4	3	3	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	3	4	32
Mean number of days withthunder	1	0	0	0	1	1	2	1	1	1	0	0	8
Mean number of days withhail	2	2	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	10
Mean number of days withsnowon ground	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
Mean number of days with air frost	6	6	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	4	22
Mean number of days grassfrost	11	11	11	8	2	0	0	0	0	2	8	10	63

There are three universities based in Plymouth, theUniversity of Plymouth, theUniversity of St Mark & St John, and theArts University Plymouth.

The University of Plymouth enrolls 23,155 total students as of 2018/2019 (57th largestin the UK out of 169).^[99]It also employs 2,900 staff with an annual income of around £160 million.^[100]It was founded in 1992 from Polytechnic South West (formerly Plymouth Polytechnic) following theFurther and Higher Education Act 1992.^[101]It has a wide range of courses including those in marine focused business, marine engineering, marine biology and Earth, ocean and environmental sciences, surf science, shipping and logistics.^[102]The university formed a joint venture with the fellow DevonianUniversity of Exeterin 2000, establishing thePeninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry. The college is ranked 8th out of 30 universities in the UK in 2011 for medicine.^[103]Its dental school was established in 2006, which also provides free dental care in an attempt to improve access to dental care in theSouth West.

The University of St Mark & St John (known as "Marjon" or "Marjons") specialises inteacher training, and offers training across the country and abroad.^[104]

Arts University Plymouth offers a selection of courses including media. It was originally founded as the Plymouth Drawing School in 1856, and in December 2008, Plymouth College of Art and Design was renamed to Plymouth College of Art. In May 2022, the College was awarded University status, and became Arts University Plymouth.^[105]

The city is also home to two large colleges. TheCity College Plymouthprovides courses from the most basic toFoundation degreesfor approximately 26,000 students.^[106]

Plymouth also has 71 state primary phase schools, 13 state secondary schools, eight special schools and three selective state grammar schools,Devonport High School for Girls,Devonport High School for BoysandPlymouth High School for Girls.^[107]There is also an independent schoolPlymouth College.

The city was also home to theRoyal Naval Engineering College; opened in 1880 inKeyham, it trained engineering students for five years before they completed the remaining two years of the course at Greenwich. The college closed in 1910, but in 1940 a new college opened atManadon. This was renamedDockyard Technical Collegein 1959 before finally closing in 1994; training was transferred to theUniversity of Southampton.^[108]

Plymouth is home to theMarine Biological Association of the United Kingdom(MBA; founded 1884) which conducts research in all areas of the marine sciences. ThePlymouth Marine Laboratory(PML; founded 1988) was formed in part from components of the MBA. Together with theNational Marine Aquarium, theSir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Sciences, Plymouth University's Marine Institute and theDiving Diseases Research Centre, these marine-related organisations form the Plymouth Marine Sciences Partnership. The Plymouth Marine Laboratory, which focuses on global issues ofclimate changeandsustainability. It monitors the effects of ocean acidity oncoralsandshellfishand reports the results to the UK government. It also cultivatesalgaethat could be used to makebiofuelsor in the treatment of wastewater by using technology such asphoto-bioreactors. It works alongside theBoots Groupto investigate the use of algae in skincare protects, taking advantage of the chemicals they contain that adapt to protect themselves from the sun.^[109]

A scheme is in operation over summer 2018 to provide meals during the summer holidays for children with parents on a low income, the parents cannot afford to provide their children with healthy meals.^[110]

UPSUalso known as the University of Plymouth Student Union is based underground near the library. Every student at the University of Plymouth is a member of UPSU. The Union employs students across the University, from bar staff to events technicians. Every year the students at the University have an opportunity to vote which sabbatical officers represent them. In 2019 over 4000 students voted in the UPSU elections.

From the 2011 Census, theOffice for National Statisticspublished that Plymouth's unitary authority area population was 256,384;^[111]15,664 more people than that of thelast censusfrom 2001, which indicated that Plymouth had a population of 240,720.^[112]The Plymouthurban areahad a population of 260,203 in 2011 (theurban sprawlwhich extends outside the authority's boundaries). The city's average household size was 2.3 persons.^[113][114]At the time of the 2011 UK census, the ethnic composition of Plymouth's population was 96.2%White(of 92.9% wasWhite British), with the largest minority ethnic group beingChineseat 0.5%.^[111]The white Irish ethnic group saw the largest decline in its share of the population since the 2001 Census (−24%), while theOther Asianand Black African had the largest increases (360% and 351% respectively).^[111][115]This excludes the two new ethnic groups added to the 2011 census of Gypsy or Irish Traveller and Arab. The population rose rapidly during the second half of the 19th century, but declined by over 1.6% from 1931 to 1951.

Plymouth'sgross value added(a measure of the size of its economy) was£5,169 million in 2013 making up 25% ofDevon's GVA.^[116]Its GVA per person was £19,943 and compared to the national average of £23,755, was £3,812 lower.^[116]Plymouth's unemployment rate was 7.0% in 2014 which was 2.0 points higher than the South West average and 0.8 points higher than the average for Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland).^[117]

A 2014 profile by theNational Health Serviceshowed Plymouth had higher than average levels of poverty and deprivation (26.2% of the population among the poorest 20.4% nationally).^[118]Life expectancy, at 78.3 years for men and 82.1 for women, was the lowest of any region in the South West of England.^{[citation needed]}

Ethnic Group	Year
	1991[119]		2001[120]		2011[121]		2021[122]
	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%
White: Total	241,233	99.1%	236,767	98.4%	246,509	96.1%	248,727	94.1%
White:British	–	–	232,377	96.5%	238,263	92.9%	236,802	89.5%
White:Irish	–	–	1,359	0.6%	1,105		1,055	0.4%
White:Gypsy or Irish Traveller	–	–	–	–	153		165	0.1%
White: Roma							168	0.1%
White:Other	–	–	3,031		6,988		10,537	4.0%
Asian or Asian British: Total	971	0.4%	1,427	0.6%	3,906	1.5%	5,947	2.1%
Asian or Asian British:Indian	209		258		875		1,403	0.5%
Asian or Asian British:Pakistani	53		83		202		389	0.1%
Asian or Asian British:Bangladeshi	105		152		359		537	0.2%
Asian or Asian British:Chinese	382		685		1,251		1,430	0.5%
Asian or Asian British: Other Asian	222		249		1,219		2188	0.8%
Black or Black British: Total	621	0.3%	451	0.2%	1,678	0.7%	2,786	1.1%
Black or Black British:African	180		230		1,106		2,022	0.8%
Black or Black British:Caribbean	177		165		343		460	0.2%
Black or Black British:Other Black	264		56		229		304	0.1%
Mixed or British Mixed: Total	–	–	1,559	0.6%	3,287	1.3%	4,656	1.7%
Mixed: White and Black Caribbean	–	–	420		904		1,108	0.4%
Mixed: White and Black African	–	–	246		523		860	0.3%
Mixed: White and Asian	–	–	498		1,028		1,349	0.5%
Mixed: Other Mixed	–	–	395		832		1,339	0.5%
Other: Total	548	0.3%	516	0.6%	944	0.4%	2,579	1%
Other: Arab					339		677	0.3%
Other: Any other ethnic group	548	0.3%	516	0.6%	605		1,902	0.7%
Total	243,373	100%	240,720	100%	256,384	100%	264,695	100%

Because of its coastal location, the economy of Plymouth has traditionally beenmaritime,^[124]in particular the defence sector with over 12,000 people employed and approximately 7,500 in the armed forces.^[125]ThePlymouth Gin Distilleryhas been producingPlymouth Ginsince 1793, which was exported around the world by theRoyal Navy.^[126]During the 1930s, it was the most widely distributedginand had acontrolled term of origin^[126]until 2015. Since the 1980s, employment in the defence sector has decreased substantially and the public sector is now prominent particularly in administration, health, education, medicine and engineering.^[125]

Devonport Dockyardis the UK's only naval base that refits nuclear submarines and the Navy estimates that the Dockyard generates about 10% of Plymouth's income.^[123]Plymouth has the largest cluster of marine and maritime businesses in the south west with 270 firms operating within the sector.^[127]Other substantial employers includethe universitywith almost 3,000 staff,^[100]the national retail chainThe Rangeat theirEstoverheadquarters, as well as thePlymouth Science Parkemploying 500 people in 50 companies.^[125]

Plymouth has a post-war shopping area in the city centre with substantial pedestrianisation.^[47]At the west end of the zone inside a grade IIlisted buildingisthe Pannier Marketthat was completed in 1959 –panniermeaning "basket" from French, so it translates as "basket market".^[128]In terms of retail floorspace, Plymouth is ranked in the top five in theSouth West,^[129]and 29th nationally.^[130]Plymouth was one of the first ten British cities to trial the newBusiness improvement districtinitiative.^[131]TheTinside Poolis situated at the foot of the Hoe and became a grade II listed building in 1998 before being restored to its 1930s look for £3.4 million.^[132]

This section needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (February 2017)

Since 2003, Plymouth Council has been undertaking a project of urban redevelopment called the "Vision for Plymouth" launched by the architectDavid Mackayand backed by both Plymouth City Council and the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce (PCC).^[77]With the aim of growing the population to 300,000 by building 33,000 new dwellings, its projects range from shopping centres, new public realm, a cruise terminal, rebalancing the underutilised city centre retail district and opening waterfront development linked by a new urban boulevard.^[77]

In 2004 the old Drake Circus shopping centre and Charles Cross car park were demolished and replaced by the latestDrake Circus Shopping Centre, which opened in October 2006.^[133]It received negative feedback before opening when David Mackay said it was already "ten years out of date".^[133]It was awarded the first everCarbuncle Cup, awarded for Britain's ugliest building, in 2006.^[134]In contrast, theTheatre Royal's production and education centre, TR2, which was built on wasteland atCattedown, was a runner-up for the RIBAStirling Prizefor Architecture in 2003.^[135]

Proposals included the demolition of thePlymouth Pavilionsentertainment arenato create a canal "boulevard" linkingMillbayto the city centre delivered in 2020. Millbay is being regenerated with mixed residential, retail and office space alongside the ferry port.^[136]

Plymouth's Civic Centre was vacated by Plymouth City Council, and their operations were dispersed across the city centre—the vacant and dilapidated modernist building was proposed for demolition by the Council but was ultimately saved by a listing in 2007^[137]for its national architectural merit and was gifted to the developersUrban Splash, who intend to refurbish the structure for a mixed-use regeneration including variable let accommodation.^[138]The removal and relocation ofBretonside bus station—a site originally earmarked for the Council^[139]—was ultimately released for a mixed-use commercial leisure redevelopment including cinema and restaurants named 'Barcode' owned byBritish Landwhich also owns the adjacent Drake's Circus.^[140]

Jacka Bakery in the Barbican district is reputedly the oldest bakery in the UK,^[141]and has operated since the 1600s.

Plymouth railway stationis served by twotrain operating companies:^[142]

• Great Western Railwayoperates inter-city services toPenzance,Exeter St Davids,Taunton,Reading,London Paddington,Bristol Temple MeadsandCardiff Central; local services run toGunnislake. It also manages the station.^[143]

• CrossCountryoperate services from theSouth Westto theMidlands,North EastandScotland; destinations include Bristol,Birmingham New Street,Derby,Sheffield,York,Newcastle,Edinburgh Waverley,Glasgow CentralandAberdeen.^[144]

Smaller stations in the suburban area west of the city centre are served by trains on theTamar Valley Lineto Gunnislake and local services on theCornish Main Line, which crosses the Tamar on theRoyal Albert Bridge. This was designed byBruneland opened in 1859. The parallel road bridge was completed in 1961.

The station opened on its present site in 1877 and was previously namedPlymouth North Road, when there were other main line stations in the city atMillbayandFriary; these have since closed.

There have been proposals to reopen theExeter to Plymouth railway of the LSWRwhich would connectCornwalland Plymouth to Exeter using the formerSouthern Railwaymain line from Plymouth to Exeter viaOkehampton, because the main line through South Devon is vulnerable to damage from rough seas atDawlish, where some of the cliffs are also fragile. There are related proposals to reopen part of the old main line from Bere Alston on thePlymouth-Gunnislake lineas far as Tavistock to serve a new housing development but, although the idea has been discussed since 2008, progress has been slow.

TheA38 dual-carriagewayruns from east to west across the north of the city; within the city, it is known as 'TheParkway' and represents the boundary between the older parts of the city and more recently developed suburban areas. Heading east, it connects Plymouth to theM5 motorway, about 40 miles (65 km) away nearExeter; heading west, it connects Devon with Cornwall via theTamar Bridge.

Bus services are provided mainly byPlymouth CitybusandStagecoach South West, but a few routes are served by smaller local operators. Long distance inter-city bus services terminate atPlymouth coach station.^[145]

There are threePark and Rideservices atMilehouse, Coypool (Plympton) and George Junction (Plymouth City Airport), which are operated byStagecoach South Westexcept Milehouse park and ride. This is served byPlymouth Citybus^[146]

A regular international ferry service provided byBrittany Ferriesoperates fromMillbaytaking cars and foot passengers directly to France (Roscoff) and Spain (Santander) on the three ferries,MV Armorique,MV BretagneandMV Pont-Aven.^[147]TheCremyll Ferryis a passenger ferry betweenStonehouseand the Cornish hamlet ofCremyll, which is believed to have operated continuously since 1204.^[148]There is also a pedestrian ferry from theMayflower StepstoMount Batten,^[149]and an alternative to using theTamar Bridgevia theTorpoint Ferry(vehicle and pedestrian) across theRiver Tamar.^[150]

The city's airport wasPlymouth City Airportabout 4 miles (6 km) north of the city centre.^[151]The airport was home to the local airlineAir Southwest,^[152]which operated flights across the United Kingdom and Ireland.^[153]In June 2003, a report by theSouth West RDAwas published looking at the future of aviation in the south-west and the possible closure of airports.^[154]It concluded that the best option for the south-west was to close Plymouth City Airport and expandExeter International AirportandNewquay Cornwall Airport, although it did conclude that this was not the best option for Plymouth.^[155]In April 2011, it was announced that the airport would close,^[156]which it did on 23 December. A local company, FlyPlymouth, put forward plans in 2015 to reopen the airport by 2018, providing daily services to various destinations including London, but as of now, these projects have stalled.^[157]

Plymouth is at the southern end of the 99-mile (159 km) longDevon Coast to Coast Cycle Route(National Cycle Route 27). The route runs mostly traffic-free on off-road sections between Ilfracombe and Plymouth. The route uses former railway lines, though there are some stretches on public roads.^[158]

Plymouth has about 150 churches city-wide. ThePlymouth Cathedralis Roman Catholic, and is located inStonehouse. It was opened in 1858, and consecrated in 1880.^[159][160]The city's oldest church isPlymouth Minster, also known as St Andrew's Church, (Anglican) located at the top of Royal Parade—it is the largest parish church inDevonand has been a site of gathering since AD 800.^[159]The city also includes fiveBaptistchurches, over twentyMethodistchapels, and thirteenRoman Catholicchurches.^[161]In 1831 the firstBrethrenassembly in England, a movement of conservative non-denominational Evangelical Christians, was established in the city, so that Brethren are often called Plymouth Brethren, although the movement did not begin locally.^[162]

Plymouth has the first known reference to Jews in theSouth Westfrom SirFrancis Drake's voyages in 1577 to 1580, as his log mentioned "Moses the Jew" – a man from Plymouth.^[159]ThePlymouth Synagogueis aListed Grade II* building, built in 1762 and is theoldestAshkenaziSynagogue in theEnglish speaking world.^[163]There are also places of worship for Islam,Baháʼí,Buddhism,Unitarianism, Chinese beliefs andHumanism.^[164]

58.1% of the population described themselves in the 2011 census return as being at least nominally Christian and 0.8% as Muslim with all other religions represented by less than 0.5% each. The portion of people without a religion is 32.9%; above the national average of 24.7%. 7.1% did not state their religious belief.^[165]Since the 2001 Census, the number of Christians and Jews has decreased (−16% and −7% respectively), while all other religions have increased and non-religious people have almost doubled in number.^[166]

Built in 1815,Union Streetwas at the heart of Plymouth's historical culture.^[167]It became known asthe servicemen's playground, as it was where sailors from the Royal Navy would seek entertainment of all kinds.^[167]During the 1930s, there were 30 pubs and it attracted such performers asCharlie Chaplinto theNew Palace Theatre.^[167]It was described in 2008 as the late-night hub of Plymouth's entertainment strip.^[168]

Outdoor events and festivals are held including the annualBritish Firework Championshipsin August, which attracts tens of thousands of people across the waterfront.^[169]In August 2006 the world record for the most simultaneous fireworks was surpassed, by Roy Lowry of theUniversity of Plymouth, overPlymouth Sound.^[170]From 2014 MTV Crashes Plymouth has taken place every July on Plymouth Hoe, hosting big-name acts such as The 1975, Little Mix, Tinie Tempah and Busted.^[171]Between 1992 and 2012 the Music of the Night celebration was performed in theRoyal Citadelby the29 Commando Regimentand local performers to raise money for local and military charities.^[172]A number of other smaller cultural events taken place annually, including Plymouth Art Weekender,^[173]Plymouth Fringe Festival^[174]and Illuminate Festival.^[175]

The city's main theatre isTheatre Royal Plymouth, presenting large-scale West End shows and smaller works as well as an extensive education and outreach programme. The main building is located in the city centre and contains three performance spaces – The Lyric (1,315 capacity),^[176]Drum Theatre (200 capacity),^[177]and The Lab (60 capacity) – and they also run their own specialised production and creative learning centre called TR2, based in Cattedown.^[178]Plymouth Pavilionshas multiple uses for the city staging music concerts, basketball matches and stand-up comedy.^[179]There are also three cinemas: Reel Cinema at Derrys Cross,Plymouth Arts Centreat Looe Street and aVue cinemaat the Barbican Leisure Park.^[180]Barbican Theatre, Plymouth delivers a theatre and dance programme of performances and workshops focused on young people and emerging artists contains a main auditorium (110 – 140 capacity) and rehearsal studio;^[181]they also host the B-Bar (80 capacity), which offers a programme of music, comedy and spoken word performance.^[182]The Plymouth Athenaeum, which includes a local interest library, is a society dedicated to the promotion of learning in the fields of science, technology, literature and art. In 2017 its auditorium (340 capacity) returned to use as a theatre, having been out of service since 2009.^[183]ThePlymouth City Museum and Art Galleryis operated by Plymouth City Council allowing free admission – it has six galleries.^[184]

Plymouth is the regional television centre ofBBC South West.^[185]A team of journalists are headquartered at Plymouth for theITV West Countryregional station, after a merger withITV WestforcedITV Westcountryto close on 16 February 2009.^[186]The main local newspapers serving Plymouth areThe Herald,Western Morning Newsand the Plymouth Chronicle withGreatest Hits Radio Plymouth,BBC Radio Devon,Heart West, andHits Radio Cornwallbeing the local radio stations with the most listeners.^[187]

Plymouth is home toPlymouth Argyle F.C., who, as of the 2023-24 season, play in the second tier of English football, theEFL Championship.^[188]The team's home ground is calledHome Parkand is located inCentral Park.^[189]It links itself with the group of English non-conformists that left Plymouth for theNew Worldin 1620: its nickname is "The Pilgrims".^[190]The city also has threeNon-League footballclubs;Plymouth Parkwaywho play at Bolitho Park,Elburton Villawho play at Haye Road and Plymstock United who play at Dean Cross. Plymouth Parkway were promoted to theWestern Leaguefrom theSouth West Peninsula Leaguein 2018, and after two Covid-19 interrupted years to theSouthern Football Leaguein 2021, whilst Elburton Villa and Plymstock United continue to compete in the South West Peninsula League.

Other sports clubs competing in national competition includePlymouth Albion,Plymouth City Patriots,Plymouth RaidersandPlymouth Gladiators.

Plymouth Albion Rugby Football Clubis arugby unionclub that was founded in 1875 and are currently competing in the third tier of Professional English Rugby theNational League 1. They play atthe Brickfields.^[191]

Inbasketball, the city is represented by two teams;Plymouth City Patriots, of the top-tierBritish Basketball League, andPlymouth Raidersof theNational Basketball League.

Plymouth Gladiatorsare aspeedwayteam, currently competing in the BritishNational League, with home meetings taking place at thePlymouth Coliseum.Plymouth cricket clubwas formed in 1843, the current 1st XI play in the Devon Premier League. Plymouth is also home to Plymouth Marjons Hockey Club, with their 1st XI playing in the National League last season.Plymouth MarinersBaseballclub play in the South West Baseball League, they play their home games at Wilson Field in Central Park. Plymouth was home to anAmerican footballclub, thePlymouth Admiralsuntil 2010.

Plymouth Leanderis the most successful swimming club in Great Britain along withPlymouth Diving Club.

Plymouth is an important centre for watersports, especially scuba diving and sailing. The Port of Plymouth Regatta is one of the oldest regattas in the world, and has been held regularly since 1823. In September 2011, Plymouth hosted theAmerica's Cup World Seriesfor nine days.^[192]

Since 1973 Plymouth has been supplied water bySouth West Water. Prior to the 1973 take over it was supplied by Plymouth County Borough Corporation.^[193]Before the 19th century twoleatswere built to provide drinking water for the town. They carried water fromDartmoorto Plymouth. A watercourse, known as Plymouth orDrake's Leat, was opened on 24 April 1591 to tap theRiver Meavy.^[194]TheDevonport Leatwas constructed to carry fresh drinking water to the expanding town ofDevonportand its ever-growing dockyard. It was fed by three Dartmoor rivers: TheWest Dart, Cowsic and Blackabrook. It seems to have been carrying water since 1797, but it was officially completed in 1801. It was originally designed to carry water to Devonport town but has since been shortened and now carries water toBurrator Reservoir, which feeds most of the water supply of Plymouth.^[195]Burrator Reservoir is located about 5 miles (8 km) north of the city and was constructed in 1898 and expanded in 1928.^[196]

Plymouth City Council is responsible for waste management throughout the city andSouth West Wateris responsible for sewerage.^[197][198]Plymouth's electricity is supplied from theNational Gridand distributed to Plymouth viaWestern Power Distribution.^[199]On the outskirts ofPlymptonacombined cyclegas-powered station, theLangage Power Station, which started to produce electricity for Plymouth at the end of 2009.^[200]

Her Majesty's Courts Serviceprovide amagistrates' courtand aCombined Crown and County Court Centrein the city.^[201][202]The Plymouth Borough Police, formed in 1836, eventually became part ofDevon and Cornwall Constabulary.^[203]There are police stations at Charles Cross and Crownhill (the Divisional HQ) and smaller stations at Plympton and Plymstock.^[204]The city has one of the Devon and Cornwall AreaCrown Prosecution ServiceDivisional offices.^[205]Plymouth has five fire stations located in Camel's Head,Crownhill,Greenbank,PlymptonandPlymstockwhich is part ofDevon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service.^[206]TheRoyal National Lifeboat Institutionhave anAtlantic 85 class lifeboatandSevern class lifeboatstationed atMillbay Docks.^[207]

Plymouth is served by Plymouth HospitalsNHS Trustand the city'sNHShospital isDerriford Hospital4 miles (6 km) north of the city centre. The Royal Eye Infirmary is located at Derriford Hospital.^[208]South Western Ambulance ServiceNHS Foundation Trust operates in Plymouth and the rest of the south west; its headquarters are inExeter.^[209]

The mid-19th-century burial ground atFord Park Cemeterywas reopened in 2007 by a successful trust and the City council operate two large early 20th century cemeteries atWeston MillandEffordboth with crematoria and chapels. There is also a privately owned cemetery on the outskirts of the city, Drake Memorial Park which does not allow headstones to mark graves, but a brass plaque set into the ground.^[210]

After theEnglish Civil WartheRoyal Citadelwas erected in 1666 towards the eastern section ofPlymouth Hoe, to defend the port from naval attacks, suppress Plymothian Parliamentary leanings and to train the armed forces. Currently, guided tours are available in the summer months.^[29]Further west isSmeaton's Tower, which is a standard lighthouse that was constructed in 1759. 14 miles (23 km) Furthermore, Smeaton's Tower was dismantled in 1877 and the top two-thirds were reassembled on Plymouth Hoe.^[211]It is open to the public and has views over the Plymouth Sound and the city from the lantern room.^[212]Plymouth has 20 war memorials of which nine are onThe Hoeincluding:Plymouth Naval Memorial, to remember those killed in World Wars I and II, and theArmada Memorial, to commemorate the defeat of theSpanish Armada.^[213]

The early port settlement of Plymouth, called "Sutton", approximates to the area now referred to as theBarbicanand has 100listed buildingsand the largest concentration ofcobbledstreets in Britain.^[214]ThePilgrim Fathersleft for theNew Worldin 1620 near the commemorativeMayflower Stepsin Sutton Pool.^[215]Also on Sutton Pool is theNational Marine Aquariumwhich displays 400 marine species and includes Britain's deepest aquarium tank.^[216]

One mile (two kilometres) upstream on the opposite side of theRiver Plymis theSaltram estate, which has aJacobeanandGeorgianmansion.^[217]

On the northern outskirts of the city,Crownhill Fortis a well-restored example of a "Palmerston's Folly". It is owned by theLandmark Trustand is open to the public.^[218]

To the west of the city isDevonport, one of Plymouth's historic quarters. As part of Devonport's millennium regeneration project, theDevonport Heritage Trailhas been introduced, complete with over 70 waymarkers outlining the route.^[219]

Plymouth is often used as a base by visitors toDartmoor, theTamarValley and the beaches of south-eastCornwall.^[220]Kingsand,CawsandandWhitsand Bayare popular.^[221]

TheRoland Levinsky Building, the landmark building of theUniversity of Plymouth, is located in the city's central quarter. Designed by leading architectHenning Larsen, the building was opened in 2008 and houses the University's Arts faculty.^[222]

Beckley Point, at 78m / 20 floors, is Plymouth's tallest building^[223][224]and was completed on 8 February 2018. It was designed by Boyes Rees Architects and built by contractorsKier.

• Images of landmarks
• 
  Smeaton's Tower
• 
  Plymouth Soundand Breakwater
• 
  National Armada memorial ( Britannia)
• 
  Naval War Memorial
• 
  The Parade, Barbican
• 
  The Mayflower StepsMemorial
• 
  Saltram Houseremodelled by the architect Robert Adam
• 
  Beckley Point

People from Plymouth are known as Plymothians or less formally asJanners.^[225]Its meaning is described as a person fromDevon, deriving from Cousin Jan (theDevonform ofJohn), but more particularly innavalcircles anyone from the Plymouth area.^[226]

The Elizabethan navigator, SirFrancis Drakewas born in the nearby town ofTavistockand was the mayor of Plymouth.^[227]He was the firstEnglishmanto circumnavigate the world and was known by the Spanish asEl Dracomeaning "The Dragon" after he raided many of their ships.^[228]He died ofdysenteryin 1596 off the coast ofPortobelo,^[229]Panama. In 2002 a mission to recover his body and bring it to Plymouth was allowed by theMinistry of Defence.^[230]His cousin and contemporaryJohn Hawkinswas a Plymouth man.

Painter SirJoshua Reynolds, founder and first president of theRoyal Academywas born and educated in nearbyPlympton, now part of Plymouth.William Cookworthyborn inKingsbridgeset up his successfulporcelainbusiness in the city and was a close friend ofJohn Smeatondesigner of theEddystone Lighthouse.Benjamin Robert Haydon, an English painter who specialised in grand historical pictures, was born here in 1786.^[231]The naturalistWilliam Elford LeachFRS, who did much to pave the way in Britain forCharles Darwin, was born at Hoe Gate in 1791.

AntarcticexplorersRobert Falcon Scottwho was born in Plymouth andFrank Bickertonboth lived in the city.^[232][233]Artists includeBeryl Cookwhose paintings depict the culture of Plymouth^[234]andRobert Lenkiewicz, whose paintings investigated themes ofvagrancy, sexual behaviour and suicide, lived in the city from the 1960s until his death in 2002.^[235]Illustrator and creator of children's seriesMr BennandKing Rollo,David McKee, was born and brought up in South Devon and trained atPlymouth College of Art. Jazz musicianJohn Surman, born in nearbyTavistock, has close connections to the area, evidenced by his 2012 albumSaltash Bells. Theavant-gardeprepared guitaristKeith Rowewas born in the city before establishing the jazzfree improvisationbandAMMin London in 1965 andMIMEOin 1997. The musician and film directorCosmo Jarvishas lived in several towns in South Devon and has filmed videos in and around Plymouth.^[236]In addition, actors SirDonald SindenandJudi Trottwere born in Plymouth. George Passmore ofTurner Prizewinning duoGilbert and Georgewas also born in the city, as was Labour politicianMichael Footwhose family reside at nearbyTrematon Castle.^[237]

Notable athletes include swimmerSharron Davies,^[238]diverTom Daley,^[239]dancerWayne Sleep,^[240]and footballerTrevor Francis.^[241]Other past residents include composer journalist and newspaper editorWilliam Henry Wills,Ron Goodwin,^[242]and journalistAngela Ripponand comedianDawn French.^[243]Canadian politician and legal scholarChris Axworthyhails from Plymouth. America based actorDonald Moffat, whose roles include American Vice PresidentLyndon B. Johnsonin the filmThe Right Stuff, and fictional President Bennett inClear and Present Danger, was born in Plymouth.^[244]Canadian actorMark Holdenwas also born in Plymouth.Kevin Owenis an international TV news anchor who was born in Freedom Fields Hospital, while his father served as a Royal Navy officer. Cambridge spyGuy Burgesswas born at 2 Albemarle Villas, Stoke whilst his father was a serving Royal Navy officer.^[245]

• Brest, France^[246]
• Gdynia, Poland^[246]
• Novorossiysk, Russia^[246]
• Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States^[246]
• San Sebastián, Spain^[246]
• Jiaxing, China^[247]

The following People, Military Units and Organisations and Groups have received theFreedom of the Cityof Plymouth.

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (November 2021)

• Mark Ormrod: 22 November 2021.^[248][249]
• Thomas Robert Daley: 17 February 2022.^{[250][251][252][253][254]}
• Lewis Pugh: 27 March 2023.
• Heather Knight: 27 March 2023.

^[255]

• 42 Commando,RM: 1955.^[256]
• TheMerchant Navy: 22 March 2009.
• The Rifles: 25 September 2010.^[257]
• TheMinistry of Defence Hospital UnitDerriford: 30 January 2023.^[258]

• Veterans of theFalklands War: 25 June 2022.^[259][260]
• The Federation of Plymouth and District Ex-Services Associations: 19 June 2023.^[261]

• Fortifications of Plymouth
• Grade I listed buildings in Plymouth
• Grade II* listed buildings in Plymouth

• Gould, Jeremy (2010).Plymouth: Vision of a modern city. English Heritage
• Dunning, Martin (2001).Around Plymouth. Frith Book.
• Gill, Crispin (1993).Plymouth: A New History. Devon Books.
• Robinson, Chris (2004).Plymouth Then & Now. Plymouth Prints.
• Casley, Nicholas (1997).The Medieval Incorporation of Plymouth and a Survey of the Borough's Bounds. Old Plymouth Society.
• Carew, Richard(1555).The Survey of Cornwall.N.B. Carew refers to Plymouth Hoe as "the Hawe at Plymmouth"
• Abercrombie, Patrick; Watson, James; Stamp, Laurence; Robinson, Gilbert (27 April 1944).A Plan for Plymouth. Underhill.N.B. the publication carries the date 1943, although published on 27 April 27, 1944A Plan for Plymouth – The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History
• W Best Harris – Plymouth – Plymouth Council of Social Service (undated)
• W Best Harris – Stories From Plymouth's History – Self-Published, Plymouth (undated)
• W Best Harris – The Book of Plymouth – Guild of Social Service, Plymouth (undated)
• W Best Harris – The New Book of Plymouth – Guild of Social Service, Plymouth (undated)
• W Best Harris – The Second Book of Plymouth – Guild of Social Service, Plymouth, 1957
• W Best Harris – Place Names of Plymouth, Dartmoor and the Tamar Valley – Self-Published, Plymouth, 1983
• W Best Harris – Welcome to Plymouth – Plymouth City Council (undated)

• Plymouth City Council website
• Plymouth City Council's open data website
• PlymouthatCurlie