by Mike Horgan

Created on: April 05, 2011   Last Updated: April 10, 2011

Plymouth is located in the county of Devon in the southwest of England and has a population of approximately 250,000. It is situated between the English Channel to the south, the countryside of the South Hams to the east, the river Tamar to the west and the rugged landscape of Dartmoor to the north. It is a very picturesque part of England.

Plymouth has a long maritime history. The English Navy set sail from the mouth of the river Plym for the Spanish Armada in 1588, and the Dockyard at Devonport dates back to 1690. Plymouth originally consisted of the three towns of Devonport, Stonehouse and Plymouth.

Plymouth can be visited by road, ferry, train, coach or plane. The coach and railway stations are both within easy walking distance of the city centre, and the ferry dock is only a short distance away. The ferries link Plymouth to Roscoff, France and Santander, Spain. The airport is situated in the north of the city with easy access into the centre. There are park and ride services available for those travelling into the city by road.

Plymouth is world famous for the Hoe and the Barbican. There is a spectacular view from the Hoe of Plymouth Sound, which is a bay from Penlee Point, Cornwall to Wembury Point, Devon. In the centre of The Sound is Plymouth Breakwater, which creates a harbour. Drake's Island is in The Sound, but unfortunately it is privately owned and is currently dilapidated. The Hoe is where Drake was supposed to have sighted the Spanish Armada whilst playing bowls. There are several memorials on the Hoe to servicemen and women from all arms of the armed forces, who lost their lives in both world wars and in conflicts around the world up to the present day.

At the eastern end of the Hoe is the Royal Citadel, which was built in 1670 during the Dutch Wars, and is the base of 29 Commando Regiment of the Royal Artillery. Walking from the Hoe past the Citadel brings the visitor to the Barbican. This is a very old part of Plymouth, steeped in history and has narrow, cobbled streets. The Mayflower steps monument, built in 1934, is a reminder that the Pilgrims left Plymouth aboard the Mayflower in 1620 to sail to America.

Plymouth was bombed heavily during World War 2, and so the city centre was rebuilt and while the shopping area looks quite bland and ugly, it is actually a very good example of 1950's British architecture. The remains of Charles Church, which was bombed during the war, is situated in the middle of a roundabout in the city centre, and was

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