Visit Plymouth Places

Welcome to Visit Plymouth Places
The Walkfo guide to things to do & explore in Plymouth

  

Plymouth Places Overview: History, Culture & Facts about Plymouth

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Plymouth history

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Early history

Upper Palaeolithic deposits, including bones of Homo sapiens, have been found in local caves . An unidentified settlement named TAMari OSTIA (mouth/estuaries of the Tamar) is listed in Ptolemy’s Geographia . An ancient promontory fort was located at Rame Head at the mouth of Plymouth Sound with ancient hillforts located at Lyneham Warren to the east .

Early defence and Renaissance

In 1403 the town was burned by Breton raiders . On 12 November 1439, the English Parliament made Plymouth the first town incorporated . Plymouth Castle, a “castle quadrate”, was constructed close to the area now known as The Barbican . In 1512, an Act of Parliament was passed to further fortify Plymouth .

Plymouth Dock, naval power and Foulston

The Three Towns conurbation of Plymouth, Stonehouse and Devonport enjoyed some prosperity during the late 18th and early 19th century . Before the latter half of the 18th century, grain, timber and then coal were Plymouth’s main imports . The real source of wealth was from the neighbouring town of Plymouth Dock (renamed in 1824 to Devonport)

Plan for Plymouth 1943

During the First World War, Plymouth was the port of entry for many troops from around the Empire . During the Second World War the city was heavily bombed by the Luftwaffe, in a series of 59 raids known as the Plymouth Blitz . Much of the city centre and over 3,700 houses were completely destroyed and more than 1,000 civilians lost their lives . The redevelopment of Plymouth was planned by Sir Patrick Abercrombie in his 1943 Plan for Plymouth .

Plymouth culture & places

Built in 1815, Union Street was at the heart of Plymouth’s historical culture. It became known as the servicemen’s playground, where sailors from the Royal Navy would seek entertainment of all kinds. From 2014 MTV Crashes Plymouth has taken place every July on Plymouth Hoe, hosting acts such as The 1975, Little Mix, Tinie Tempah and Busted.

Plymouth economy & business

Plymouth 2020

Since 2003, Plymouth Council has been undertaking a project of urban redevelopment called the “Vision for Plymouth” The old Drake Circus shopping centre and Charles Cross car park were demolished and replaced by the latest Drake Circus Shopping Centre . It received negative feedback before opening when David Mackay said it was already “ten years out of date”

Plymouth geography / climate

The Unitary Authority of Plymouth is 79.83 square kilometres (30.82 sq mi) The topography rises from sea level to a height, at Roborough, of about 509 feet (155 m) above Ordnance Datum (AOD) Plymouth Sound is protected from the sea by the Plymouth Breakwater, in use since 1814.

Urban form

Plymouth is home to 28 parks with an average size of 45,638 square metres (491,240 sq ft) Its largest park is Central Park, with other sizeable green spaces including Victoria Park, Freedom Fields Park, Alexandra Park, Devonport Park and the Hoe .

Climate

Plymouth has a moderated temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) which is wetter and milder than rest of England . The annual mean high temperature is approximately 14 °C (57 °F) The climate is among the mildest of British cities, and one of the warmest UK cities in winter .

You can visit Plymouth places with Walkfo Plymouth to hear history at Plymouth’s places whilst walking around using the free digital tour app. Walkfo Plymouth has 142 places to visit in our interactive Plymouth map, with amazing history, culture & travel facts you can explore the same way you would at a museum or art gallery with information audio headset. With Walkfo, you can travel by foot, bike or bus throughout Plymouth, being in the moment, without digital distraction or limits to a specific walking route. Our historic audio walks, National Trust interactive audio experiences, digital tour guides for English Heritage locations are available at Plymouth places, with a AI tour guide to help you get the best from a visit to Plymouth & the surrounding areas.

“Curated content for millions of locations across the UK, with 142 audio facts unique to Plymouth places in an interactive Plymouth map you can explore.”

Walkfo: Visit Plymouth Places Map
142 tourist, history, culture & geography spots

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Plymouth historic spots	Plymouth tourist destinations	Plymouth plaques	Plymouth geographic features
Walkfo Plymouth tourism map key: places to see & visit like National Trust sites, Blue Plaques, English Heritage locations & top tourist destinations in Plymouth

  

Best Plymouth places to visit

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Plymouth has places to explore by foot, bike or bus. Below are a selection of the varied Plymouth’s destinations you can visit with additional content available at the Walkfo Plymouth’s information audio spots:

Armada Memorial The Armada Memorial is a monument on Plymouth Hoe, Plymouth, Devon. Built in 1888, the monument celebrates the tercentenary of the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

Plymouth Marine Laboratory Plymouth Marine Laboratory (abbrevi) in the city of Plymouth, England, is a marine research organization and registered charity. It is a partner of the UK Research & Innovation’s Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)

The Plymouth Athenaeum Plymouth Athenaeum is a society dedicated to the promotion of learning in the fields of science, technology, literature and art. The building includes a 340-seat auditorium and a local interest library.

Plymouth Civic Centre Plymouth Civic Centre is a former principal administrative centre of Plymouth, Devon. Opened in 1962, the building was used by Plymouth City Council until it was sold for development in 2015.

Theatre Royal, Plymouth Theatre Royal, Plymouth, is a theatre venue in Plymouth, Devon. It consists of a 1,300-seat main auditorium, The Lyric, and a 200-seat studio, The Drum. A £7 million Regeneration Project was completed in September 2013 with a renovated front of house area.

Plymouth Guildhall Plymouth Guildhall is located on Guildhall Square in the city centre of Plymouth, Devon, England. It is a Grade II listed building.

Tinside Lido Tinside Lido is a 1935 Art Deco lido in the city of Plymouth in south-west England. It is sited beside Plymouth Sound and is overlooked by Plymouth Hoe and Smeaton’s Tower.

Plymouth Gin Distillery Plymouth Gin Distillery has been in operation since 1793 and used to be a significant manufacturer of gin in the UK. Also known as the Black Friars Distillery, it is the only gin distillery in the city.

Fortifications of Plymouth The fortifications of Plymouth in Devon are extensive due to its natural harbour and commanding position on the Western Approaches. The first medieval defences were built to defend Sutton Harbour on the eastern side of Plymouth Sound at the mouth of the River Plym. By the 18th century, naval activity had begun to shift westward to Devonport. During the Victorian era, advances in military technology led to a huge programme of fortification. Many of these works remained in military use well into the 20th century.

Royal Citadel, Plymouth The Royal Citadel in Plymouth, Devon, was built in the late 1660s to the design of Sir Bernard de Gomme. It is at the eastern end of Plymouth Hoe overlooking Plymouth Sound, and encompasses the site of an earlier fort that had been built by Sir Francis Drake.

Visit Plymouth plaques