Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
seaport of Tudor England. All the known world sailed here and walked its narrow medi-
eval streets. Few places in the south of England are as rich in romantic lore.
Sadly, most of that old Plymouth has gone. German bombing raids during World
War II all but devastated the city; as many as 75,000 buildings were destroyed. What-
ever the Nazis didn't destroy, spectacularly bad development in the 1950s and '60s
did. Huge swathes of the city were replaced with oppressive, brutalist concrete build-
ings. Today, Plymouth is the kind of city that one passes through and winces at the
thought of how good it must once have looked.
However, not all the historic old town was lost. The Elizabethan section, known as
the
Barbican,
contains many original buildings, and a few good sights relating to the
first Pilgrim Fathers who colonized America. The
Mayflower
and
Speedwell,
which
sailed from Southampton in August 1620, docked into Plymouth after suffering storm
damage. The
Speedwell
was abandoned; the
Mayflower
made the trip alone. The next
stop from here was the New World.
In Britain, Plymouth is more associated with its most famous son, Sir Francis
Drake—the swashbuckling admiral and one-time favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, who
fought off the Spanish Armada in 1588. Legend has it that he was playing bowls up
on Plymouth Hoe (a stretch of cliff overlooking the bay) when a messenger galloped
over to tell him of the impending invasion. “There is plenty of time,” he is said to have
replied, “to finish this game and beat the Spaniards.”
Unless you're a Tudor history buff, there is little to detain you in this workaday
town. The Barbican is interesting, and its historic sights impressive—but not impres-
sive or plentiful enough to warrant more than an afternoon's detour.
Essentials
GETTING THERE
First Great Western trains run frequently throughout the day
from London's Paddington Station to Plymouth; the trip takes 3
1
⁄
4
to 4 hours, cost-
ing around £75 for a round-trip. For rail information, call
&
08457/484950
or
000-125; or visit
www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk
. In Plymouth, the rail station is
on North Road, north of the center. Several buses run from the rail station to the
heart of Plymouth.
Buses run daily from London's Victoria Coach Station to Plymouth. The trip takes
about 5
1
⁄
2
hours. Fares cost around £33.
If you're driving from London, take the M4 west to the junction with the M5 going
south to Exeter. From Exeter, head southwest on the A38 to Plymouth.
VISITOR INFORMATION
The
Tourist Information Centre
is at the May-
flower, in the Barbican (
&
01752/306330;
www.visitplymouth.co.uk). It's open
April through October, Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm;
November to March, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturday 10am to 4pm.
Exploring the Area
To commemorate the spot from which the
Mayflower
sailed for the New World, a
white archway, erected in 1934 and capped with the flags of Britain and the United
States, stands at the base of Plymouth's West Pier, on the Barbican. Incorporating a
granite monument that was erected in 1891, the site is referred to as both the
May-
flower
Steps
and the
Memorial Gateway.
The
Barbican
is a mass of narrow streets, old houses, and quay-side shops selling
antiques, brass work, old prints, and books. Fishing boats still unload their catches at
the wharves, and passenger-carrying ferryboats run short harbor cruises.
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