Description
Important historic port and naval base of the British Royal Navy in southwestern England, with a large natural harbor.
Year of Foundation or Oldest Source
Saxon settlement (Sutton). Grew as a port in the Middle Ages. The Royal Dockyard (later Devonport) was established in the late 17th century (1691).
Country (State or Region)
United Kingdom (England)
Location
Plymouth, Devon, England, on Plymouth Sound, at the mouths of the Plym and Tamar rivers.
Structuring
Large natural harbor (Plymouth Sound). Development of a major naval shipyard complex (Devonport Dockyard) with dry docks, workshops, and coastal fortifications to protect the base and harbor.
Notes
One of Great Britain's main naval bases, along with Portsmouth and Chatham. Historic starting point for voyages of exploration (e.g., Francis Drake, James Cook - Not in snippets) and colonization (e.g., Mayflower in 1620 - Not in snippets). Played a crucial role in British naval wars.
Sources
MARNOT, Bruno. Ports as Tools of European Expansion. Encyclopédie d'histoire numérique de l'Europe [online], 2020.
