Plymouth's archaeology

Plymouth’s archaeological resource preserves the evidence that allows us to reconstruct our history from the furthest past to recent times. Below is a very brief summary of the city through the ages:

Palaeolithic

Remains of animals, humans and their tools have been found in a number of limestone caves around the city, mostly during the 18th and 19th century. The most famous of these is Worth’s Cattedown Bone Cave, now a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Neolithic

Tools, some made from materials that have been brought from a considerable distance, have been found in areas such as Ernesettle, Manadon, Compton, Mount Batten and Elburton.

Bronze age

The majority of finds from this period focus on the eastern side of the city and include an early cemetery at Elburton, houses at Jennycliff and pottery from Plymstock Quarry. Finds from a site at Mount Batten (now a Scheduled Ancient Monument) indicate there may have been a more permanent settlement in this area.

Iron age

This period is best known for the extensive excavations undertaken by Oxford University at Mount Batten in the 1980’s, which have subsequently been published.

Roman

Finds from this period are quite rare in Plymouth and are generally single or groups of coins. Some material has been found at Mount Batten, but recent work at Plymstock Quarry has indicated the presence of a Romano-British settlement.

Early medieval

Mount Batten seems to have gone out of use by this time and a small settlement was developing around Sutton Harbour, with other small farms/settlements scattered across the area, mostly under the control of the priories. Many local place names also derive from this time and may give clues to the date that places appeared.

Medieval

Occupation was centred around Sutton Harbour, the Castle (dating from the 12th century) and the priories. Plymouth started to increase in size and became a town during the 13th to 14th centuries. Little is known about the town walls or castle, although excavations have shown the extent of land reclamation in the harbour and finds show the strong trade links with the Continent. Some buildings such as the Prysten House, the Merchants House and St Andrews Church have survived from this period and can be visited.

Post-medieval

Henry VIII built a number of defences to protect the harbour and docks, some of which still survive. The Barbican and Plympton St Maurice were both thriving and many buildings remain from this period, often hidden behind newer facades. New parishes appeared as the population increased and the start of Devonport and Stonehouse can clearly be seen. In between voyages Sir Francis Drake constructed the Leats which brought fresh water into the city from Dartmoor.

Later the city became heavily involved in the Civil War and new defences such as the Citadel were constructed. Towards the end of the 17th century the dockyard expanded rapidly and by the 18th century additional facilities such as the Royal William Yard and Naval Hospitals were being built. Town planning becomes more obvious around this time with planned streets and the three towns being linked for the first time.

Industrial

Much of the city’s industry grew up to supply the Dockyard. Coxside became the industrial heart of the city with factories producing everything from rope to candles. Numerous shipbuilders sprung up, and limestone and granite were quarried extensively and used to expand the Dockyard and build the Breakwater and Palmerston Forts. Brunel built Millbay Docks as well as the Royal Albert Bridge when the railways arrived shortly afterwards. At the end of the 19th century the Housing Act forced many of the city’s slums to be cleared away and the first council houses were constructed in 1893.

The 20th century

Mount Batten became a RAF base in 1917 and remained in use until 1992 when it was released by the MoD. Extensive WWII defences were erected across the city but unfortunately large swathes were still destroyed, which led to the re-planning of the city by Patrick Abercrombie in 1943. During the Cold War various protected facilities were built but the Dockyard gradually declined as Britain’s naval power diminished. The factories and shipbuilders at Coxside disappeared to be replaced by housing and the warehouses in the Barbican were left empty, although they are now being converted.

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