Plymouth Favorites

Favorite thing: A plaque by the Mayflower Steps, Plymouth, UK

"From plymouth Sound on June 11th 1583, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, "The Father of British colonisation", set sail for Newfoundland which he claimed for Queen Elizabeth I on 5th August.

"This plaque was unveiled by the Honourable A. Brian Peckford, P.C., Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador on June 14th 1983 in the presence of Councillor Derek Mitchell, Lord Mayor of Plymouth, to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Gilbert's voyage."

Favorite thing: A plaque by the Mayflower Steps, Plymouth, UK

"The Barbican, Plymouth, Devon, England

"The Mayflower sailed from here September 16 (new style), 1620, for Plymouth, New England. Part of her passengers were colonists from London, part were a seperatist congregation which had begun in Babworth, Nottinghamshire, on July 11, 1586, and had moved to Scrooby in 1606, to Amsterdam, Netherlands, in 1608, and to Leyden in 1609. The Leyden group had sailed on the Speedwell from Delft Haven August 1 (n.s.), 1620, for Southampton, Hampshire, England, to join the London group who were on the Mayflower. Both ships left Southampton on August 15 (n.s.), but leaks in the Speedwell forced a turning back to Dartmouth for repairs. Leaving Dartmouth, after proceeding about 300 miles, the leaky Speedwell caused a second return of both ships, this time to Plymouth. Here the Speedwell was abandoned, and the passengers of both ships combined on the mayflower - 102. Elder William Brewster was the spiritual leader of the seperatist pilgrims, and remained so in Plymouth, New England, until his death in 1643 - 44.

"Stephen Hopkins of Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire (later of St. Mary Matfellon, Whitechpel, London), a separatist, made his second voyage to the new world in the Mayflower (180 tons) in 1620. He had previously sailed from here in the Sea Venture (300 tons) on July 23, 1609. He reached virginia in 1610, after having been driven ashore in Bermuda, where his shipwreck furnished the subject for The Tempest 1611) by William Shakespeare.

"The General Society of Mayflower Descendants (U.S.A., 1897)
Waldo Morgan Allen, Governor General

"On their first pilgrimage - 152, by planes - to The Netherlands and England
September 22 - October 6, 1955
335 years after the sailing of the Mayflower"

Favorite thing: A plaque by the Mayflower Steps, Plymouth, UK

"On the 6th of September, 1620, in the Mayoralty of Thomas Townes, after being 'kindly entertained and courteously used by divers Friends there dwelling', the Pilgrim Fathers sailed from Plymouth in the Mayflower, in the Providence of God to settle in NEW PLYMOUTH, and to lay the foundation of the NEW ENGLAND STATES.

"The Ancient Cawsey whence they embarked was destroyed not many Years afterwards, but the Site of their Embarkation is marked by the Stone bearing the name of the MAYFLOWER in the pavement of the adjacent Pier. This Tablet was erected in the Mayoralty of J.T. Bond 1891, to commemorate their Departure, and the visit to Plymouth in July of that Year of a number of their descendants and Representatives."

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Favorite thing: This helpful Tourist Information Centre is situated in the Maritime Barbican Village. The Centre can advise the visitor about accommodation, sightseeing, events and so forth. There is a wide range of leaflets on attractions not just in Plymouth but in Devon and Cornwall.

Here is the centre's website for planning a trip to Plymouth.

The Mayflower Exhibition is also housed in the building and there is a shop selling a variety of souvenirs and gifts.

The Tourist Information Centre is opened everyday in high season and Monday to Saturday in low season.

Favorite thing: The origins of Plymouth can be traced back to the Bronze Age, when its first settlement grew at Mount Batten. This settlement continued to grow as a trading post for the Roman Empire, until farmland on a small peninsula at the mouth of the river Plym, referred to in the Domesday Book in 1086 as Sudtone, meaning South Farm, developed into Sutton Harbour, the start of medieval Plymouth. In 1620 the Pilgrim Fathers left Plymouth for the New World and established Plymouth Colony – the second English settlement in what is now the United States of America.

Favorite thing: Plymouth's main Tourist Information Centre is located in the Mayflower building down on the main street in the Barbican, pretty much opposite the Mayflower Steps.

Here friendly and knowledgeable staff can provide assistance and advice on most queries including assistance with accommodation, public transport info, things to do etc. They also act as agents for local theatres and other events and as well as the usual freebie leaflets the centre has a range of local maps, guidebooks and souvenirs for sale.

For the TIC online click HERE

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Favorite thing: Plymouth is a city of distinct neighbourhoods the best-known of which, certainly for tourists, is the history-rich Barbican. Equally interesting is the area of Mutley Plain, or just plain Mutley as it is referred to locally.

In the 1800's this was the city's gentrified suburb but as the city expanded the gentry moved out and the area became run-down. The modern Mutley though is now the city's student centre which makes it one of the liveliest suburbs with loads of decent pubs, cheap restaurants and great nightlife, including the live music pub The Junction which features mostly local rock bands.

Favorite thing: Most of the city centre is a pedestrian zone with only one of its cross streets accessible by motor vehicles, including buses. In order to help people find there way around the city council has put up these useful street maps at strategic locations.

At first sight you might think the map is a sort schematic diagram (a bit like that of a railway or the London Underground) but the city centre rea\lly is laid out like this. The post-WWII planners designed the city to be pedestrian-friendly, open and easy to navigate and the map is a pretty accurate representation.