Discount Hotels Plymouth
Historical interest: Plymouth
    
Plymouth began life as a small fishing village but soon came to prominence
as a trading port with both France and Spain. In the 13th century the friars
arrived in Plymouth and began spread out to preach and to help the poor. Wine
became a popular import and the town benefited from a law of 1390 which said
that pilgrims who travelled abroad must leave from either Plymouth or Dover.
Plymouth played a role in the endless wars that went on between England and
France and was therefore a target for attack by French troops, being razed in
1403.
In 1497 John Cabot discovered Newfoundland with its rich stocks of fish. From
then on fishermen from Plymouth fished off the coast of Newfoundland. Fishing
was the most important industry in Plymouth and allowed it to survive years
of siege by royalist troops during Britain's civil war. International and coastal
trade always figured prominently in the town's history, with traded goods including
wine, fruit, sugar, paper, hemp, hops, wool, tin, tobacco, coal and grain.
In 1689 it was decided to build a dockyard at Devonport and in time shipbuilding
became the port's dominant industry, although trade remained an important part
of the local economy.
During the 19th century facilities in Plymouth slowly improved. The Royal Western
Yacht Club was founded in 1827. The first electric trams appeared in 1899 and
the railway reached Plymouth in 1848. The aquarium was built in 1885 and a museum
opened in Plymouth in 1897. Between 1860 and 1870 a line of forts was built
around Plymouth to guard against the possibility of a French attack.
Plymouth continued to be an important commercial port. In the second half of
the 19th century liners travelling to North America, South Africa, Australia
and New Zealand began calling in at Plymouth. The town became a departure point
for emigrants.
During World War II Plymouth was a prime target for bombing because of the
dockyard, resulting in 59 bombing raids. The city centre was devastated and
1,174 civilians were killed.
Shipmaking at the dockyard ended in 1968 but in 1978 a new fleet maintenance
base was opened. In 1980 a new submarine refit complex was added.
In 1973 ferries began running between Plymouth and France and from 1978 they
ran to Spain. A marina was opened in 1973 at Ocean Quay. Tamar Bridge opened
in 1961 and the motorway reached Plymouth in 1977.
Selection of hotels in this region:
Travelodge Plymouth Central | | Plymouth Hoe Moat House | | Moorland Links Hotel | | Holiday Inn Plymouth | | Grand Hotel | | Boringdon Hall Hotel | | Copthorne Hotel Plymouth | | Copthorne Hotel Plymouth | | Novotel Plymouth | |
Click below for a
full list of hotels and online booking
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