Crosby's Complete Pocket Gazetteer of England and Wales or Traveller's Companion edited by the Reverend John Malham.(1807):
Plymouth is a market town seated between the mouths of the rivers Plym and Tamar, in a bay of the English channel ,called Plymouth Sound, the Plym passing by one side of the town ,as the Tamar does on the other. The mouth of the Plym is called Catwater and the mouth of the Tamar Ham-Ouse or Hamoaze.
Plymouth was apparently called Sutton and seems to have consisted of 2 villages, Sutton Vautort and Sutton Prior and has gradually risen from the condition of an obscure fishing village to be a place of very great consequence, and the largest town in the county. Its port which properly speaking consists of 3 harbours is capable of containing 2000 sail. It is extremely well fortified, being defended by several forts and a strong citadel erected in the reign of Charles II, before the mouth of the harbour. This citadel comprehends at least 4 acres of ground, has 5 regular bastions, contains a large magazine of stores and mounts 15 guns. The Catwater affords a safe and commodious harbour for merchant ships but is seldom entered by ships of war. The 2nd harbour called Sutton Pool, is frequented by merchant ships only and is almost surrounded by the houses of the town. It is, in itself, well calculated to afford compleat protection to such ships as are moored in it and it has lately been further secured by an extensive pier on the West side erected in 1790. The 3rd division of the inlet, Hamoaze is the harbour for the reception of the British Navy; being fitted out with moorings for more than a hundred sail, and having good anchorage for a much greater number. What is called the Dock is a separate town, situated about 2 miles up the Hamoaze, it is now as populous as Plymouth itself. Here are 4 docks, one wet the other three dry, 2 built in the reign of William III and 2 of them in the reign of his present majesty, hewn out of a mine of slate and lined with Portland stone. Plymouth Dock is furnished with large magazines, storehouses etc., containing arms, stores and all things necessary to equip a fleet. There are also spacious and commodious barracks for the marines, with houses for the officers, clerks etc. The Town is well supplied with fresh water, first brought hither from a spring, at a distance of 12 miles, at the sole expense of Sir Francis Drake. The inhabitants are concerned in the pilchard fishery and have a considerable trade to the Streights and to Newfoundland. The corporate body, which was constituted in the reign of Henry VI consists of a mayor,12 aldermen,24 common councilmen a recorder and town clerk. Besides the 2 large churches, here are several meeting houses, likewise a charity school,4 hospitals and a workhouse. The Guildhall has been lately rebuilt and is a spacious structure. The theatre is large and handsome building. Opposite to the town and in the middle of the harbour is a small island called St Nicholas. It is surrounded with rocks and has a strong castle with fortification, with furnaces for heating cannon balls upon it. These fortifications command the entrance into Hamoaze and Catwater. On the opposite shore over against St Nicholas Island stands the citadel nearly surrounded with a deep ditch out of which all the stone used for the works has been procured. The number of inhabitants appears to be nearly 20,000.
Conveyances: A coach sets out every morning for Exeter, Bristol ,Bath and London form the Kings Arm's Plymouth. Also a diligence sets out every morning at 6 o'clock for London Bath Bristol and Portsmouth from the Fountain Inn Plymouth Dock.
Inns : King's Arms, Prince George and Globe..
Use the "Show me" link to locate Plymouth on the map. You may need to scroll down to see Plymouth highlighted.
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| Quotations |
 Chapter 8
I brought her into Plymouth; and here was another instance of luck. We had not been six hours in the Sound, when a gale came on, which lasted four days and nights, and which would have done for poor old Asp in half the time. |
Chapter 8
"My feelings, you see, did not prevent my taking Mrs. Harville and all her family to Plymouth." |
Chapter 12
"Not till the first week in August, when he came home from the Cape -- just made into the Grappler. I was at Plymouth, dreading to hear of him; he sent in letters, but the Grappler was under orders for Portsmouth. There the news must follow him, but who was to tell it? -- not I. I would as soon have been run up to the yard-arm. Nobody could do it, but that good fellow," (pointing to Captain Wentworth). "The Laconia had come into Plymouth the week before; no danger of her being sent to sea again. He stood his chance for the rest -- wrote up for leave of absence; but without waiting the return, travelled night and day till he got to Portsmouth, rowed off to the Grappler that instant, and never left the poor fellow for a week. That's what he did, and nobody else could have saved poor James. You may think, Miss Elliot, whether he is dear to us!" |
Chapter 14
With regard to Captain Wentworth, though Anne hazarded no enquiries, there was voluntary communication sufficient. His spirits had been greatly recovering lately, as might be expected. As Louisa improved, he had improved, and he was now quite a different creature from what he had been the first week. He had not seen Louisa: and was so extremely fearful of any ill consequence to her from an interview, that he did not press for it at all; and, on the contrary, seemed to have a plan of going away for a week or ten days, till her head was stronger. He had talked of going down to Plymouth for a week, and wanted to persuade Captain Benwick to go with him; but, as Charles maintained to the last, Captain Benwick seemed much more disposed to ride over to Kellynch. |
Chapter 18
Instead of staying at Lyme, he went off to Plymouth, and then he went off to see Edward. |
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