
Plymouth Maritime History Timeline
Year | Event | Monarch | War |
c. 2500BC | Bronze age settlement at the head of Sutton Pool | ||
c. 450BC | Iron age settlements on Mount Batten | ||
60 | Roman fort built at Calstock | ||
120 | Roman fort at Calstock no longer in use | ||
9th C | Plymouth known as Tamarworth, 'the island of the Tamar' | ||
877 | Viking fleet wrecked on Mount Batten | ||
The town of Sutton or 'Sudtone' established | |||
997 | Vikings venture up the river Tamar as far as 'Liddyford' (Lydford) | ||
11th C | Plymouth develops as a fishing village | ||
1066 | Norman invasion of England | William I | |
1154 | Henry II | ||
1189 | Richard I | ||
1199 | John | ||
1211 | The name 'Plym Mouth' first used, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls | ||
1216 | Henry III | ||
1254 | Charter granted to Plymouth to be a market town | ||
1272 | Edward I | ||
1307 | Edward II | ||
1327 | Edward III | ||
1337 | Start of the Hundred Years War | Hundred Years War | |
1339 | French fleet of 18 galleys and pinnaces attacks and burns houses in Plymouth | ||
1347 | Start of the Black Death pandemic | ||
1348 | Edward, Prince of Wales, makes Plymouth his headquarters for his campaign against France | ||
1362 | The first wreck recorded in Plymouth, the Tarrit | ||
1377 | Plymouth attacked and burnt by the French | Richard II | |
1399 | Henry IV | ||
1400 | Plymouth attacked and burnt by the French | ||
1403 | Plymouth attacked and burnt by the French, led by Sieur du Chastel of St Malo | ||
1413 | Henry V |
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1422 | Henry VI | ||
1453 | End of the Hundred Years War | Hundred Years War | |
1461 | Edward IV | ||
1470 | Henry VI | ||
1471 | Edward IV | ||
1483 | Edward V | ||
1483 | Richard III | ||
1485 | Henry VII | ||
1488 | Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias round the Cape of Good Hope | ||
1492 | Colombus rediscovers the Americas for Spain | ||
1497 | Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama sails to India | ||
1509 | Henry VIII | ||
1519 | Ferdinand Magellan's expedition leaves to complete the first circumnavigation of the Earth | ||
1537 | Defences of Plymouth increased by the order of Henry VIII, including Fishers Nose, the Artillery Tower and St Nicholas Is. | ||
1540 | Francis Drake born at Tavistock | ||
1540 (c) | The Cattewater Wreck sunk in the Cattewater | ||
1547 | Edward VI | ||
1553 | Mary I | ||
1558 | Elizabeth I | ||
1577 | Start of Drake's expedition to the Pacific coast of the Americas | ||
1585 | Start of the Anglo-Spanish War | Anglo-Spanish War | |
1588 | Spanish Armada passes Plymouth | ||
1598 | Building work completed building a Fort above the Barbican | ||
1600 | English East India Company founded | ||
1602 | Dutch East India Company (VOC) founded | ||
1603 | James I | ||
1604 | End of the Anglo-Spanish War | Anglo-Spanish War | |
1616 | Danish East India Company founded | ||
1620 | The Mayflower leaves Plymouth for America | ||
1625 | Charles I | ||
1628 | Portuguese East India Company founded | ||
1637 | English East Indiaman Palsgrave lost on Drake's Island | ||
1642 | Start of the English Civil War | ||
1643 | First attack on Plymouth by the Royalist army from Cornwall in the English Civil War | English Civil War | |
1646 | Siege of Plymouth lifted | ||
1649 | Execution of Charles I | ||
1651 | End of the English Civil War | English Civil War | |
1652 | Start of the First Anglo-Dutch War | Anglo-Dutch War | |
1653 | Oliver Cromwell | ||
1654 | End of the First Anglo-Dutch War | Anglo-Dutch War | |
1654 | Start of the Anglo-Spanish War | Anglo-Spanish War | |
1658 | Richard Cromwell | ||
1660 | End of the Anglo-Spanish War | Anglo-Spanish War | |
1660 | Charles II reclaims the throne of England | Charles II | |
1665 | The Great Plague of London | ||
1665 | Start of the Second Anglo-Dutch War | Anglo-Dutch War | |
1665 | Building of the Citadel begins on the Hoe | ||
1667 | End of the Anglo-Dutch War | Anglo-Dutch War | |
1671 | King Charles II inspects the Citadel | ||
1672 | Start of the Third Anglo-Dutch War | Anglo-Dutch War | |
1674 | End of the Third Anglo-Dutch War | Anglo-Dutch War | |
1685 | James II | ||
1688 | William, Prince of Orange, lands at Brixham and his fleet is welcomed into Plymouth Sound | ||
1688 | Start of the Nine Years War | Nine Years War | |
1689 | William III | ||
1689 | HMS Henrietta and HMS Centurion wrecked on Mount Batten | ||
1689 | Devonport selected as the major base for the Royal Navy in the south-west | ||
1691 | HMS Coronation wrecked off Penlee Point and HMS Harwich sunk in the Barn Pool | ||
1697 | End of the Nine Years War | Nine Years War | |
1699 | Winstanley completes the first Eddystone lighthouse | ||
1702 | Start of the War of the Spanish Succession | Queen Anne | Spanish Succession |
1703 | The Great Storm | ||
1703 | Eddystone lighthouse destroyed in the Great Storm, along with Winstanley | ||
1707 | Kingdom of Great Britain formed | ||
1713 | End of the War of the Spanish Succession | Spanish Succession | |
1714 | George I | ||
1717 | Start of the War of the Quadruple Alliance | Quadruple Alliance | |
1720 | End of the War of the Quadruple Alliance | Quadruple Alliance | |
1721 | VOC ship Aagtekerke wrecked in Bovisand Bay | ||
1725 | VOC ship Astrea wrecked in Plymouth Sound | ||
1727 | George II | ||
1736 | Jonathan Hulls patents a steam towboat in Gloucestershire | ||
1740 | Start of the War of Austrian Succession | Austrian Succession | |
1744 | HMS Victory foundered in the Channel | ||
1748 | End of the War of Austrian Succession | Austrian Succession | |
1754 | Start of the Seven Years War | Seven Years War | |
1755 | Rudyerd's Eddystone lighthouse destroyed by fire | ||
1758 | The turnpike road from London to Plymouth is completed | ||
1759 | Smeaton's stone lighthouse completed on the Eddystone | ||
1760 | HMS Conqueror wrecked on Drakes Island | George III | |
1762 | A third dry dock, the North Dock, was built in the dockyard | ||
1763 | End of the Seven Years War | Seven Years War | |
1771 | Iron knees stared to be fitted to wooden ships | ||
1773 | The first bridge was built over Stonehouse Creek linking Plymouth with Plymouth Dock | ||
1774 | Mr Day and the Maria make a one-way trip to the bottom of Drake Channel | ||
1774 | The roundhouse of HMS Kent was blown up whilst at anchor in the Sound | ||
1775 | Start of the American War of Independence | American War of Independence | |
1779 | A combined Franco-Spanish fleet of 60 ships arrives in Cawsand Bay but left without firing a shot | ||
1781 | HMS Echo wrecked in the Cattewater | ||
1783 | End of the American War of Independence | American War of Independence | |
1786 | Die Frau Metta Catharina von Flensburg sunk in the Barnpool | ||
1788 | First plan to build a breakwater across Plymouth Sound proposed by William Smith | ||
1789 | French Revolution | ||
1791 | The ferry from Plymouth Dock to Torpoint began operating | ||
1792 | Start of the French Revolutionary Wars | Revolutionary Wars | |
1793 | Coates family begin distilling Plymouth Gin in the former Black Friars monastery | ||
1795 | Marshland at Laira was drained and Embankment Road built | ||
1796 | HMS Amphion blew up in the Hamoaze | ||
1796 | English East Indiaman Dutton wrecked on the Hoe | ||
1798 | HMS Pallas wrecked in Jennycliff Bay | ||
1800 | Dutch East India Company (VOC) dissolved | ||
1802 | End of the French Revolutionary Wars | Revolutionary Wars | |
1802 | The first working paddle steam ship Charlotte Dundas tested on the Clyde canal | ||
1803 | Start of the Napoleonic Wars | Napoleonic Wars | |
1804 | HMS Fearless wrecked on Redding Point | ||
1807 | The first commercial steamboat, the Clermont, launched | ||
1808 | HMS Crane wrecked on the Hoe | ||
1811 | HMS Amethyst wrecked in Jennycliff Bay | ||
1812 | Start of the War of 1812 | War of 1812 | |
1812 | Building of the Breakwater started by John Rennie | ||
1812 | The prize Arrow taken to Plymouth and made into HMS Whiting | ||
1813 | HMS Captain burnt at her moorings in the Hamoaze | ||
1814 | The Demologos, the first steam powered warship launched | ||
1815 | End of the Napoleonic Wars, Battle of Waterloo | Napoleonic Wars | |
1815 | End of the War of 1812 | War of 1812 | |
1815 | The Thames steam boat arrives in Plymouth on its way to London, 'rapidly gliding on without masts or sails' | ||
1817 | HMS Jasper and HMS Telegraph were wrecked in the Sound | ||
1819 | The Vulcan passenger barge launched, the first all iron hulled ship | ||
1819 | Paddle steamer Savannah crosses the Atlantic | ||
1820 | George IV | ||
1821 | The Aaron Manby launched, the first steamship to be built of iron | ||
1823 | Plymouth Dock changes its name to Devonport | ||
1824 | Work on the Victualling Yard at Stonehouse was started | ||
1827 | Laira Bridge was opened | ||
1830 | William IV | ||
1833 | The Royal Navy starts experimenting with steam engines in its ships | ||
1835 | Building work on the Victualling Yard was completed at a cost of £700,000 | ||
1837 | Victoria | ||
1843 | Brunel's Great Britain launched, the first ocean going propeller driven iron ship | ||
1844 | The Breakwater was completed, using 3,500,000 tons of stone and rubble | ||
1845 | Work started building Fort Bovisand, designed to mount twelve 18 pounder guns | ||
1852 | The brig Ocean Queen wrecked on the Mewstone | ||
1853 | Start of the Crimean War | Crimean War | |
1854 | Paddlesteamer Ajax wrecked on the Mewstone Ledge | ||
1856 | End of the Crimean War | Crimean War | |
1859 | The first ocean going ironclad battleship Gloire launched | ||
1867 | Work started building the Breakwater fort on the stump of Shovel Rock | ||
1874 | English East India Company dissolved | ||
1877 | Steamship Rothesay wrecked on the Mewstone | ||
1878 | Work starts on Mount Batten Breakwater in April | ||
1884 | The Promenade Pier built on the Hoe | ||
1888 | Steam ship Constance wrecked on the Shagstone | ||
1890 | Steam tug Lucy rammed and sunk in Jennycliff Bay | ||
1901 | Edward VII | ||
1905 | Submarine A8 sinks off the Knap Buoy and was successfully salvaged | ||
1910 | George V | ||
1912 | Vectis wrecked on Andurn Point, south of Bovisand Bay | ||
1912 | The Selandia, the first diesel powered ocean going ship was launched | ||
1913 | Hopper Barge #42 wrecked twice on the Breakwater | ||
1914 | The three towns of Plymouth, Stonehouse and Devonport incorporated into the County Borough of Plymouth | ||
1914 | HM Submarine A7 founders off Rame Head | ||
1914 | Start of the First World War | World War I | |
1916 | Armed trawler Abelard lost on the Breakwater | ||
1917 | SS Rosehill sunk by UB40 in Whitsand Bay | ||
1917 | HMS Foyle sunk under tow after hitting a mine | ||
1918 | The end of the First World War | World War I | |
1934 | Steam Trawler Chancellor wrecked in Whitsand Bay | ||
1936 | Edward VIII | ||
1936 | George VI | ||
1939 | The start of the Second World War | World War II | |
1940 | Poulmic sunk by a mine off the breakwater | ||
1940 | HMT Elk sunk by a mine south of the breakwater | ||
1940 | MFV Encourage sunk by a mine south of the breakwater | ||
1940 | Armed trawler Kingston Alalite sunk in Plymouth Sound | ||
1941 | Armed trawler Asama lost in Plymouth Sound | ||
1942 | Sunderland flying boat W6054 lost in the Sound | ||
1942 | Messerschmitt ME109 crashed in Cawsand Bay | ||
1943 | Lancaster bomber ED450 crashed onto the Breakwater | ||
1944 | Sunderland flying boat DD852 wrecked in Jennycliff Bay | ||
1945 | Liberty ship SS James Eagan Layne sunk in Whitsand Bay | ||
1945 | SS Persier sunk in Bigbury Bay | ||
1945 | The end of the Second World War | World War II | |
1952 | Elizabeth II | ||
1953 | The British Sub-Aqua Club formed | ||
1964 | The paddle steamer Totnes Castle foundered in Bigbury Bay | ||
1967 | Coronation Inshore site found by Terry Harrison, Alan Down and George Sandford | ||
1967 | Terence Lamb discovered the Millbay Cannon site | ||
1968 | Ramscliff Cannon site found | ||
1969 | The S.S. Persier was discovered | ||
1969 | Mewstone Ledge cannon site discovered by Richard Middlewood | ||
1970 | Plymouth Ocean Projects take over Fort Bovisand and open a diving centre | ||
1970 | Glen Strathallan scuttled off the Shagstone | ||
1970 | HMS Foyle first dived by Kingston BSAC | ||
1973 | The Metta Catharina was found in the Barn Pool by Plymouth Sound BSAC | ||
1977 | Coronation Offshore site discovered by Peter McBride | ||
1981 | HMT Elk first located and dived | ||
1982 | The brig Taxiarchos found by Dave Peake | ||
1984 | The Fylrix capsised and sank in Jennycliff Bay | ||
1994 | Paddle steamer Totnes Castle rediscovered | ||
1995 | Plymouth Maritime Archaeological Interest Group (PMARIG) formed | ||
1995 | Pilot cutter Tavy scuttled off the Breakwater Fort by PMARIG | ||
1996 | Trawler Viking Princess foundered off Hilsea Point | ||
1999 | Sean McTierney and John Coyne form the Underwater Archaeological Club in Plymouth | ||
2004 | HMS Scylla scuttled off Whitsand Bay by Plymouth Marine Aquarium | ||
2006 | Totnes BSAC adopt the S.S.Rosehill under the NAS Adopt a Wreck scheme | ||
2006 | Metta Catharina project by Plymouth Sound BSAC completed | ||
2008 | BATSAC adopt the Liberty ship S.S. James Eagan Layne | ||
2009 | The SHIPS Project started | ||
2011 | Aquanauts adopt the Glen Strathallan and the Oregon | ||
2011 | The SHIPS Project adopt the wreck of the Poulmic | ||
2012 | Plymouth Diving Centre adopt the Mewstone Ledge site and the Totnes Castle |
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