Plymstock guidebook

View over Plymstock

To the south of Plymouth city centre, the suburb of Plymstock is actually a collection of small villages: Billacombe, Elburton, Goosewell, Hooe, Mountbatten, Oreston, Pomphlett, Staddiscombe and Turnchapel.

Although these have now melded into one conurbation, each has managed to maintain its own distinctive character.

Turnchapel, in particular, is a pretty waterfront community which still retains its own personality, and at Hooe there is a little-known secluded tidal lake surrounded by woodland rich in wildlife.

Radford Lake and other woodland areas also offer a rural retreat while still being within the city, and Mountbatten, which has historic links to the armed forces and was a former RAF base, has the thriving Mount Batten Centre which specialises in water sports.

Fort Stamford, one of many disused forts circling the city, is now a sports and leisure centre. These forts, known as Palmerston’s Follies, were created by the former prime minister as a defence network but were never called upon.

View to Mountbatten, Plymstock 

Luxury housing developments have been created at Mountbatten and boast magnificent views across Plymouth Sound towards the Hoe.

There's also the proposed redevelopment of a former chalk quarry in Plymstock which will create at least 1,600 new homes.  And Elburton to the east is mainly residential but has a few local shops for basic needs.

Plymstock stretches up to the cliff tops and coastline at Jennycliffe, and at its heart is a bustling pedestrianised shopping precinct, Plymstock Broadway, with a good selection of local independent traders and some national names.
 
A regular water taxi takes passengers across to the Barbican from where it is only a short walk to Plymouth city centre.

Outskirts of Plymstock

Dartmoor National Park 

Just beyond Plymstock are the coastal villages of Wembury, Bovisand and Down Thomas.  Another of Palmerston’s Follies – Fort Bovisand – is now an internationally renowned diving centre.

Close to the more densely populated Wembury is Langdon Court, a well-respected hotel and restaurant which was once the home of Catherine Parr, widow of Henry VIII.

To the north and east of Plymouth is the Dartmoor National Park with its granite-topped tors and breathtakingly beautiful scenery, quaint village communities and wild open spaces for exploring on foot or horseback - or even from the comfort of your car.  

Several of the communities within or on the fringes of Dartmoor are popular with those who hanker after the rural way of life but are prepared to commute into Plymouth for work and business.

They have also become increasingly popular with second home owners, thus driving prices upwards. 

The large village of Yelverton has a busy shopping centre and a strong community spirit.  It is surrounded by smaller villages including Meavy, Crapstone, Buckland Monachorum, Milton Combe, Dousland, Horrabridge, Clearbrook and Shaugh Prior.

There are also working villages at Lee Mor which grew up to provide homes for those working in the china clay industry, and Princeton, much of which is owned by Prince Charles as part of the Duchy of Cornwall.

Princeton is home to the famous Dartmoor prison which was built in the early 19 th century to hold French and American prisoners of war.

Produced in association with Northcliffe newspapers.