Tom Baker drops anchor at HMNB Devonport to visit a nearby collection dedicated to the distinguished maritime history of Plymouth, and the wider Royal Navy
For more than 300 years, Devonport Royal Naval Dockyard, latterly His Majesty’s Naval Base, nestled on the west side of the city of Plymouth, has served as a bastion of Royal Navy strength. As the largest naval base in Western Europe, the site has been integral to the repair and maintenance of warships and has served as a homeport for many of the Royal Navy’s principal flotillas.
During this period as a drydock and maritime base, a vast collection of artefacts has been accumulated by officers, seamen and civilians alike. By 1969, the Grade II listed former dockyard fire station was given over to housing this collection, following an appeal by the office of the Admiralsuperintendent for a site to display items of interest related to the story of the Royal Navy at Plymouth.
