Born out of the sea 400 million years ago Drake’s Island has been a place of pilgrimage, a refuge, a fort, a prison, an observatory and an adventure centre. The fortifications have defended Plymouth from the time of the Spanish Armada to the World Wars. It has been the starting point for the voyages of discovery of some of the greatest of our explorers, Drake, Cook and Darwin. Still a place of mystery and rumour follow in the footsteps of Drake discovering Drake’s Island and the lives of those that lived there.
LATEST POSTS
THE 1850’s AND THE CRIMEAN WAR
After the botched attempt to diversify into brandy smuggling and national scandal involving Lieutenant Harris, Captain...
A NATIONAL SCANDAL – THE COURT MARTIAL OF LIEUTENANT HARRIS AND LIBEL OF CAPTAIN HORT
A national scandal involving allegations of bullying and counter accusations of libel and slander on Drake’s Island...
THE SMUGGLING AT DRAKE’S ISLAND IN 1850 – EXTENSIVE SEIZURE OF CONTRABAND SPIRITS – CUNNING PLOT FOILED
1850 saw a cunning plot developed to smuggle a ship load of Brandy onto the Island. It was widely reported at the time...