DEVONPORT, the most westerly of the three towns, situated at the mouth of the Tamar, is a parliamentary, county and municipal borough, a market and important garrison town, government arsenal, and a Royal Naval port of considerable extent and importance, having stations on the Great Western and London and South Western railways, 1 mile west of Plymouth, half a mile west of Stonehouse, 230 ¾ miles from London, 67 ½ south from Barnstaple, 140 from Bristol, 52 south-west from Crediton, 59 ¼ south-west from Exeter, 17 south from Tavistock and 38 ½ west from Torquay; it is bounded on the west and south by the harbour of Hamoaze (formed by the confluence of the rivers Tamar and Lynher), an anchorage sufficiently capacious to moor in safety the entire British navy. The town is of modern date, having originated with and sprung up around the Royal Dockyard, begun under the auspices of King William III. soon after the Revolution in 1688: the yard was first, and for many years, called the Plymouth Yard, and the town Plymouth Dock; but in 1820 the name of the town was changed by royal charter to Devonport.

The town of Devonport consists of the “old town,” inclosed by fortified lines on the north and east, and Stoke Damerel, now forming a northern suburb, and including Morice Town, a populous district adjoining Keyham steam yard. Houses began to be erected here about 1700, and by 1733 there was a population of 3,361; by 1783 it equalled that of Plymouth, and in 1800 had largely exceeded it; but the later commercial activity of Plymouth has enabled that town to re-assert its former superiority.

The main road from Plymouth to Cornwall passes through Devonport, and the traffic is continued across the Hamoaze by a steam floating bridge, which crosses every half-hour from 7 a.m.. to 9 p.m. from the beach at Morice Town to Torpoint, in Cornwall.

Devonport is connected with Stonehouse by a bridge crossing Stonehouse pool to Edgcumbe street, Stonehouse, and thence directly through Union street to Plymouth.

Steamers leave the quay at the end of Cornwall street, Devonport, for Saltash, every hour; and other steamers ply daily to various towns and places up the river Tamar, and to St. German’s. During the summer months several of the river steamers make daily trips up the Tamar to the Weir Head, some 30 miles from Devonport, a route affording picturesque and charming river excursions.

The town was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1837, and by the Reform Act of 1832 was formed, together with the township of Stonehouse, into a parliamentary borough, returning two members. The “Local Government Act, 1858” (21 and 22 Vict. c. 98), was adopted here 11th May, 1866. In the municipal borough there were twelve wards, the first five within the “lines.” The extension of the borough by the inclusion of part of St. Budeaux under the “Devonport Extension Act, 1898,” the number of wards was made fifteen. The Corporation consists of a mayor, fifteen aldermen, forty-five councillors, a town clerk, recorder and other officers. Devonport is now a parish, absorbing the old parish of Stoke Damerel. Under the provisions of the “Local Government Act, 1888,” Devonport has been constituted a county of itself; the Corporation acting as the county council, for certain purposes defined by the Act. It has a commission of the peace and a separate court of quarter sessions and a borough police force. The control of the streets and sewerage is now intrusted to the Town Council as the Urban Sanitary Authority.

The churches within the fortifications or town proper of Devonport are as follows: —

The consolidated chapelry of St. Aubyn was formed December 5th, 1882, out of Stoke Damerel and St. Paul’s, Devonport. St. Aubyn’s church, in Chapel street, erected in 1771 as a proprietary chapel at a cost of £7,000, is a building of stone, in the Classic style, consisting of nave, aisles, west porch and a tower containing a clock and one bell: a new chancel was erected in 1885, at a cost of £863: there are 800 sittings. The register dates from the year 1883. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £222, with residence, in the gift of the rector of Stoke Damerel, and held since 1896 by the Rev. Hugh Robert Coulthard M.A. of Christ’s College, Cambridge.

The church of St. John the Baptist, in Duke street, erected in 1797, at a cost of about £8,000, and until 1887 a proprietary chapel, is a plain building of stone, with sittings for about 1,150 persons. The register dates from the year 1887. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £234, in the gift of trustees, and held since 1875 by the Rev. Richard Mildren M.A. of Clare College, Cambridge.

St. Mary’s is an ecclesiastical parish, formed September 22nd, 1846, from the civil parish of Stoke Damerel; the church, in James street, is a building of stone, in the Middle Pointed style, erected in 1850, from the designs of Mr. J. Piers St. Aubyn, at a cost of £10,000, and consists of chancel, nave, aisles, south porch and a tower with spire, at the south-west angle, 150 feet in height, and containing one bell; the nave is separated from the aisles by an arcade, supported on shafts of black marble from the Levant; the west window is a memorial to the Rev. Alfred Swain, second vicar of this church: there are 600 sittings. The register dates from the year 1851. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £295, with residence, in the gift of the Crown and the Bishop of Exeter alternately, and held since 1879 by the Rev. William Henry Allin B.D. of Durham University, and surrogate.

St. Paul’s is an ecclesiastical parish, formed September 22nd, 1846, from the civil parish of Stoke Damerel; the church, on the east side of Morice square, is a building of stone, in the Middle Pointed style, consisting of chancel, nave and aisles and a tower containing one bell: the chancel comprises two bays, and is separated from the aisles by a low screen; there are 500 sittings. The register dates from the year 1851. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £310, with residence, in the gift of trustees, and held since 1890 by the Rev. Andrew John Hamlyn, who is also a surrogate. A mission chapel for this parish was erected in 1883, at a cost of £600.

St. Stephen’s is an ecclesiastical parish, formed September 22, 1846, from the civil parish of Stoke Damerel: the church, situated in George street, and erected in 1852, is a building of stone in the Middle Pointed style, erected from the designs of Mr. J. Piers St. Aubyn, architect, and consists of chancel, nave, aisles, and a central tower with lofty spire containing one bell: there are 380 sittings. The register dates from the year 1851. The living is a vicarage, net yearly-value £252, in the gift of the Warden and Council of Keble College, Oxford, and held since 1896 by the Rev. Arthur Gordon Bury Stallard M.A. of Exeter College, Oxford.

The Catholic church, in James street, dedicated to SS. Michael and Joseph, and erected in 1860—1, from the designs of J. Hansom esq. is a building in the Early Gothic style, with sittings for 500 persons. This church is attended by the Catholic soldiers of the garrison; there are also large schools adjoining the church.

A Catholic service is also held on board H.M.S. “Monmouth” in the Hamoaze.

There is a Baptist chapel in Fore street with 500 sittings, and others in Morice square and Pembroke street; the Congregational chapel in Princes street, Ope, affords 850 sittings. The Bible Christian chapel in King street has 400 sittings. The Moravian chapel in James street, opened May 19, 1771, is the oldest chapel in Devonport, and will seat 200 persons. Christ Church Unitarian chapel, in Duke street, erected in 1864 at a cost of £2,000, has stained windows and 450 sittings; there is a Wesleyan Methodist chapel in Morice street with 800 sittings and one in Ker street, built in 1823—4, at a cost of £2,000.

The Town Hall, in Ker street, in an elevated part of the town, and built in 1822, at a cost of about £3,000, is an edifice of the Grecian Doric order, erected in imitation of the Parthenon at Athens; it contains a magistrates’ court, council chamber, police station and committee rooms.

The Corporation insignia consists of a mace, mayor’s chain with badge, and a common seal. The silver-gilt mace, presented to the borough in November, 1837, on its incorporation, by Sir John St. Aubyn bart. lord of the manor of Stoke Damerel, is of the usual form, the head being divided by winged figures into compartments, enriched with the national badges; the mayor’s chain, presented by Edward St. Aubyn esq. first mayor of Devonport, 1837—8, and mayor, 1849—50, is of gold, and consists of seven large open roses, connected by links; the pendent badge consists of a gold medal, with, on the obverse, a figure of Neptune in a car, drawn by sea-horses, and on the reverse an inscription; another round the Tim records its presentation by the family of the late Jonathan Ramsey esq. 24 August, 1864. The seal is simply an embossing stamp with the town arms and legend; the mayor wears a robe of scarlet cloth.

The Post Office, at the east end of Fore street, was built in 1849, from designs by Mr. G. Wightwick, and cost about £2,000.

Devonport is mainly dependent for its rapid growth and present prosperity on the two great Government Dockyards, known as the Royal Devonport Dockyard and the Keyham Steam yard, in which it is estimated that over 9,000 persons are employed.

The Devonport New Quays, on Stonehouse pool, at the entrance of the Hamoaze, were completed at a cost of between £70,000 and £80,000, and opened for traffic in February, 1886, in connection with the London and South Western railway. They have a depth of water of 18 feet at ordinary low spring tides, which increases a few feet out to 60 feet. Immediately adjacent to the quays is ample space for the storage of corn, coals and general merchandise. The advantages of the port of Plymouth are now fully recognized by the various ocean steam ship companies for the embarkation and landing of passengers, mails and specie &c. and by a short branch railway these quays, distinct from Millbay, are connected with the London and South Western railway system, thus establishing direct communication with London and all parts of the United Kingdom without transfer or break of gauge.

The Market house, in the centre of the town, with approaches and entrances in Cumberland street, Duke street, Market street and Catherine street, is a spacious building, erected in 1852, from designs by J. Piers St. Aubyn esq. architect, at the cost of the trustees of the manor, and has a clock tower 124 feet in height, containing a clock with four dials and one bell; it is now the property of Lord St. Levan, to whom the market tolls belong. The market days are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

The early closing day is on Wednesday, at 2 p.m.

There are two or three small breweries, also saw mills and a bonded warehouse, and an extensive business is done in the supply of stores to ships.

The Coal Association, for the import and supply of coals, is a co-operative society.

Near the Towm Hall, in the highest part of the town, is the Devonport Column, a pillar of granite of the Doric order, 125 feet in height, built in 1824, at a cost of about £2,750, in commemoration of the re-naming of the town by George IV.; an extensive view may be obtained from the summit.

The Royal Albert Hospital and Eye Infirmary, at the end of Marlborough street, is a fine building of stone in the Early English style, erected in 1861, at a cost of about £13,000: it contains lofty and spacious apartments and 101 beds, 52 of which are supported by voluntary contributions; a provident dispensary and lock wards are attached to the building: the average number of inpatients is 270, and of out-patients, 1,512.

The Female Orphan Asylum, Morice square, is intended for such orphan daughters of workmen in the Royal Dockyard as have been left unprovided for: it is supported by the monthly subscriptions of the men, and by donations from the officers and others.

The Free Public Library, Duke street, opened February 6th, 1882, contains about 12,000 volumes: there is a museum attached, containing a collection of minerals, presented by Lord St. Levan. A private School of Art is conducted here by Henry R. Babb.

There is also a Sailors’ Home in Duke street.

The grounds immediately adjoining the fortifications of the town, and between it and Stoke and Morice Town, belong to the Government, and cannot be built upon, thus securing to the inhabitants of Devonport the advantage of open country around the town and some pleasant walks. The fortifications and barriers, with drawbridges and a moat, were commenced in the reign of George II.

Devonport Park, formed in 1858, and consisting of about 37 acres, between Devonport and Stoke Damerel, is a fine recreation ground and promenade and commands an extensive view of the surrounding scenery; at the south entrance is a picturesque half-timbered lodge, and opposite to it a terra-cotta fountain, erected in memory of Sir Charles Napier K.C.B., rear-admiral R.N. who died 5th November, 1860.

A regatta, under royal patronage, is held at Devonport, generally in the month of August, and attracts a great many spectators. Boats ply for hire from the steps at Mount Wise, Mutton Cove, North Comer (Cornwall street) and New Passage.

Devonport is almost exclusively the property of Lord St. Levan, who is lord of the manor. Mr. Edward St. Aubyn J.P. is the estate steward.

The population in 1891 was-of the municipal borough 54,848; and of the parliamentary borough 70,204, and in 1901 was 69,675 municipal, and 78,059 parliamentary. The population of the ecclesiastical parishes in 1891 was:-St. Aubyn, 2,622; St. John the Baptist, 4,197; St. Mary, 5,087; St. Paul, 6,010; St. Stephen, 2,899.

The number of electors on the parliamentary register in 1901 was 8,860.

The area of the parish of Devonport is 3,152 acres of land, 27 of water, 353 of tidal water and 253 of foreshore; rateable value, £262,257.