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Drake's Island is a fortified defensive structure located in Plymouth Sound, Devon, constructed primarily during the 16th century as part of England's coastal defences against invasion. The fort was substantially developed under the Tudor and Stuart periods, with significant works undertaken in the 1660s following the Restoration, when it was rebuilt and strengthened to protect Plymouth Harbour and the surrounding coastline. The island features bastioned fortification design typical of early modern military architecture, with gun emplacements positioned to command approaches to the sound. The site served an active military function through subsequent centuries and remains an important example of post-medieval coastal defence engineering, reflecting the strategic importance placed upon protecting England's southwestern maritime approaches during a period of significant naval and political tension.
The coastal fortifications of Drake's Island is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1010910. View the official record →
Drake's Island is a fortified defensive structure located in Plymouth Sound, Devon, constructed primarily during the 16th century as part of England's coastal defences against invasion. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1010910.
The coastal fortifications of Drake's Island is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1010910.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Breakwater fort (2.4 km), Fort Bovisand (2.9 km), Staddon Heights Defences including Fort Staddon Fort, Brownhill Battery, Watch House Battery, Staddon Heights Battery, Staddon Battery and associated features and structures (3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of The coastal fortifications of Drake's Island's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
The coastal fortifications of Drake's Island stands on Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Devonian. The rock here is limestone, mudstone and calcareous mudstone.