Coordinates: 50°22′21″N 4°10′22″W / 50.3725°N 4.172778°W
| Devonport | |
 Devonport skyline |
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Devonport
Devonport shown within Devon |
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| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| Unitary authority | Plymouth |
| Ceremonial county | Devon |
| Region | South West |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | PLYMOUTH |
| Postcode district | PL1 |
| Dialling code | 01752 |
| Police | Devon and Cornwall |
| Fire | Devon and Somerset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| List of places: UK • England • Devon | |
Devonport, formerly named Plymouth Dock or just Dock[1], is a district of Plymouth in the English county of Devon, although it was, at one time, the more important settlement. It became a county borough in 1889. Devonport was originally one of the "Three Towns" (along with Plymouth and East Stonehouse) which were merged in 1914 to form what would later become, in 1928, the City of Plymouth. It is represented in the Parliament of the United Kingdom as part of the Plymouth Devonport constituency, which also covers much of north Plymouth. Its elected Member of Parliament (MP) is Alison Seabeck, who is affiliated with the Labour Party.
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Devonport has its own shopping street, a railway station, a swimming pool, a park and a sports ground, Brickfields, the city's Rugby Union football club near Plymouth 'City College' which is a college of further education.
Parkside Community College, which closed in August 2008 due to falling pupil numbers, is situated near Devonport Park.[2] The Torpoint Ferry service across the Hamoaze (River Tamar) operates from Devonport to Cornwall.
Devonport Naval base/Dockyard has, over the years, been given the nickname 'Guz' by naval ratings. This name is derived from guz, an obsolete unit of length used in parts of Asia: it is a regionally variable measurement, corresponding culturally to the yard, so: 'Guz' = Yard (Dockyard).
During the millennium decade Devonport received government NDC (New Deals for Communities) funding of £48.7 million - enabling an extensive Regeneration programme to be carried out. The results, at time of writing, 2009, have begun to transform Devonport - physically, socially, demographically. Where once the area was run-down, depressed, and classified as ‘deprived’ in so many categories, the 21st century Devonport is beginning to achieve the city’s vision of … “The recreation of Devonport as a distinct place in modern Plymouth; a vibrant self sustaining community; a place of real quality, variety and interest, the pride of residents, attractive to visitors and a model of 21st Century living, working and playing.”
The release by the Admiralty of several land plots in Devonport has assisted the Regeneration project. One exciting ex MoD area, currently at the planning stage of redevelopment, is the Admiralty House site at Mount Wise, it promises to be a stunning contribution to the ‘new’ Devonport. Although there are pockets of regeneration work remaining to be completed, the waterfront district of Devonport will shortly be one of the best places to live in the city of Plymouth.[3]
Plymouth Dock, as it was originally called, began to develop around the naval dockyards in the 18th century. By 1823 it was larger than Plymouth and the residents resented the fact that its name made it sound like an adjunct of the smaller town, so they petitioned King George IV asking that it be renamed.[4] The King accepted their suggestion of "Devonport", and to celebrate the residents built a column next to the recently-completed town hall; both were designed by John Foulston.[1] Devonport was first incorporated as a municipal borough in 1837 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835. It further became a county borough under the Local Government Act 1888.
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