Hms Drake Main Gateway With Gate Pier Arches, Gates, Flanking Walls And Railings

PLYMOUTH

SX4556NW SALTASH ROAD, Devonport 740-1/32/169 (West side) 01/05/75 HMS Drake: Main Gateway with gate-pier arches, gates, flanking walls & railings

GV II

Formerly known as: (HMS Drake) Main Gates to Saltash Road SALTASH ROAD Devonport. Entrance gates, gate-pier arches, flanking walls at main entrance, with railings extending approx 400m to S and SW. 1906-7, Superintendent Engineer possibly Major Monro Wilson, RE. Dressed Plymouth limestone and iron railings. Wide carriageway flanked by 2 pedestrian entrances through 2 Classical style arches plus low curved-plan wall on the right surmounted by iron railings, high wall linked to guardroom block with clocktower on the left. Each round keyed arch has flanking vermiculated pilasters. Dentilled entablature with pulvinated friezes and centre panels surmounted by segmental pediments with richly carved panels and central wreaths with twined anchors. Wrought-iron gates with close-set bars, double top rails and triple lock/bottom rails with scrolled decoration between the 2 bottom rails. Pedestrian gates also have turned decoration between top rails and scrolled tympanae. HISTORY: the main entrance was built as part of the third phase of construction of the barracks, though the design may have been settled in the 1870s when the barracks was begun, since the later buildings are consistent with the earliest. Formed the main entrance to the first navy barracks, now one of the finest and most complete in England, manifesting the importance and status of the Royal Navy at this time. (The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Devon: London: 1989-: 655 & 656).

Listing NGR: SX4505256778