Rear Retaining Wall Extending Approximately 400 Metres, Royal William Victualling Yard

SX 4653 740-1/66/750

PLYMOUTH CREMYLL STREET, Stonehouse Rear retaining wall extending approx. 400m, Royal William Victualling Yard

GV II*

Retaining wall, mason's yard, coal stores and archway. c1827-1831, by Sir John Rennie Jnr, for the Victualling Board. Limestone rubble and ashlar dressings, granite ashlar arch. Wall extends approx. 400 metres E from the SW corner of the site returning to meet the Dockyard wall ( qv), forming the perimeter of site, with coal stores and archway set in the base. EXTERIOR: a high, battered retaining wall with the top 3 metre section forming the S perimeter wall, built from stone excavated from the site, has lacing courses and a plain coping. Includes 4 round-arched coal store entrances set within matching relieving arches, with double doors. Behind the Old Cooperage, a rubble dogleg wall extends out from the retaining wall and ramps down to an ashlar pier, formerly enclosing the mason's yard. INTERIOR: of coal stores not inspected. HISTORY: the wall forms the impressive backdrop to the victualling buildings, and indicates the impressive scale of the undertaking. The Yard is one of the most remarkable and complete early C19 industrial complexes in the country, and a unique English example of Neo-Classical planning of a state manufacturing site. (Sources: Keystone Historic Buildings Consultants: The Royal William Victualling Yard, Stonehouse: 1994: 75).

Listing NGR: SX4618053488