Devonport Dockyard Police Museum

Situated at the mouth of the River Tamar

Plymouth has been used as a naval base since the days of Edward I and his wars with France and the port was vital in the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. Devonport Dockyard, originally known as Plymouth Dock, on the Hamoaze (the name for part of the River Tamar), is the largest Naval dockyard in Western Europe and dates from 1693 when a wet and dry dock was built, followed by the construction of workshops, stores, and more docks.

Eventually some 54 acres formed the area known as South Yard. The dockyard was extended over the years with the addition of Morice Yard which provided ordnance, powder and shot to the fleet, and in 1844, by the Steam Yard. From 1700 a new town had been built around the dockyard and in 1824 it broke free from its older neighbour to become Devonport.

Most of the dockyard is now in private hands as a commercial enterprise and the remainder, occupied by the Royal Navy, is known as the Plymouth Naval Base.

Uniform of the Royal Dockyard Battalion

formed to defend the Dockyard

in the Mid 19th Century.

I am a volunteer at the Ministry Of Defence Police Museum situated at HM Naval base Devonport, Plymouth. We have a large number of artefacts and exhibits ranging from Victoriana to modern times. Also, a Metropolitan Police section is on display showing their past role in policing the royal dockyards. The volunteers are at the museum on Wednesdays, between 10am to 2pm. If you are in Devon and would like to visit us, please contact me with at least a weeks notice. – Thanks, Len.