Plympton Pathfields Gallery

Today, with the Castle mound dominating the centre of the aerial picture, the main street of ancient Plympton St. Maurice, or 'Plympton Earle' as it was known, has hardly changed for hundreds of years. To the north west are the Pathfields, the 'hayes' or grazing for cattle under the protectorate of the Castle. The medieval field system, unchanged since early records began, is now under threat from the bulldozer and profit seeking developers. Plympton has a recorded documentary history of 1,000 years, it's first mention in a Royal land deed in the year 904. But Plympton's history goes back much further. In direct line of sight to the north west is the ancient Celtic settlement of Borringdon Camp, an earthwork fortress. The two complimentary fortified settlements would have dominated the surrounding valley and countryside. Known historically as Plympton Earle, the settlement occupied a dwelling place and stronghold high in the sheltered valley between the south and north valley ridges. The tidal estuary of the River Plym, some 2 miles west, once reached up as far as Plympton. In Medieval times almost washing the walls of the castle it is claimed. Excavations have revealed boat moorings and sea shells along the now long lost course of the waterway. The name 'Plympton' is Saxon in origin though it's meaning has had several theories and has been recorded amongst others as Plemton, Plintona, Pleimton, Plumtreeton, Pilimton, it may be that the prefix to the Saxon 'ton' (meaning a place surrounded or fortified by a hedge) of Plym was in fact the name of a noteworthy local family. We will probably never know for certain.

View east from the Castle

Plympton St.Maurice from the Castle

This photograph taken from the ruined walls of the Norman castle fortification shows Plympton St. Maurice looking south east over the rooftops and towards housing built later this century. The Norman / Early English Church which dates back to before 1300 occupies a position on part of the east Castle plain beyond the Castle ditch.

The almost intact earthwork mound of the Castle is thought to be post-Roman but pre-Norman. It's strategic location could have been the site of an original Roman encampment or enclosure. Following the Norman Conquest after 1066, the Norman feudal system of landed lords and the land working serfs became deeply entrenched in medieval society. Making use of existing features, it is likely that the Normans built their stone fortified Castle or 'shell keep' on top of the present mound, replacing a wooden palisade.

The first siege of the Castle took place in 1136 when 200 knights of King Stephen put down a rebellion against Baldwin de Redvers who had control of Plympton Castle from his castle at Exeter. A second siege took place in 1224 and the oldest pictorial representation of the Castle dates from the 14th century. During the English Civil War between the Roundheads and Cavaliers, the Castle was occupied by Royalist troops between 1642-46 until they took flight to Cornwall at the advance of Parliamentarian forces.

Plympton Castle

Plympton Castle

The London Inn

The London Inn

Occupying a corner site, facing the Castle mound along Church Road, the London Inn. Buried in the churchyard opposite the pub is one Lieutenant William Hindes, who on the 8th March 1817 fought a duel with Lieutenant Gilbert Conroy near Plympton St. Mary Bridge. Wounded, Hindes was brought to the London Inn where he died the next day. Lieutenant Conroy and his second were charged with murder - though there is no record of why the duel was fought!

At the east end of Fore Street (the long narrow road going east to west of the aerial photo) is the Old Rectory House. It's restyled Georgian front hides a long and fascinating history which dates back to before 1586. Known originally as the 'Road House', it was owned by the church but after the reformation in the 16th century it came into private ownership. It has had many, many owners, including mayors, doctors, tradesman, builders and is now the home of Paul and Charmian Evans and their family. Charmian has been the driving force behind the Save Plympton Pathfields campaign and has visited Plympton in Massachusetts in the United States to rally support.

The Old Rectory

The Old Rectory

St. Maurice Church

St. Maurice Church

First mentioned in a deed dated 1300, the Church at Plympton St. Maurice was probably the domestic chapel of the lords of the Castle, being sited to the east of the Castle ditch. Displaying detail of Norman and Early English architecture, additions to the chapel continued for some years with the dedication of a chantry to St. Maurice. (Maurice was the commander of a Roman legion in about 290 who was martyred with his followers for refusing to join in a sacrifice.) By the middle of the 15th century the church and tower were completed with little change up to the present day.

Schoolhouse

The Old School House

Beneath the Castle mound to the south is the Old School House on the corner of Castle Lane and School Lane. Now a private residence, the school bell can still be seen on the west facing gable end.

The main thoroughfare running east to west is Fore Street. Many houses were originally slate hung at the front and highly patterned until re-faced with stones from the nearby disused Priory. Years ago, markets were held in the open street with booths erected on both sides.

Fore Street

Fore Street

The Guildhall

The Guildhall, Fore Street

Altered in 1780, it is said Prince William (afterwards William IV) visited Plympton Guildhall to attend balls and dances when his ship was at nearby Plymouth and slept in one of the houses over the Pent-House further down Fore Street. During the 1780 alterations cells were included to replace the town jail or 'clink' in the building known as The Cage further along Fore Street.

Many of the buildings along the north side of Fore Street would have originally looked like this with stone or wood columns supporting upper pent rooms. The few that remain are towards the eastern end.

Pent House

The Arcade, Fore Street

Old Grammer School

The Old Grammar School

Across the road south east of the Church stands the old Plympton Grammar School with it's magnificent stone colonnades. Founded in 1658, the headmaster of the School in 1702 was the father of Sir Joshua Reynolds, the famous English portrait painter and first president of the English Royal Academy. Joshua was born at Plympton in 1723 and spent his boyhood in the town. Once speaking fondly of his birthplace, Joshua was reported to have said 'he loved every stone in Plympton'.

The row of mature Lime trees along the old church path which cuts through Plympton Pathfields were planted by John Andrews in 1898 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. Now a pedestrian link between St. Maurice and the busy shops along the Ridgeway, the path has remained unchanged for hundreds of years.

Lime Tree Walk

Lime Tree Walk, Pathfields

The Pathfields

Plympton Pathfields

At the top end of Lime tree walk looking south across part of the Pathfields. The field system is the same as it appeared on a map drawn in 1793 and is remarkably unchanged - that is until the present proposals to destroy part of it with a housing development! Ancient Celts, Roman soldiers, Saxons, the conquering Normans and their knights, Royalist cavalry and generations of Plympton folk have passed this way. We think this history is worth protecting for future generations to share, wonder at and enjoy. We hope you do too.

Over 100 years apart these two photographs show how little the Pathfields have altered. The lime trees have matured, obscuring the Church and roof tops of old Plympton St. Maurice. Some of the wooden fence posts on the right of the old photo are remarkably still evident at the top of the path today. The electric street lamp is the only new addition. We hope that in 100 years hence the view will remain the same.