Aerial Photographs Around Plymouth, England
including Dartmoor, Rame Head, S.E.Cornwall and the South Hams, also the Channel Islands
another "content over style" web page from Cyberheritage
Showing Topographic and Geographic Features of Interest, in Town and Country, Land and Sea
For School Children, School Projects, Students and All Who Want to Learn-use freely as you wish
These photos were taken by me from 1975 to 1981 when flying for fun! Many were taken when flying from Plymouth Airport - when it was called Roborough! Others were taken during the various "Open Days" that Brymon Airways would have from time to time, and I would take a "pleasure flight" for about £10 and take a lot of photos. Because of their origin many of these photographs are a little "milky" ..being taken through the window. However if you play around with contrast once you have downloaded them they look fair and certainly good enough for school project work.
TOWN
Coombe Viaduct near Saltash, S.E. Cornwall. Plymouth College is a famous Plymouth School in Plymouth, it is at Ford Park, which is near Mutley Plain. Not too far from here is the area that just recently would have been known as Greenbank Hospital, now that has gone it is just Greenbank, Tavistock Road is in the distance.c1981 This is Plymouth`s Barbican in 1980/1...boy has a lot changed! Look at how it was, and just how much as changed, from when it looked like this! This is the Citadel just up from the Barbican toward the Hoe.c1980 Here is another view.c1977 Here we see views of Plymouth Hoe and the City of Plymouth behind it. c1981 This is the centre of Plymouth. c1980/1
This part of Plymouth is called Stoke, here we see the area behind Albert Road, here is the plot on which my house was built in 1987. Central to Stoke is a high open space, known as "Mt. Pleasant" it is far more commonly referred to as "The Blockhouse" due to its 19th century fortification. Wonderful views of Plymouth, the sea and Dartmoor and open countryside for mile and miles can be seen from this popular public open space. Moving along now we are at Ford, and this shot shows the area by St. Levan`s Road and the Gasworks. St. Levan`s Road is in a valley with steep sides next to it and steep roads. This is known as Keyham with rows of housing, here we see both Stoke and Keyham. c1981 At the end of this road is Milehouse, called so because it was, still is, one mile to the centre of Plymouth. Here we see Milehouse Road, Beaumont Street, Browning and Fullerton Roads. c1977 Close to Milehouse is Plymouth`s Central Park. c1980/1
Millbay Docks is a ferry port to Brittany in France and we see the Port here with Mt. Edgecumbe in the background. This is the Inner Basin, much of which has been filled in now to provide accommodation for Brittany Ferries.c1981
A modern housing estate Saltram House, Plympton, Plymouth Estover Industrial Estate Saltash c1980/1 the A 38 road Plympton Marsh Mills Sewerage Farm c1975/6/7 a little further away, two views of a camp / holiday park site near Penzance in West Cornwall Penzance Lido and harbour Cothill Industrial Estate, Plympton, Plymouth Blagdon`s Boat Yard, Laira, Plymouth Budshead Creek at Ernesettle,Plymouth...........and again Ernesettle Creek Tamerton Creek Budshead and Ernesettle Creek c 1980/1 modern housing estate modern housing estate modern housing estate modern housing estate modern housing estate modern housing estate modern housing estate modern housing estate all 1980/1 around Asda at Estover around Asda at Estover c 1980/1 Industrial Estate / Factory - Estover Industrial Estate / Factory - Estover Industrial Estate / Factory - Estover Industrial Estate / Factory - Estover Industrial Estate / Factory - Estover Industrial Estate / Factory - Estover Industrial Estate / Factory - Estover Industrial Estate / Factory - Estover Toshiba Texas Instruments c1980/1 The George Hotel housing at Glenholt The Kitto Centre, now the John Kitto School Leigham School, now rebuilt housing at Plympton housing at Plympton Prince Rock Power Station - now demolished Southway School - now Sir John Hunt School.....and again Plymouth side of Tamar Bridges the A386 Plymouth to Tavistock road near Plymouth Airport the A 38 dual-carriageway Western National Bus Depot Plymouth side of Torpoint Ferry Hooe c1980/1 British Rail Depot at Laira, several views c1980/1......1..........2..........3........4.. Tamerton Foliot, several views 1.........2..........3..........4.... near Plymouth Airport University of Plymouth sports grounds at Ernesettle Plymouth Argyle F.C. and old Plymouth Zoo, Central Park Mt. Gould,Plymouth R.A.F.Mt.Batten - as was! Saltash Saltash Forder St. Stephens, near Saltash view over Torpoint H.M.S. Raleigh and St. Johns Lake, near Torpoint Laira area of Plymouth, Power Station and Princerock views of Devonport.....1..........2............3...........4...........5 ............6...... Stonehouse, Plymouth area Plymouth Hoe Freedom Park, Freedom Fields (as in English Civil War history)..the hospital is now gone Hooe and Radford Lakes Hooe Lake and Stamford Fort The "Plym" of Plymouth Oreston Princerock and Laira Plymouth Argyle again in Central Park Plymouth City Centre Plymouth City Centre on Plymouth Hoe again c1980/1
COUNTRY
Scraesdon and Tregantle Forts near Torpoint in S.E. Cornwall, taken in 1980/1 Two more views of Tregantle Fort.....1........2.......... Cawsand Fort Fort Stamford c1980/1
Old shell holes in the peaty soil of the North Moor "impact area" of Dartmoor near the Okehampton Artillery Range....almost a "moonscape." This area is close to the Dart head where this river rises, it is very wet,boggy and peaty, the Dart being a black thin line through areas of sponge! From time to time is is possible to see the remains of former "peat cuts" where high moorland farmers would cut peat for winter fuel. The white on the ground is snow. All c1975-77 There are two Dart rivers high up on the moor, the West Dart and the East Dart, here is some overland flow of melting snow into the East Dart. This shows remains of early tin mining/streaming on the banks of the East Dart. c1975
The middle section of the River Dart. Here it flows through woods and moor. c1975/6
This is the River Dart lower down where it flows between forest and farmland. Ascending the moor we see it entering a deeply wooded valley, then it passes an ancient enclosure and then areas of high forest and forest and moorland before being supreme in the isolation of the high northern moor. c 1975/6/7
"Rapids!" on the River Dart. The Dart (East or West?) reaches the sea. As it closes to the sea it makes a fine and graceful bend and we see a former tidal mill pond has long silted and is now a marsh. Finally we little islands of vegeation on its sandy floor.c1975/6
Another moorland river is the Erme. Here we see the River Erme in woodland and in two different moorland locations. Higher on the moors it looks different as it flows through the open moors. On the very high moor it is almost just a thread as it winds its way along. This shows "stone hut circles" and early enclosures by the banks of the Erme...the funny yellowy wine glass shpe is not a crop circle or sign to ET, but hay but out as winter feed to stock!
Up the River Tamar you can see lots of abandoned and disused tin and copper mines, here is one and I think it is Gawton. c1981 Here we see a large area of old mine spoil tips. Gunnislake is bang in the centre of many old workings.c 1981
The summer of 1976 saw a very dry Devon and Cornwall, water levels everywhere fell. We look here in South Devon at the Avon Dam Reservoir,on the South East edge of Dartmoor. When full it looks like a most wondrous and stunningly beautiful jewel of mans work within Mother Nature. However after weeks and weeks of blazing sun and nil rainfall it looked rather different, just compare this with this, both the same spot! When the water level is this low it is possible to see archaeological features and structures long hidden by the flood made due to the reservoirs construction. Here we see the old and usually hidden bridge over what was once road or pathway over a stream. Look at this one and this to see the dry stream bed...of the stream that was there before the reservoir was built, crossing the arid and cracked reservoir bed. c1975/76
This is the Ventford reservoir at the same time, it is not too far from the Avon Dam. Here it is full, while here it is rather empty. This is the area around the reservoir.
The Swincombe area of Dartmoor c1975/6/7/
Fly Dumping - a cardump in the country An isolated hamlet. Managed forest An isolated roadside Chapel A wooded valley The Manor House Hotel, Moretonhampstead Moorland Moorland Valley Start Point Moorlands Aveton Gifford? Brentor Trevollard, a hamlet near Saltash a stream marshland Lydford Gorge Forder Creek, near Saltash Exeter Airport c1975/6/7 Disused Tungsten Mine at Hemerdon Ball c1975/7 a weir near Exeter weir near Exeter fallen / felled trees a moor quarry Landrake near Saltash St. Erney, near Landrake (near Saltash) enclosures on Dartmoor Dartmoor enclosure a farm my pal Martin Kitt`s Farm at Cumble Tor, near Trematon, Saltash (if you look, you can see his shadow as he waves to me!) another former farm house near to Bag Mill Farm (close to Cumble Tor Farm) Bagmill Farm (also Martin Kitt`s) a disused railway viaduct seepage of a liquor from the Plymouth refuse tip at Cheltson Meadow on the River Plym c1976 Campsite at Coypool, Plymouth a cornfield another cornfield near Wacker, Torpoint a big pond River Lynher salt marsh near Antony, Torpoint Cawsand and Kingsand Wilcove Wilcove Warleigh Woods Antony Estate near Torpoint c1980/1 Antony Park at Torpoint Millbrook and Southdown Antony House Bovisand Lodge / Estate ( with ditch of Staddon fortifications at left) view to Maker Heights c1980/1 Erth Island on River Lynher I think this may be that house that hides within the walls of one of the Maker Redoubts near Millbrook Little Chef at Trerulefoot Little Chef at Trerulefoot another pond Trevollard, near Trematon, Saltash Rail viaduct near Trevollard Ince Castle..not a castle but a Manor, on river Lynher Ince Castle..not a castle but a Manor, on river Lynher Ince Castle..not a castle but a Manor, on river Lynher Ince Castle again a house along a country lane a converted old mill a converted old mill here may be the Manor at Wivelescombe, off the Lynher Estuary ......1.......2.............3.......c1980/1 the A 38 road again Exeter Airport c1975/77 Postbridge, Dartmoor Dartmeet, Dartmoor, where East and West Dart meet the geometric street layout of hilly Keyham, Plymouth the bendy River Exe near Exeter The Kenick Reservoir Aveton Gifford Ball Clay workings near Heathfield, Newton Abbot Buckfastleigh Calstock and close to Bere Alston....the fields show the history and continuing presence of market gardening. a Manor somehere
Rame in details; one of my favourite places on Earth
Rame Church Rame Church and Rame Barton Rame Barton and former Rame Vicarage Rame Barton, Rame Church and Rame Vicarage Rame Coast Guard Cottages the actual village of Rame Rame Church, Rame Barton and Penmillard Rame Church, Rame Barton and Penmillard Rame Barton Rame Coast Guard Cottages along to Lookout Post Rame Chapel - St. Micheal Rame Chapel - St. Micheal view over the headland of Rame Head Rame Church c1980/1
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Find a farm, bewild a beast,or even confuse a cat! I don`t know where they are either!! farm farm farm farm farm farm farm farm farm farm farm farm farm is this "ribbon development among farms?" c 1980/1
ON THE WATER.......or rather above..or so I hope?!
This is where the River Erme meets the sea and makes a pretty fine sandy beach known as Mothecome. Aerial photography is ideal for studying tidal sand patterns as we can see here....and here......as well as this interesting shot of an old tidal mill? c1975/77
Rame Head in S.E.Cornwall seen from over the sea. c1980/1 This is a close up of Rame Head with the Chapel to St. Michael and old military constructions atop it. The earthwork at the "neck" where the headland joins the mainland is an Iron Age fortification designed to protect the settlement at the headland from attack from the land. We look here across the land to Penlee Point from Queener Point. This is the coastal footpath from Rame Head to Penlee Point,..what a view. Rame Church is isolated and totally unspoilt, and surrounded by ancient hedgerows and settlements. The area of rocky gullies between Rame Head - underneath Rame Church to Penlee Point is known as Amory Bight. It is an area of total beauty and isolation, it is possible to totally be alone among piles of rock and fern, with crashing waves and gull cries. Lady Cove is close to Penlee Point and there is a wreck of the "Coronation" just metres off the rocks and the gullies are littered with cannon and cannon balls. Here we see Penlee Point with the backdrop of Plymouth Sound behind. c1975/6/7
These views show the rough and exposed location of Rame Head. Queener Point is another rocky headland adjacent to Rame.c1981
The Eddystone Lighthouse. c1981
Salcombe is a lovely old waterside town in South Devon, in beautiful surroundings. It has a nice beach. There is a lot of mud around Salcombe at low tide, which has lots of rather interesting tidal patterns in it.
Seaton beach in S.E.Cornwall Portwrinkle Portwrinkle Whitsands Cliff Whitsands Cliff Crafthole area, near Torpoint Crafthole area, near Torpoint Crafthole area, near Torpoint Downderry Downderry Downderry Downderry salt marsh near Antony, Torpoint salt marsh near Antony, Torpoint over the Sound looking to Plymouth over the Sound looking to Plymouth Millbay Docks before the attack of the Yuppy Marinas! Royal William Yard and Devils Point / Western Kings Royal William Yard and Devils Point / Western Kings Royal William Yard and Devils Point / Western Kings Eastern Kings and Prince of Wales Battery Eastern Kings and Prince of Wales Battery c1980/1 Bantam Beach on the Avon Bigbury -on-Sea and Burgh Island at the mouth of the Avon the sands at Bigbury beach
Teignmouth and the Teign Estuary
INFRARED
..in colour
Fort Austin, Plymouth......close up Ditsworthy Warren area of Dartmoor Giants Basin near Ditsworthy Warren, Dartmoor Fields near Seaton in Cornwall, note weed on rocks at low tide Housing Estate Moorland stream - Narrator Brook Moorland stream - Narrator Brook Saltmarsh Estuary Estuary Estuary River Tavy / Tamar China Clay waste tips at Lee Moor Moorland The Plym Valley An Oxbow forms in a river Runway at Exeter Airport Cawsand Green fields in a built up area ferns on the moor crops in a ploughed field c1975/77
..in Black and White
a village a liquid mixes in a china clay tank c1975/77
THE CHANNEL ISLANDS (1990)
I took these out of the window of a Brymon Airways Dash 7 aircraft in the summer of 1990 when flying home to Plymouth from Jersey. They look rather hhmm....tropical! 1............2...........3...........4.............5...............6.........
This one was in 1975 taken when flying from Plymouth to Cherbourg on Brymon Britten-Norman Islander aircraft. Here is Alderney, taken flying home from Morlaix, at a guess in 1976/77
e-mail steve@cyberheritage.co.uk
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