- Type of Memorial
- Other structure
- WMR Reference Number
- 25734
- Description
- The bombed ruins of the 17th century Charles Church with a dedication plaque at the east end of the nave. The plaque has the crest of Plymouth at the top centre. Another plaque is attached to nearby railings on Exeter Street. The church was bombed on the night of 21st-22nd March, 1941 and later dedicated as a memorial to the 1200 who died in the Plymouth Blitz.
- Inscription
- PLYMOUTH BLITZ/ THIS PLAQUE WAS DEDICATED 21ST MARCH 1991/ BY/ THE RIGHT REVEREND RICHARD HAWKINS, BISHOP OF PLYMOUTH/ TO COMMEMORATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE/ BLITZ OF PLYMOUTH AND IN HONOUR OF THE 1178/ CITIZENS OF THE CITY/ CITIZENS OF THE CITY KILLED OR MISSING AS A/ RESULT OF ENEMY AIR RAIDS IN WORLD WAR TWO/ (NAMES OF DIGNITARIES)
Plaque on Exeter Street: CHARLES CHURCH/ PRIOR TO 1634 THERE WAS BUT ONE PARISH CHURCH IS PLYMOUTH, ST ANDREW'S, BUT IN THAT YEAR/ THE TOWN PETITIONED KING CHARLES I FOR PERMISSION TO DIVIDE THE OLD PARISH INTO TWO AN TO/ BUILD A SECOND CHURCH. IT WAS NOT UNTIL 1640, HOWEVER, THAT LETTERS PATENT PERMITTING THE/ CHURCH TO BE BUILT RECEIVED THE ROYAL ASSENT./ WORK WAS COMMENCED IMMEDIATELY ON A SITE SOMEWHAT TO THE WEST OF THE OLD CARMELITE/ FRIARY, BUT BUILDING OPERATIONS WERE SUSPENDED DURING THE SIEGE OF PLYMOUTH 1642-1646 AND/ THE CHURCH WAS NOT COMPLETED UNTIL 1658. THE TOWER IS DATED 1657. THE CHURCH WAS DEDICATED IN 1665. THE FIRST SPIRE, MADE OF WOOD AND COVERED WITH LEAD, WAS BUILT IN 1707-1708. THIS/ SPIRE WAS TAKEN DOWN AND THE PRESENT STONE SPIRE ERECTED IN 1767./ THE BUILDING WAS REGARDED AS ONE OF THE FINEST POST-REFORMATION GOTHIC CHURCHES IN THE/ KINGDOM. VARIOUS ADDITIONS AND ALTERATIONS, SUCH AS THE ADDITIONS OF THE PORCHES AND/ VESTRY, AND THE REMOVAL OF THE GALLERIES WERE CARRIED OUT IN THE 19TH CENTURY./ PRIOR TO THE SECOND WORLD WAR THE GRAVEYARD SURROUNDING THE CHURCH EXTENDED TO OVER AN/ ACRE, BUT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW EXETER STREET THE HUMAN REMAINS WERE REMOVED AND/ THE GRAVEYARD NO LONGER EXISTS./ ON THE NIGHT OF MARCH 21ST/22ND 1941, THE CHURCH WAS WHOLLY GUTTED BY FIRE AS A RESULT OF/ A HEAVY AIR RAID, AND UNTIL 1957 THE RUINS REMAINED IN A DERELICT CONDITION./ THE CHURCH AUTHORITIES HAVING DECIDED THAT THE CHURCH WAS NOT TO BE REBUILT, THE PLYMOUTH/ CORPORATION PURCHASED THE SITE AND IN 1957, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE MINISTRY OF WORKS,/ CARRIED OUT THE PRESERVATION WORKS./ THE CHURCH NOW FORMS A FITTING MEMORIAL TO THE CIVILIAN POPULATION OF PLYMOUTH WHO LOST/ THEIR LIVES DUE TO ENEMY AIR ATTACKS ON THE CITY DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR.
