When walking around Plymouth it’s easy to miss hidden pieces of history lurking in the corners – that’s why SARAH WADDINGTON took a guided tour of the waterfront to discover the “jewels waiting to be discovered” in Britain’s Ocean City.

WE START our journey at Cattedown and the first thing my tour guide, waterfront manager Sarah O’Leary, points out is how spectacular Plymouth looks from this corner of the city.

“It’s my favourite place to view it from,” she tells me, as we start picking out well-known landmarks.

From this side of Plymouth we are very close to and have a spectacular view of Mount Batten Tower, as well as Fort Stamford – one of the first things you see as you come into the city via the South West Coastal Path.

“The listed buildings [in Plymouth] are mostly to do with fortifications,” explained Sarah, who grew up in Stoke. “But it’s not just what we can see on the surface, but what’s also underneath. There’s a lot of history there too, like the graves of 650 wrecks.”

Due to its long and turbulent maritime history, Plymouth’s waters still contain evidence of the many events taken place since the arrival of the first humans in this part of the country.

Sarah continued: “The [Plymouth Sound and Estuaries] are listed as a European marine site – a protected site. It is managed locally and we work closely with Kaja Curry [green infrastructure officer at Plymouth City Council] who really wants to promote the area.

“When talking about listed buildings we are just skimming the top. There’s so many jewels waiting to be discovered.”

She added: “We want to encourage people to visit or come back and see the city through different eyes.”

Seeing the city through different eyes is something we all forget to do as day-to-day life absorbs us into missing what’s on our doorstep.

Already the view from Cattedown was a striking one, and once you begin to find out more and more about the fascinating buildings and monuments you’re looking at, the more you begin to appreciate the city you live in.

Next to our standing spot, the Mount Batten Breakwater juts out dramatically, directing our sight to another dramatic sight – the Plymouth Breakwater and Breakwater Fort.

“Mount Batten has played a huge part in Plymouth’s history,” Sarah said. “But Sutton Harbour is where the history of Plymouth really began.”

With this comment, we made our way round to the marina to find out more.

The harbour was enclosed by a lock in 1993, 150 years afterIsambard Kingdom Brunel had drawn up plans for Sutton Pool to become a gated harbour.

Over the past 20 years, developments around Sutton Harbour have excelled, with plenty more still in the pipeline.

Sarah commented: “What I love is seeing the mix of modern developments next to fascinating pieces of history.

“Just open your eyes and look around and see it from a visitor’s eyes.”

Talking about the redevelopment work, Sarah said: “Architects were digging and found a former abattoir site. There is so much history here. It is where the town of Plymouth began.”

However, she was quick to note not all building work has been for the better.

“There’s lots of development going on which is great and much needed,” she said, “but what we are masking is some of the history underneath the tarmac.”

After pointing out a myriad of listed buildings and monuments, and explaining a bit about them, it was onto the next location – Looe Street.

“Looe Street is one of the oldest streets in Plymouth with the oldest pub in Plymouth, the Minverva Inn, which dates back to 1540.

“This street is just beautiful, but people tend to miss it.”

There was no time to stop and admire the beautiful cobbles and old houses for long however, as it was on to the Barbican.

The Barbican has the largest concentration of cobbled streets in England, Sarah told me, and over 100 listed buildings, some of them dating back to Tudor and Jacobean times.

We were lucky it was a sunny day, as the water sparkled in the background as we stood in the middle of the Parade and absorbed a 360° view.

“There are so many stories to tell and people need to be told them,” Sarah said.

After talking to a few retailers, it was time to tackle the cobbled streets and travel around to the Hoe – spotting things like the Stella Maris and Mayflower Steps on the way.

As we climbed the hill, we looked down onto what is referred to as the Lion’s Den, a former male only nudist area.

Despite its condition becoming progressively worse, the ‘den’ still holds an essence of charm.

Sarah said: “It is preserved but little used, until events like the firework championships come along and people flock down there to watch.

“[The Hoe] has a personality of its own, but it is a site quickly degenerating. It is an area we are very interested in.”

She added: “Most of the properties along the Hoe are listed properties.

“People will walk along here and think the wall is just a wall, but it’s not, it’s a listed wall.”

From here we have a clear view of Drake’s Island, and if we turn around we are looking head onto the ‘wedding cake’ belvedere building.

But on we go. West Hoe Road is decorated with replica and signage denoting the industrial heritage of the docks.

We pass the Rust Anchor, the Plymouth Lifeboat station and then Millbay Park, where over 1,500 American sailors were held in captivity during the War for American Independence, and make our way to Royal William Yard.

“People need to explore and go on their own discovery,” said Sarah. “Taking in all that history and stopping for a coffee along the way is a lovely day out.”

Royal William Yard is now full of cafes and restaurants, as well as the recently opened Ocean Studios, a bike hire shop and an independent boutique.

Along Durnford Street we pass the Royal Marine Barracks, and then we head up to Devil’s Point where we see the Grade II listed Artillery Tower.

Along the waterfront are batteries and a wealth of other historical features.

What are you doing this weekend? The weather is forecast to be sunny and warm, so why not spot these listed features for yourself.

Marrowbone Slip

This is a chill out spot for Plymouth swans as they leave the water of Sutton Harbour.

As people walk across or stand on Marrowbone Slip to look across at the many boats, little do they know but the slip is actually listed.

And to the right is a tall wooden structure, easy to miss.

Sarah said: “This used to help with the ships coming into the harbour. This structure still moves.”

Also visible is the historic China House, now a thriving restaurant. The building was first seen in a 1666 watercolour of Sutton Harbour painted by Sir Bernard Gromm and it is now Grade II listed.

Horsewash tunnel

The top off this tunnel can only just be seen when viewed from Marrowbone Slip.

The tunnel was built into the quay to allow carters to lead their horses down the slipway and onto the beach to wash them in the sea.

“The exit is somewhere underneath Exeter street,” explained Sarah.

The Minerva Inn

The Minerva Inn was named after the Goddess Minerva and is the oldest serving public house in Plymouth.

The Pub is timber framed and a lot of the timber is from the Spanish Armada Fleet.

A.E. Monsen Ship Stores

“This has a beautiful interior behind the exterior facade,” Sarah commented.

The impressive building looks over the Parade on the Barbican and has been doing so since 1847.

The Lions Den

A former ‘gentleman’s bathing area’, the den is a horseshoe shaped structure with a concrete platform.

Men would bathe naked in the Plymouth sunshine, with the last one doing around seven years ago.