Plymouth, St Nicholas's Church, Royal Naval Narracks, Devonport (HMS Drake)

PLYMOUTH
DATA

The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History

St NICHOLAS'S CHURCH,
ROYAL NAVAL BARRACKS, DEVONPORT

The Church of St Nicholas is situated within the Royal Naval Barracks (HMS Drake) at Devonport.

Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Edward Hobart Seymour GCB, laid the foundation stone on Saturday March 18th 1905.

Built of limestone to harmonise with the other buildings, the Church was capable os eating 1,000 worshippers.

The Church of St Nicholas, within the Royal Naval Barracks, Devonport

The dedication ceremony was performed by the Bishop of Exeter, the Right Reverend Archibald Robertson, on Monday February 18th 1907. This was followed on August 18th that year by the dedication of an organ.

Towards the end of 1916 the white ensigns of HMS "Warspite" and the armoured merchant cruiser "Carmania" were placed in the Church. They were followed early in 1917 by the white ensign of HMS "Warrior".

The interior of St Nicholas's Church, Royal Naval Barracks, Devonport

The interior of the Church of St Nicholas in the Royal
Naval Barracks at Devonport, showing the White Ensigns
flown by HM Ships "Lion", "Princess Royal", Warspite",
"Warrior", "Carmania", "Caernarvon", etc.,
during the Great War Naval Engagements.

Much of the Royal Naval Barracks was badly damaged during the night of Monday/Tuesday April 21st/22nd 1941, including the Church. When it was repaired and redecorated in 1953, the tattered White Ensigns that had been proudly displayed in the Church were removed and replaced by Ships' Badges taken from vessels that had served during the Second World War.

Also kept in St Nicholas's Church is the silver replica of Drake's Drum that was presented to HMS Devonshire in 1904. The Drum brought a lot of bad luck to a later Devonport-built HMS Devonshire so it was removed and placed in on dry land.