Plymstock | |
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Civil parish | |
Pomphett Lake
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Coordinates: Coordinates: | |
Country | England |
Primary council | Plymouth |
County | Devon |
Region | South West England |
Status | Parish |
Government | |
• UK Parliament | South West Devon |
• EU Parliament | South West England |
Population | |
• Total | 24,103 |
Plymstock is a civil parish and commuter suburb of Plymouth in the English county of Devon.
The earliest surviving documentary reference to the place is as Plemestocha in the Domesday Book and its name is derived from Old English meaning either "outlying farm with a plum-tree" or, if it is short for Plympton Stock, "outlying farm belonging to Plympton".
Situated on the east bank of the River Plym it is geographically and historically part of the South Hams. It comprises the villages of Billacombe, Elburton, Goosewell, Hooe, Mountbatten, Oreston, Pomphlett, Staddiscombe, Turnchapel and Plymstock proper, the centrally located village after which the parish and suburb is named. The parish church is St Mary and All Saints. The pedestrianised 1960s Broadway consists of a number of shops including one supermarket (Iceland) within the precinct with a Lidl supermarket nearby, three banks, six estate agents and other local amenities including a fire station and a small police station. At Pomphlett there is a Morrisons superstore and drive-through McDonald's burger restaurant. The population at the time of the 2001 Census was recorded at 24,103 with 11,652 owner occupied homes in the PL9 area. The total population in 2011 increased to 24,758
The local branch railways through the area to Turnchapel and Yealmpton have been removed, the bridges and stations demolished and the land built on. Pomphlett Mill has been demolished and the site used for a roundabout. Pomphlett Creek (shown right), once a popular rowing stretch has been partly filled in and what remains is largely silted up.
Until the 20th century Plymstock was a rural parish but began to develop rapidly just before and after the Second World War as a residential area outside Plymouth but acting as a dormitory area for the city. On 1 April 1967, Plymstock, along with Plympton, was absorbed into the City of Plymouth and today, like Plympton, forms a populous and mostly home-owning south-eastern suburb of the city.