Drakes Island (Plymouth Uk)

Note the map is wrong. The island is located in the UK. The island was initially known as St Michael’s – named after a 12th-century chapel built there. It is only in more recent times that it has been known as Drake’s Island, after the Elizabethan sea captain. In the 16th century, as defending Britain’s shores became more important, the chapel was demolished and artillery towers, musketry walls and barracks were constructed. At one point it served as a prison but as the naval dockyard in Devonport grew, its fortification and armaments were beefed up to protect the fleet. During the second world war it was a minefield control post and if there had been an invasion explosives would have been detonated from the island. It has also been a scene of tragedy. In 1774 a local shipwright and carpenter, John Day, designed a wooden diving chamber and made a bet over how long he could stay submerged. He perished in the adventure.