Armada Memorial

The foundation stone of the Armada Memorial was laid on 19 July 1888, by the Mayor of Plymouth, Henry Waring. The day was taken to celebrate the tercentenary of the first sighting of the Armada from the Hoe, but Richard Worth notes that this was actually on the 20 July. Excursion trains were run and crowds gathered for the ceremony, which was marked as a public holiday and banquet at the city's Guildhall. The memorial was inaugurated by the then Duke of Edinburgh, Alfred on 21 October 1890, with full civic pomp and imposing naval and military demonstration. The memorial became a listed building on 1 May 1975.

The memorial was made by architect Herbert Gribble and sculptor William Charles May. The monument is sculpted of granite which frequently uses entablature and features sculptures and fittings made of bronze. The base of the monument has steps and is octagonal in shape with cannonballs on the left and right and a cannon in the front. This supports an upper base with inscribed foundation stones on the front and back, above which are decorated with crowned arms and drapes in bronze. On the front (south) side is the arms of Queen Elizabeth and her royal initials "ER", while on the back (north) side is the arms of Queen Victoria and her royal initials "VR". On the west and east sides round the…