Tales of 200-year-old naval yard told on trail

An interactive history trail has opened in what was once a major victualling depot for the Royal Navy.

Europe's largest collection of Grade I listed military buildings, Royal William Yard at Stonehouse, Plymouth, was built 200 years ago to keep sailors fed, watered and clothed.

The free, self-guided discovery trail has been designed to take visitors through the archives, sharing plans, pictures and stories that illustrate 200 years of history.

To mark the launch of the history trail on Saturday, a day of heritage crafts and themed activities has been planned.

The activities include clay tile making, a stitching workshop and a ships biscuit making session.

The trail features stories about the yard, including the brewhouse which had been designed to supply beer for the Royal Navy.

In the year it was finished, beer was removed from the sailors' daily rations and replaced by rum which meant the building never fulfilled its original purpose.

The trail also tells the story of the Mills Bakery which could transform 1,000 massive sacks of flour into ship's biscuits in one week.

Two 40-horsepower steam engines powered the millstones – but this was not without danger and the bakery caught fire twice.

Organisers said the trail would remain open all day, every day, indefinitely.

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