| Duke of Cornwall Hotel | |
|---|---|
| Location | Plymouth, Devon, England |
| Opening date | 1865[1] |
| Architect | C. Forster Hayward[1] |
| Owner | Plymouth Hotel Company |
| Rooms | 72 |
| Restaurants | 1 |
| Parking | Available |
| Website | http://www.thedukeofcornwall.co.uk |
| References:
Duke of Cornwall Hotel
Duke of Cornwall Hotel (Plymouth)
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The Duke of Cornwall Hotel is a hotel in the city of Plymouth, Devon, England. Built in Victorian Gothic style, it opened in 1865 to cater for the increasing number of travellers who were coming to the region by rail and sea.
The hotel survived the World War II Plymouth Blitz without damage, and was the venue for regular functions throughout the war, even though the family that ran it were members of the fascist party and were removed from the city in 1944. In the 1970s and early 1980s it was threatened with closure but, helped by poet laureate John Betjeman's praise for its architecture, it was saved by a major refurbishment. Today it is considered to be one of Plymouth's principal landmarks.[2]
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The hotel was built as Plymouth's first luxury hotel to cater for the increasing number of travellers who came to the region by rail and sea, being close to both Plymouth Millbay railway station (now closed) and Millbay Docks. The architect for the hotel was C. Forster Hayward,[3] and the builder was "Honest John" Pethick of Messrs Call and Pethick.[4] Construction started in 1863 and it opened in 1865.[1] Owned by the Plymouth Hotel Company the Duke of Cornwall cost £40,000 to develop including the excavation work required to clear the site.[5] Five different types of stone were used to create the building in Victorian Gothic style.[5] Plymouth Millbay railway station, built in 1849, was directly opposite the hotel.
On 6 July 1940 the first air raid of the Plymouth Blitz[6] took place and local people were aware of the city of Plymouth’s importance to the enemy. With the large HMNB Devonport Naval base nearby, it was inevitable that this base would soon become a target and this proved to be the case.
Much of Plymouth was destroyed during the blitz, but the Duke of Cornwall Hotel remained untouched. Despite the bombing, dances took place in the Ballroom every Wednesday and Saturday nights.[5] They proved to be a welcome break from the pressure and fear that had become part of everyone’s lives. American troops and local people alike attended these functions and wedding receptions were also held in the hotel for the couples who had first met on the dance floor. Guests were entertained by the likes of Anne Ziegler and Webster Booth and other artistes who were staying at the hotel whilst playing at the nearby Theatre in Union Street.
An extraordinary story lies in the intelligence records of the MI5 which relates to the running of the Duke of Cornwall Hotel in Plymouth, one of the port’s most prestigious hotels during the war. According to home office reports the Welsh family that ran the hotel during the war had strong ties to the fascist party and was suspected by MI5 of gathering military intelligence from naval personnel. In particular, the manager's daughter-in-law was accused of taking American servicemen to her bedroom where she would coax sensitive military information from them after 'entertaining' them. On Februaury 10th 1944 Mrs Welsh and her daughter-in-law Bebe were placed on the suspects list. In March she and her husband had a restriction order which prohibited their presence in an aliens protected area. They had been watched from at least 1939 but it was not until 1944 that they were forced to leave before the Allied invasion of France in the spring of 1944, MI5 recommended their detention. [7][8][9]
The building was listed as Grade II in 1975,[10] despite which it faced threats of closure in 1977. A local newspaper article read: "Plymouth’s 114 year old Duke of Cornwall Hotel which kept the tourism flag flying in Queen Victoria’s days and defied the wrath of Hitler’s bombs, is in danger of being pulled down".[11] This was due to the lack of car parking space: the terraced gardens gave way to a new car park in 1988. In 1987 another article reported "Plymouth’s last grand Victorian Hotel is up for sale".[12]
The hotel was described by Sir John Betjeman as "one of the finest examples of Victorian gothic architecture he had ever seen", and in 1988 its future was secured.[13] A refurbishment programme affecting almost every area of the building was completed. The ballroom was completely refurbished in 1994 and the old Spider’s Web bar converted to a new function suite – the Fleur de Lys suite. The ocean liner passengers have been replaced by those from the cross channel ferries that Brittany Ferries have operated from Millbay since 1973, and the nearby Plymouth Pavilions attracts thousands of conference delegates and show audiences each year.
The hotel was used as a location for a Rosamunde Pilcher TV movie by German company ZDF with director Dieter Kehler.
The Duke of Cornwall has 72 rooms and suites including the Tower Room that gives a 270 degree view of the city, coast and countryside.[5] The hotel is regularly used as a venue for weddings, conferences and various functions. It is within walking distance of shopping streets, Theatre Royal, Plymouth University and Plymouth Pavilions as well as popular historical sites including the Hoe, Barbican, Mayflower Steps and Plymouth Gin Distillery.[14]
Today the Duke of Cornwall remains one of Plymouth’s most famous landmarks.[2] Its restaurant dining room has been described by Frommer's as "one of the finest in the area", and describes the setting as "elegant".[15] The hotel has three stars and one red rosette from the AA.[16]