Perched on the north-western edge of Plymouth, Barne Barton is an area within St Budeaux, roughly two miles by road from the Tamar Bridge – or just one mile as the crow flies. From the southern slope of the hill, the views across the River Tamar and into Cornwall are wide and unobstructed, making this one of the more quietly scenic corners of the city.
From Farm to Naval Estate
The name itself tells you something about the area’s origins. “Barne Barton” translates directly as “Barne Farm”, and in the sixteenth century that is exactly what it was – agricultural land producing meat, wheat, grain and potatoes. The Bull Point Barracks arrived much later, built during the 1840s and 1850s to house military personnel guarding the Bull Point Ordnance Depot. In 1913, suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst was arrested and brought to those same barracks. By the 1960s, Barne Barton had transformed into one of the largest naval estates in England, providing housing for those serving at HMNB Devonport and on warships based there.
Changing Ownership and Redevelopment
As the Royal Navy contracted in size over the following decades, the demand for military married quarters fell with it. Parts of the estate were sold at a discounted rate to serving members of HM Forces, with naval personnel given first priority. Further properties passed to Plymouth City Council and then to Devon and Cornwall Housing Association, while the Ministry of Defence retained a portion that was refurbished by Annington Homes before being sold to the general public. In July 2018, Clarion Housing Group submitted a planning application for 200 new homes on the site. Demolition of sections of the old estate began on 11 June 2020, with the new-build homes replacing what was cleared. Riverside Primary School, which opened in 2008 by merging the former Barne Barton and Bull Point primary schools, continues to serve the local community.