ONCE military land, 37-acre Devonport Park dates from the 1850s and has strong links to maritime and military history. It is home to historic monuments and fountains and three listed buildings.

Among these is the Doris Gun, unveiled in 1904 to commemorate the 11 marines and sailors from HMS Doris who died fighting alongside the army in the Boer War of 1899-1902.

Their shipmates paid to have the gun, captured from the Boers, mounted on a granite plinth in tribute.

The First World War Memorial pays homage to 2,000 Devonport people who died in the fighting. It was unveiled by Lord Methuen on March 14, 1923. When Devonport and Plymouth were united people felt that in addition to the war memorial on the Hoe, the area needed its own point of remembrance.

The listed Lower Lodge is 150 years old and dates from a time when 10 keepers worked in the park.