Drake’s Place Gardens and reservoir have a rich history.
In 1592 Plymouth built a 28km channel running through Drake’s Place, carrying water to the city from Dartmoor. This became known as Drake’s Leat after Sir Francis Drake, who oversaw the construction. Drake’s Leat supplied water to the townspeople through conduit houses around the town. The remains of two of these, the Old Town Conduit and the Higher Mills Conduit, are preserved in the walls of the reservoir.
The reservoir, built in 1825 and extended in 1828, was the main source of water for the town before new reservoirs were built at Hartley and Burrator.
The reservoir went out of use in the 1970s, gradually becoming derelict.
In 2007, Plymouth University took over the lease for the gardens and reservoir from Plymouth City Council, investing £300,000 to make the gardens more attractive and secure. The garden's reopened in 2014.
Grade II listed.
Link
See other images of Drake's Place