A historic six-acre island fortress where legendary explorer Sir Francis Drake set sail around the world has been put on sale. The 16th-century island, made famous by the Elizabethan explorer, is located 600 yards off the coast of Plymouth, Devon, and covers 6.5 acres.
Plymouth businessman Morgan Phillips bought the fortified island for £6 million in 2019 and planned to build a 43-bed hotel, museum, and a wellbeing centre on the land. But after a series of failed sales in 2024, Drake's Island is back on the market with estate agents Carter Jonas, as Mr Phillips looks for a buyer to 'take it forward.'
He said: 'We have continued the process of looking at ways of moving the Island forward to full development. We are working with several groups to try and achieve this. We tried the sales approach previously, which produced a lot of interest but we did not manage to lock anyone down. We thought we would try this approach again, to see if we can identify anyone interested in purchasing the Island, who is also capable of taking it forward or partnering with us or funding us.'
Despite not building on the island, Mr Phillips opened up parts of it for guided tours which he confirmed have been suspended ahead of safety inspections. Drake's Island, a 16th-century fortified island off the coast of Plymouth, is back on the market after being purchased for £6 million in 2019. The Island was purchased by Plymouth businessman Morgan Phillips who received planned to build a 43-bed home, museum and wellbeing centre on the land. Mr Phillips opened up parts of the island, which are rumoured to have mysterious underground tunnels, for guided tours.
Drake's Island even has its own folklore. It is rumoured there are mysterious underground tunnels that have yet to be found. After buying the island seven years ago, Mr Phillips said he was aware of its rich history. 'I'm under no illusions that the people of Plymouth regard Drake's Island as the jewel in the city's crown and they want to enjoy it as soon as they possibly can. Indeed, we want the island to be open to the public as often as possible.'
Formerly known as St Nicholas Island, its strategic position off the south-west coast led to its fortification. Sir Francis Drake embarked on the second circumnavigation of the globe in 1577 from the island, returning three years later. Drake was then made governor of the Island by Elizabeth I. During the English Civil War, the island was used to defend Plymouth from an army's siege and in 1660 Charles II used it as a prison. It was used by the military until the 1900s and it became an adventure centre in the 1960s. A young JFK Jr even learned to sail there on Plymouth Sound.
A significant amount of the island is considered ancient monuments and four buildings are Grade II listed. Along with the fortifications, the island is a heritage site.
