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aerial photograph of Drake's Island Plymouth Devon UK. Drake's Island was first fotified in the 16th century to protect Plymouth from attacks by the French and Spanish. The defences were extensively rebuilt in the 19th century in response to the 1859 Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom. The defenses continued to be maintained and improved up to the second world war.The military finally abandoned the Island in 1963. From 1964 to 1989 the island was used as a youth adventure training but was subsequently abandoned. There are plans to turn the site into a hotel but at the time of writing no work has been carried out.