Lipson is a
ward
Ward may refer to:
Division or unit
* Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward
* Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...
in the city of
Plymouth
Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...
,
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
.
It is an area with mixed terraced housing, some subdivided into bedsits and flats and a public open-space called 'Freedom Fields', a
Civil War
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
battle site where the townsfolk of nearby Plymouth resisted substantial
Cavalier
The term ''Cavalier'' () was first used by Roundheads as a term of abuse for the wealthier royalist supporters of Charles I of England and his son Charles II of England, Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum (England), Int ...
raiding parties and enabled the town to sustain the royalist siege. Freedom Fields existed before the Civil War and acquired its name after the defeat there of a French invasion force two hundred years earlier. The park was the inspiration behind the title of local folk singer-songwriter
Seth Lakeman
Seth Bernard Lakeman (born 26 March 1977) is an English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who is most often associated with the fiddle and tenor guitar, but also plays the viola and banjo. Nominated for the 2005 Mercury Music Prize ...
's third album and currently has a small cafe, numerous benches and flower-beds.
Formerly the site of Plymouth's biggest hospital (
Freedom Fields Hospital), the borough prison, and
fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products.
Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion re ...
and
ambulance station
An ambulance station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of ambulance vehicles and their medical equipment, as well as working and living space for their staff.
Ambulance stations have facilities for maintaining ambulance vehicle ...
s, it now retains only the (rebuilt) fire station.
Much of the housing stock consists of Victorian and Edwardian terraces with a few larger detached and semi-detached housing around the Queen's Gate/ Queen's Road area. Due in part to its proximity to the city's university and the size of some of the older properties, some of the housing towards
Greenbank has been subdivided into homes of multiple occupancy and flats. Social housing can be found to the north-east along Lipstone Crescent.
Because of its hilly position, much of the area offers panoramic views in most directions, not least south across
Plymouth Sound
Plymouth Sound, or locally just The Sound, is a deep inlet or sound in the English Channel near Plymouth in England.
Description
Its southwest and southeast corners are Penlee Point in Cornwall and Wembury Point in Devon, a distance of abo ...
. Plymouth's main retail shopping centre,
Plymouth University
The University of Plymouth is a public research university based predominantly in Plymouth, England, where the main campus is located, but the university has campuses and affiliated colleges across South West England. With students, it is the ...
, and
Plymouth Railway Station
Plymouth railway station serves the city of Plymouth, Devon, England. It is on the northern edge of the city centre, close to the North Cross roundabout. It is the third busiest station in the county of Devon and the largest of the six survivi ...
are all within reasonable walking distance. Shopping in Lipson is limited to a handful of takeaways and small grocery shops. Currently, as of 2021, there is a small
Tesco
Tesco plc () is a British multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer headquartered in the United Kingdom at its head offices in Welwyn Garden City, England. The company was founded by Jack Cohen (businessman), Sir Jack Cohen in ...
outlet near Lipson Vale.
Lipson has a few schools, including
Lipson Co-operative Academy
Lipson Co-operative Academy (formerly Lipson Community College) is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form with academy status, located in the Lipson area of Plymouth in the English county of Devon.
Previously a foundation school admin ...
.
Public transport is provided by
in the form of three bus routes. 8/9 and 20/21 via Lipson Vale and 23/24 via the Queens Road Triangle and the
Mount Gould estate and hospital.
See also
*
List of wards in Plymouth
References
{{Reflist
Suburbs of Plymouth, Devon