Downderry
Downderry is a coastal village in south-east Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is west of Plymouth and one mile east of Seaton.
Downderry has a long beach of light shingle with road access to the beach via a slipway, although this is blocked by a locked gate, pedestrian access is still possible. Dogs are allowed on the beach. The beach further east is a nudist beach. The village has a Village Hall which opened in 1891 and hosts a variety of events and activities, a Church of England church, a Methodist chapel, a pub, a Tapas Bar, a coffee shop and a primary school. The Church of St Nicolas Downderry began as a mission church to service the growing population of the village. The building dates from the late 19th-century.
The village and beach offer views of Looe Island to the west and Rame Head to the east and on clear days the Eddystone Lighthouse offshore.
Points of interest
Bass rock
Approximately east of the village center is a rocky outcrop known locally as "Bass Rock", which is a popular fishing spot as it affords access to deeper water.Coldeadon
About further east from Bass Rock are the cliffs of Coldeadon. The promontory beyond these cliffs cuts off access to the beach at high tide.The Long Stone (Shag Rock)
Beyond Coldeadon is a stretch of beach which ends at a rocky outcrop known locally as "Shag Rock", named for the seabirds that gather there to dry their wings after diving for fish. This marks the end of easy foot access along the coastline. A path up the cliff leads to the road above the beach; the ascent is pleasant but reasonably strenuous. The ruins of a Victorian lodge, known as "St Germans Hut" are located about halfway up the path.Television transmitter
One of the hills above the village hosts a television transmitter which serves as a repeater for the surrounding area.Chain Home bunkers
During the Second World War, Downderry was the site of a Chain Home radar installation. The remains of this facility are still present on the east side of the village. One of the bunkers has been converted into a residential garage, while the other is no longer accessible from the road because it is now on private property.Neolithic earthworks
The only known example of a 'cursus' earthwork in Cornwall is situated behind the village in the fields near Triffle farm.Wreck of the ''Gipsy''
The wreck of the Gipsy can be found just off Downderry in about of water west of the slipway. Originally named The Rodney she was an iron, full-rigged ship built in 1874 by W Pile & Co., Sunderland. In November 1895, Rodney lost her figurehead in a gale in the English Channel, while en route from Gravesend, Kent to Sydney. The figurehead washed ashore at Whitsand Bay, Cornwall, six months later.In 1897, the ship was sold to F. Boissière, of Nantes, France, and renamed Gipsy. Re-rigged then as a barque. On 7 December 1901, the vessel was wrecked, and became a total loss, at Downderry on the return voyage from Iquique to France with a cargo of nitrate. The ship lost her bearings and became stranded on the reef and was later blown apart by explosives as she had become a hazard to local fishing vessels. Parts of the wreck are strewn over a large area in about of water.