Plymouth Gin Distillery, Plymouth, UK, Guida per visitatori e cosa fare nei dintorni

Plymouth Gin Distillery is a working gin distillery on Southside Street in the Barbican, the old harbourside quarter of Plymouth, England. It occupies the former Black Friars monastery buildings and has made Plymouth Gin there since 1793, according to the distillery itself, which makes it one of the longest-running gin makers in the country.

The story behind it

The building is far older than the gin. It began as a friary of the Dominican order, known as the Black Friars from the colour of their cloaks, and parts of the structure date to the late medieval period. After the friars were gone, the site passed through a number of uses before it became a distillery.

Plymouth was a major naval port, and the gin grew up alongside it. The spirit is closely linked with the Royal Navy, which is why the distillery still makes a stronger Navy Strength style. A popular local tradition also links the building to the Pilgrim Fathers and the Mayflower, which sailed from Plymouth in 1620. Treat that as a story told in the city rather than a settled fact.

What to look for

• The thick, old stonework of the former friary, which looks quite different from the harbour buildings around it.
• The distillery signage and the Plymouth Gin branding, which mark the entrance on Southside Street.
• The narrow, cobbled lanes of the Barbican close by, where the scale of the buildings shows how the old port was laid out.
• The nearby harbour views, which help you picture why gin and the navy became so closely tied in this city.

Tips for your visit

• Allow about 20 minutes if you only want to see the building and its setting, and longer if you plan to take a distillery tour or visit the bar. Check current opening hours and tour details before you go.
• The Barbican is pleasant in the late afternoon, when the light is soft on the harbour and the streets are quieter than at midday.
• Combine it with a walk to the Mayflower Steps and Sutton Harbour, which are only a few minutes away on foot.
• Wear comfortable shoes, as the old streets around the distillery are cobbled and uneven in places.

See it on a quest

The distillery is one stop on Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Plymouth, UK. You walk to it as part of a longer route through the Barbican area, the app tells you about the place when you arrive, and you solve a puzzle using what is in front of you. It suits anyone who likes a darker, mystery-led way to explore. One ticket covers the whole group, and you can start whenever you like with no guide to meet.