Roborough

Not to be confused with Roborough, North Devon

Roborough
Devon
Roborough
Location
Grid reference:	SX503622
Location:	50°26’27"N, 4°6’29"W
Data
Post town:	Plymouth
Local Government
Council:	South Hams

Roborough is a village south-western Devon, at the northern edge of the conurbation growing around Plymouth. It is on the main road between Plymouth and Tavistock, and is a popular commuter village.

The old RAF Roborough was here; the site later became Plymouth City Airport, which closed in 2011.

History

The Lopes family lived in Roborough for generations; they were the descendants of Sir Manasseh Masseh Lopes, Jamaican-born gentleman of Sephardic-Jewish Portuguese who was raised to a baronetcy and became a Member of Parliament. His descendant acquired the title Baron Roborough in the twentieth century, after moving from nearby Maristow House on the River Tavy and before relocating to Gnaton, a smaller mansion on the coast near Noss Mayo.

The very old village pub, which stands on the main street (long since bypassed by a modern dual carriageway) is called the Lopes Arms.

One important son of Roborough is shoemaker and early trade unionist George Odger. After travelling to London in search of work, George became the first trades-unionist to stand for Parliament, the leader of the London Trades Council and the president of the First International Workingmen's Association under the influence of Karl Marx.

The Plymouth Argaum Rugby Club grounds are just east of the village.

On Roborough Down

Roborough Down

Main article: Roborough Down

Roborough Down is a long stretch of undulating moorland over which the road to Yelverton and Tavistock passes, and within the Dartmoor National Park. It is owned by Lord Roborough's Maristow Estate. The down has a rich array of wildlife such as ravens, buzzards, foxes, deer and semi-wild ponies and its vegetation consists of pasture, gorse and bracken with frequent stands of hawthorn, oak and birch.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Roborough)