The little island of St. Nicholas, or Drake's Island, was afterwards strongly fortified, and batteries and block-houses were erected on all sides of the town. On the 20th of July, 1588, part of the English fleet, consisting of 120 sail, under the command of Lord Charles Howard and Sir Fras. Drake, lay at anchor in Plymouth Sound, when the Spanish Armada sailed up the channel, and some of its ships looked into the Sound, where the Spanish Admiral is said to have fixed upon Mount Edgcumbe as his future residence; but not liking the company he saw, his fleet passed out to sea, followed by the English, who overtook the enemy on the following day, kept up a running fight till the 24th, and being joined by another squadron off the Isle of Wight, drove the fight to a more general engagement, and continued it at intervals till the 28th, when they assailed the Armada with fire ships, and in two days saw "the invincible" sea force totally destroyed or dispersed. To this victorious fleet, Plymouth contributed seven ships and one fly-boat, a quota greater than that supplied by any other port except London. In 1595, twenty two chests of the Pope's bulls and indulgences, which had been taken from a discomfited party of Spanish invaders in Cornwall, were publicly burnt in Plymouth market place. In 1596, Plymouth Sound was the grand rendezvous of the fleet for the expedition against Cadiz. In 1625, Charles I., with his whole court, a fleet of 120 ships and 6000 troops, remained ten days at Plymouth, and was sumptuously entertained by the Corporation. In the following year, the plague carried off nearly 2000 of the inhabitants.
ST. NICHOLAS' or DRAKE'S ISLAND, is near the middle of Plymouth Sound, and comprises only about three acres, strongly fortified, and connected with the south western shore by a range of rocks, which is uncovered at low water, and is commonly called the Bridge of Rocks. Even at high water no vessels can pass these rocks, except those of very small burthen. This small island is surrounded with rocks, and has always been the chief defence of the port. It was strongly garrisoned by the Parliamentarians during the civil wars of the 17th century, but was once or twice on the eve of being treacherously surrendered to the Royalists, as already noticed. The garrison is generally formed by a detachment of troops from the Citadel. The landing place is on the north side, where the rock is ascended by a flight of steps through a vaulted passage. A large portion of the area of the island is occupied by the fortifications, and barracks for about 140 soldiers and 40 gunners. The fortifications have been greatly augmented during the last two centuries, and the principal battery was completed in 1846, and mounts 19 pieces of cannon, ranging from 32 to 68 pounders. In addition to its defences, the fort contains furnaces for beating balls red hot. Some authors consider this island as the site of the Tamarweorth, of the Saxons, so called from its being "the river island of the Tamar," which here mingles its waters in the Sound, after passing the noble harbour of Hamoaze. Westcote says, the island of St. Nicholas was a place of refuge to divers gentlemen in the insurrection of 1549, (see page 56,) when the insurgents plundered and set fire to Plymouth. Before the erection of its fortifications, it had an ancient chapel, which Camden calls St. Michael's. In 1548, the mayor of Plymouth received orders from the Privy Council to convert this chapel into a bulwark. On the highest point of the promontory on the south side of the entrance to Catwater, opposite the Citadel, stands MOUNT BATTEN, an ancient circular fort, having no entrance but at a considerable height from the ground, to which access is afforded by a ladder. The interior is arched in the form of a dome, with solid and durable masonry. During the war between Charles I. and the Parliament, it was the scene of repeated skirmishes and much bloodshed. In addition to the new fortifications lately completed at Bovisand, Picklecombe Point, and Drake's Island, a large fort called the Prince of Wales' Redoubt, was erected in 1849, on the headland called Western King, near the Victualling Yard.