Sir Frances Drake statue, Tavistock

The bronze staute of Sir Francis Drake, Tavistock's most famous son, stands 10 foot high and is the work of Austrian born sculptor Joseph Boehm. It was unveiled in September 1883 near Fitzford Church at the western end of the town, at the end of Plymouth road. There are 3 bas-reliefs decorating the 2 foot high pedestal. They depict the legendary game of bowls on Plymouth Hoe, the knighting by Elizabeth 1 and the burial at sea. This statue has also been copied and stands on Plymouth Hoe. To the left of the statue is Fitzford gate, the only part of an original mansion house left. The Fitz family had lived in Tavistock since the 15th entury, although the house fell into ruins after 1671. The gatehouse was dismantled and reassembled in 1871