The Belvedere And Bullring

Also know As "The Wedding Cake"

Take a drive along Hoe Road and you cannot fail to miss the attractive, multi-layered, colonnaded Belvedere, also known as The Wedding Cake for its obvious appearance. It was erected in 1891 opposite the entrance to the pier, unfortunately the pier fell victim to the bombings of the
Second World War and was destroyed.

According to tradition it is said that the pillars from the two upper tiers were taken from an old market building, suggestions have also said that they came from Plympton Priory when it was demolished in 1564.

Lying bellow the belvedere was The Bullring, in the 17th century bulls were tethered and baited by bulldogs as a sport to make the meat tenderer. Butchers were fined for not carrying out the baiting but this practice was banned by Plymouth in about 1815.

The Bull Ring held the last political meeting on June 7th 1882 to celebrate the jubilee of the passing of the Reform Act of 1832. In 1891 a bye-law was passed and all public meetings on the Hoe were prohibited without the permission of the Town Council.

The Belvedere still bears Plymouth's old coat of arms which can be found in the gallery section.