Erle Gardens

Erle Gardens in Plympton is the only street name in the area to preserve what part of the original name of that area - Plympton Erle, or as it was once styled Plympton Earl. The Erle element is a simple corruption of Earl and exists here because the town, Plympton, once belonged to the Earl of Devon.

Richard de Redvers, a descendant of Sieur Reviers Baldwin of Moeles, who was in turn related to and a companion of William the Conqueror, acquired Plympton and other lands in the county and was made Earl of Devon by Henry I soon after he had succeeded to the throne in 1100. Much of Devon had been in the family since the conquest and Richard appears to have been a court favourite of the king.

It is believed that the castle was built at Plympton during Richard’s lifetime. Unfortunately a disagreement between Richard’s son Baldwin and King Stephen led to the subsequent sacking of the castle and the banishment of Baldwin.