Stoke Damerel Conservation Society Plymouth Devon UK

STOKE HISTORY

Stoke Damerel is an historic area of Plymouth and can be seen on the map of 1645. At the beginning of the 19th century, the parish of Stoke Damerel embraced a largely undeveloped area in the north of Plymouth and the then separate towns of Stonehouse and Plymouth Dock (renamed Devonport).

At that time, the buildings of Stoke Damerel comprised the parish church and a few scattered dwellings in the north of the area (known as Higher Stoke).

The Parish of Stoke Damerel comprised largely of undeveloped land North of Plymouth at the beginning of the 19th Century.

The importance of Plymouth as a naval base was confirmed when in 1812 construction began of the breakwater in Plymouth Sound.

This provided the safe haven for ships sheltering from southerly storms.

During the early 1800s the area developed rapidly with the expansion of the Royal Naval Dockyard and other military establishments.

The Royal Navy dockyards rapidly became the real source of wealth and the major employer in the region.

The demand for labour grew and the docks needed more workers who had traditionally had to walk many miles to the dock. The demand for workers and military personnel and officers to be located nearby grew rapidly.

As a result Plymouth Dock (Devonport) outgrew its confines sandwiched between the dockyard walls and development began at a place called Morice Town behind the Torpoint Ferry landing area on the Devon bank.

To accommodate the ever increasing need to house dockyard workers and naval officers new villages were developed higher up the hill at Lower Stoke and Higher Stoke.

As a result many of the houses in the Stoke conservation area were built between 1800 and 1865 to house the growing population of workers, naval officers and their families.

Hence the area of Stoke was developed with fine late Georgian and early Victorian houses, the most splendid of which were designed by Plymouth's great architect, John Foulston.

To support the growing population, shops, schools, colleges, orphanages, pubs, meeting places and even dairies were built and many of which are still standing today.

Devonport railway station (still in use today) was opened in 1859 by the Cornwall Railway. It enabled workers to use trains to get to the docks.

Devonport Park (currently being restored) was developed over a number of years starting in 1857 on land owned by the Royal Navy and was effectively a open area used as a Glaca part of the Dockyards defence system (a firing zone).

The growth of Stoke in such a short period of time and the lack of development (other than infill and some bomb damage during the war) has resulted in Stoke retaining its historic character and buildings.

The role of the conservation society is to maintain and enhance its historic value to Plymouth and the residents of Stoke.

We encourage residents and businesses to become members of the society.