Stoke Damerel

Stoke Damerel takes its name from the ancient manor title of Stoches, which at the time of the Norman Conquest belonged to the Saxon, Brisma and which was afterwards given, by William the Conqueror to Robert de Albamarla, hence - Stoches de Albamarla which became Stoke Damerel as the French name was Anglicised over the years.

It was of course by no means the only estate that de Albamarla was given and among the others was Widey, which he gained at the expense of its previous owner, the Saxon, Wadelo. Stoches, stoc or stok itself denoting either a dairy farm, when used on its own, or lands belonging to whoever, when used as a prefix.

While Stoke Damerel today remains the name for the parish contained within the original estate, that parish is much smaller than the original estate which formerly included the whole of what we now know as Devonport.