Plymouth Cathedral
Plymouth, Devon
Since its opening in 1858 the Cathedral has served a diocese covering the counties of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset and provides a welcome to all.
Stoke Damerel (St Andrew with St Luke) is thought to be one of the oldest churches in Plymouth. Grade 2* listed it lies to the western outskirts of the city, in an urban setting on slightly elevated ground, above the former inlet of Stonehouse Creek, some 3 miles from the Tamar Bridge into Cornwall.
There has been a place of worship on the site since the 1200s but the existing building dates from the 15th and 18th centuries. The church is first mentioned in the taxation book of Pope Nicholas IV (1289-91) when it practiced the Roman Catholic religion. The parish appears in the Domesday Book as Stotches (Saxon for a fortified place or a dairy farm) held by Robert D'Albemarle. There followed a succession of variations on the name: Stotches became Stokes (Rolls and Charters index of 1174-1183), Stoke Aubermarl (Assizes Rolls 1281), Stoke Daumarale (Episcopal records of Exeter of 1311) and Stoke Daumarle (Feudal Aids of 1316). It eventually became Stoke Damerel and this spelling was general by the end of the 16th century and it still in known as Stoke Damerel.
The first person to hold the position of Rector was Henry Le Megre who was appointed 1310. Since the time the church hs operated continuously and a full list of all Rectors from that time till now is displayed on a board just inside the south entrance to the church.
The current church dates from the 1400s although the existing biding is mostly 18th century when the church h was widened to accommodate the expanding local population drawn to the area by employment opportunities, the wars in France having caused an increase in ship building in the nearby dockyard. As a result of the influx of workers into the area the town of Plymouth Dock began to grow as did the congregation of Stoke Damerel church which soon could not be adequately accommodated in the 15th century building which comprised a single small nave and the tower.
In 1715 the church was widened by the addition of an aisle and widened again in 1750. On completion of the work in 1751the church was wider than it was long which is still an unusual feature of the building.