The Stoke area of Plymouth is one of the most long-standing and historic suburbs in the city. Sometimes referred to by its earlier name of Stoke Damerel, the former parish was located in Devonport before the amalgamation of Devonport, Plymouth and Stonehouse to make the city we now know.
Since the formation of modern Plymouth, Stoke has been an inner suburb dense with family houses and bisected by the main railway line from Penzance to Paddington.
Whilst the suburb is deep with history, modern advances bring the area to life with both elements complementing each other perfectly.
Stoke’s large, Georgian-style houses and access to some of the city’s best schools make it a sought-after area for families. Yet, the apartment conversions and quick links to the city centre make it popular with students and young professionals too.
If you’re thinking of moving to the area, here’s everything you need to know about living in Stoke, Plymouth.
What are the properties like in Stoke?
Stoke consists mainly of distinguished private homes dating back to the Georgian and Victorian eras.
Fun fact: some of Stoke’s properties even feature in Nikolaus Pevsner’s South Devon Penguin books from 1952!
Terraced homes made the majority of properties sold last year in Stoke, according to Rightmove. The average terraced house went for a sale price of £217,908.
In the area, flats were sold for an average of £124,197, with semi-detached properties fetching £424,423.
This resulted in the prices of houses in Stoke rising 13% since the last peak in 2018, however Rightmove reports that this was down 3% on last year’s prices.
What parks, play areas and facilities does Stoke have?
Stoke is surrounded by green spaces, activity clubs and offers lots of things to do. In the Stoke area you’ll find Blockhouse Park, which is just off Stoke Village. Although the park may be small, it does have its own playpark.
Victoria Park is in the south of the area, which is a little larger and also has a playpark, street football pitch and circular walking track.
On the outskirts of the suburb are Central Park and Devonport Park, which both boast open green space with stunning views of the city and the sea respectively.
Keeping active is easy, as Central Park offers Pitch and Putt Golf, a skatepark and baseball park. Devonport park has tennis courts and you’ll find astroturf pitches and grass playing fields at Brickfields Sports Centre and Devonport High School for Boys.
The Life Centre at Central Park is great for joining the gym or a workout class, whilst sports clubs are in abundance in the area. There’s rugby, athletics, hockey, gymnastics and more all within Stoke.
What shops and services are there in Stoke?
Stoke’s main hub for shopping and services is Stoke Village. This strip is filled with a mix of independent and chain businesses for every occasion.
Fun fact: there’s over 50 unique shops in Stoke Village!
The village has all you can need, including pharmacy, opticians, barbers, hairdressers and beauty salons, laundrettes, charity shops, groomers and tattoo parlors.
There’s also a Coop in Stoke Village, as well as one in the south of the area at Wilton Street.
For health care, Stoke Surgery and Stoke Physiotherapy Clinic are just outside the Village strip, and Bupa Dental Care Plymouth only a short walk away.
Stoke Damerel Parish Church is a notable place of worship, steeped in history and a picture of evolving architecture.
Are there any pubs, takeaways or restaurants in Stoke?
Stoke is also home to a long list of pubs, takeaways and eateries. Again, Stoke Village is great for grabbing a bite to eat.
Whether you fancy fish & chips ( Codmothers), a coffee and cake (Hungry Bear Coffee, Stoke Village Cafe) a Devonshire pasty (Ivor Dewneys), or something a little different (Cafe India, Thai Pot), the Village has it all!
Just stopping for a drink? Try the Stoke Inn, the Blockhouse Inn, Stoke Bar & Grill or the Indian Inn – all at Stoke Village.
Outside the Village, there’s the Railway Inn and the famous yellow-coloured Millbridge Inn, which just so happens to be opposite King’s Chinese Takeaway.
Hidden gems Cakewhole and Brimbles bakeries offer a sweet treat, and if it comes to it you can always make the short journey to the Wetherspoons The Britannia Inn.
Which schools are in the Stoke catchment area?
Stoke is close to some of the best secondary schools in the city. It has quick access to both Devonport High School for Boys and Devonport High School for Girls, which draw in students from all across the region.
Stoke Damerel Secondary School is also within the catchment area, walking distance from the large majority of Stoke.
For younger children, Stoke Damerel Primary School is a good choice, alongside Stuart Road Primary Academy and Ford Primary School.
There’s also City College Plymouth which offers fantastic further education in a wide range of industries and professions.
What are the transport links like in Stoke?
By car, Stoke has easy transport via Outland Road to the north of the city towards Derriford Hospital and Dartmoor National Park. In the other direction, it’s also easy to access the city centre by car. For the A38, head to St. Budeaux to go in either direction.
The city centre is also accessible by foot, taking around 30 minutes one way. Plymouth Citybus runs a good network of buses through Stoke in both directions. Probably the most handy transport link in Stoke is the dockyard railway station.
The station sees Great Western Railway trains roll through, direct to Exeter, Bristol and Cardiff. These trains also stop at Plymouth Central Station to make it easy to change to other destinations such as London.
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