SYDENHAM DAMEREL is a small parish on the western border of Devon, lying approximately midway between the north and south coasts and bounded to the south-west by Cornwall and the river Tamar. The small village of Sydenham Damerel lies near the centre of the parish of which south of the parish lies Kit Hill, a granite mass rising 334 metres above the Tamar, which is tidal to nearby Gunnislake, at the northern tip, Tavistock to Launceston route. Launceston is 9 miles northwest to the ancient captial of Cornwall In clear weather the Eddystone Lighthouse in the English Channel and the china clay workings at St. Austell can be seen. The fifteenth century stone Horsebridge route connects Devon to East Cornwall, where the Royal Inn was formerly a nunnery. The church of St. Mary is about but all that stands between the peak flood and the valley and the nearest village of Milton Abbot- an entry naming the church as St Dionysius was apparently discovered in the 1531 Tavistock Stannary coinage rolls.

Farther along are Collacombe Down and Tavistock, Gunnislake where Launceston road meets a railroad, down the Tamar to Plymouth. Stoke Dameral parish in the hundred of Roborough near Huntingdon adjoins the borough of Plymouth and Egg Buckland. The Tamar was once of valley for intensive mining and bears enough wet climate to accumulate snow. Chimneys, ruined buildings hidden amongst trees, mysterious tunnels disappearing into the hillsides, and bare spoil heaps give some sign of the copper. Moor in Pyworthy parish and Black Torrington hundred. Milton Abbot with Edgecumbe and Ebberly is a few miles outside Tavistock, named Mideltona in the Domesday Book. At the center of the village is St. Constantine a church conversion dedicated to the Cornish King Constantine who was hunting when a stag hid underneath the robe of St. Petroc. The monks babysat the church of Tavistock Abbey. When Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries, he gave the extensive Tavistock Abbey estate to the Russell (Bedford) family for services rendered and then the Dukes of Bedford then became very much involved in Milton Abbot. At the time of the Norman Conquest the land was held by four English or Anglo-Scandinavian ‘thegns’ paying half a hide (or 6s) to the King as geld. In South Bovey near Egg Buckland and Barnstple- a manor of Bovey Tracey was held who was the bishop Boui there who added the land's agriculture to dozens of thegns.

LAUNCESTON (formerly Dunheved) Castle is a chief attraction and to the North Gate was the main castle entrance from the town until the late 12 century. Other places of interest include St. Mary Magdalene's church built 1524-40. The arrangement of many fields and gardens in long strips dates back to the days of the Saxon `hundreds' and there are the remains of a motte and bailey castle to climb. At the east end of the north aisle is an elaborate monument with effigies to Sir Hugh Piper, ob. 1687, and Sibella (Parr), his wife, ob. 1704, and in the same aisle a magnificent cenotaph, supported on marble pillars, to Granville Pyper, ob. 1717, and Richard Wise, ob. 1726, both aldermen of this borough, with figures of various Virtnes, and robed busts of the two friends: there are other memorials to Philip King, gent. ob. 1636 and Mary, his wife, ob. 1626; Leonard Treise esq.J.P. recorder of Truro, ob. 1653; Emlen wife of Sir John Speccott, ob. 1659; Captain Philip Piper (son of Sir Hugh), ob. 1677, and Mary (Gaer), his wife; Cresten (Stokes), wife of Thomas Bewes; William Oliver A.M. fellow of this collegiate church, and rector of the free school, ob. 1681; John Ruddle A.M. 35 years vicar, ob. 1698, and Sarah, his wife, ob. 1667, besides many others of later date; there is also a curious little brass effigy of a female, c. 1630. The register dates from the yeare 1558, the earlier portion being a transcript.