OLD DEVONPORT . UK
www.olddevonport.uk
 

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MOUNT WISE

Across the water in Cornwall Sir Richard Edgcumbe built a fine mansion which he named Mount Edgcumbe.  It was completed in 1553.  Whether this annoyed the owner of the Manor of Stoke Damerel or earned his admiration is unclear but by 1630 the Lord of the Manor, Sir Thomas Wise, had completed his own, very prominent mansion on the Devon side of the water, which he named Mount Wise.  It is claimed that this superseded the manor house at "Keame", which later became known as Keyham Barton and later still as simply Keyham Farm.

Once the estate was purchased by Sir Nicholas Morice, of Werrington, he presumably had no need of it as a manor house and it was downgraded (certainly by 1719) to a farm, in which form it survived until the early years of the nineteenth century when it was demolished to make room for the Admiralty Signal Station.

With the Admiralty Signal Station visible on Mount Wise in the background,
this view shows Victoria Cottages adjoining the Royal Clarence Baths.
From a postcard.

From left to right are the Bullock Dock, the arches of the Boat House,
and just visible are  the Queen's Steps and Mount Wise Hard.Mount Wise
From a postcard.

In this view of Mount Wise a sailing vessel can be seen in the Bullock Dock
and an early swimming bath is in the foreground.
From a postcard.

The Mount Wise area included Bullock Dock, which was the site of the first Gun Wharf, and is now the site of the Mount Wise Swimming Baths.