Mount Wise, Plymouth

Mount Wise is an historic estate situated within the historic parish and manor of Stoke Damerel and situated about one mile west of the historic centre of the city of Plymouth, Devon. It occupies "a striking waterfront location" with views across Plymouth Sound to Mount Edgcumbe and the English Channel. Until 2004 it was a headquarters for senior Admiralty staff and was inaccessible to the public.

In about 1400 the manor of Stoke Damerel, within which is situated Mount Wise, was inherited by Thomas Wise of Sydenham in the parish of Marystow in Devon, (son and heir of John Wise (fl.1403) of Sydenham, living in 1403) upon his marriage to Margaret Brett (alias Brit), daughter and heiress of Robert Brett of Staddiscombe, near ,lord of the manor of Stoke Damerel. Thomas Wise also inherited from his wife the estates of Staddiscombe, Halgewell, Walford and Stoddon.

The mansion house known as Mount Wise was built by Sir Thomas Wise (c.1576-1630),Knight of the Bath, of Sydenham, Sheriff of Devon in 1612 who in 1621 served as a Member of Parliament for Bere Alston in Devon. He much beautified his principal seat of Sydenham House, and added such height and such a great amount of granite to it that his contemporary Risdon (d.1640) remarked: "the very foundation is ready to reel under the burthen". His contemporary the Devon historian Sir William Pole (d.1635) remarked as follows concerning the manor of Stoke Damerel and Sir Thomas Wise (c.1576-1630):

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