The first coordinates are for the village phone and post boxes, where I whiled away many hours as a youth. You can park on the road nearby, and there's a publicly accessible village green area with a sheltered seat perfect for figuring out the waypoints.
A little history: Bronze Age settlements can be found in the area, and the village itself is mentioned in the Domesday Book, which was compiled in 1086 for William I of England. Back then it was known as "Estorcha". It consisted of a manor, with "six villeins and three borders and six head of cattle and a hundred sheep and four goats and thirty acres of wood and one ace of meadow and forty acres of pasture." The "Estorcha" name was subsequently shortened to "Stoke", with the "Rivers" part coming from the de Redvers family who once owned the area. Which explains why they are no actual rivers in Stoke Rivers.
To the northwest of the starting point you'll see Stoke Rivers Baptist Chapel. The chapel was established in the 19th century by John Norrington, described as "zealous young man". During World War II one of the chapel's windows was broken by the cable of a barrage balloon which had broken free from its moorings. Angry villagers immediately pointed fingers at a local troublemaker, but humbly retracted their aggression once the truth was revealed.
In which year was the chapel built? Call this ABCD. Now go to N51 06.(A)(B-D)(D+A) W003 57.(B-D)(D-C-A)(D+A)
The tower was built in Norman times to defend against invading forces, with the main building and upper part of the tower added in the 15th century. It's usually open so feel free to pop in, have a look around, and sign the guestbook. To the west end you'll find the original bells, now sadly out of use due to the cost of repairs. There are memorials on the walls, including a particularly interesting one dedicated to The Reverend Henry Hiern, who was lost at sea in a very remote (at the time) part of the world. If you want more information on the village you'll find a copy of the Millennium/Jubilee commemorative book, which has proved invaluable in compiling this cache.
Outside you'll see an unusual memorial to John Question Tamlyn, whose importance will become clear later on. Make a note of the year in which Tamlyn died, and call this EFGH. Next go to N51 06.(G)(G-E)(D-H) W003 57.(A)(G)(C)
This building originally served as the village school, and it was built thanks to a donation of £200 by Amos Tamlyn - John's brother. The school closed in 1930, but has since been used as a village hall for flower and vegetable shows, a youth club, skittles and even Tai Chi.
In which year was the building enlarged? Call the this JKLM Finally, go to N51 06.(J)(M)(C) W003 57.(L)(M+H)(K-F) - you'll see a public footpath sign nearby, so you'll know you're heading in the right direction.
The final calling point is an area of the village that was restored in 2000. There was a well situated nearby, now covered with a manhole. Apparently most homes had their own wells anyway, and current occupiers frequently uncover them when renovating! The cache is situated nearby - you shouldn't have to look too hard.
I hope you've enjoyed this short tour of the village.