With the coming of the Elizabethan era, three famous men who lived here by the Dart were to influence history. Sir Humphrey Gilbert was born at Greenway House, just across the river. His father died when he was only eight and his mother, Katherine Champerdowne of Modbury, married Raleigh of Hayes Barton, near Exmouth. They had a son named Walter, who spent much of his time at Greenway with his half brother Humphrey. Just north of Dittisham, across the river at Sandridge, the boys had a younger friend called John Davis.

Sir Humphrey Gilbert (1539-1583) became a navigator, who after many setbacks, led an expedition which founded the colony of Newfoundland, while searching for the North West Passage. He was lost at sea near the Azores while returning to England. His one-time home, Greenway House, was rebuilt in Georgian style on the original foundations and became in modern times the home of the late Agatha Christie. The house and estate are still owned by her family.

Sir Humphrey's half brother, Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618), became one of the first explorers of Virginia and established the first English colony in North America. Soldier, sailor and historian, he led an expedition to the north coast of South America in 1595 and introduced tobacco and mahogany into Europe. In later years he became ensnared in politics and in one of the most infamous acts ever carried out by government and monarchy he was imprisoned and then beheaded in 1618.

Just south of Dittisham, overlooking the Dart, on the side of the wooded hill and built on the foundations of an old chapel, stands Hamlyn's Coombe, one-time hunting lodge of the Gilbert and Raleigh family. It is believed that in the grounds, Sir Walter experimented with the cultivation of potatoes. Land to the west of this spot is still today owned by descendants of Raleigh.

John Davis (1550-1605), became a navigator and Arctic explorer. He carried out an expedition in search of the North West Passage - discovered and gave his name in 1587 to the Davis Strait, between Greenland and Canada. In 1592 he left on an expedition to the South Atlantic and discovered the Falkland Islands.

These three, combined with their contemporaries Drake, Hawkins and Grenville, all of Devon, changed the map of the world and ensured a British foothold on world history.

There are so many houses in Dittisham that it is difficult to say which is the oldest. Certainly the church is most likely to be the oldest building. Many of the cottages near the church are also very ancient. Some buildings are not what they were - like the building next to the Ferry Boat Inn on The Quay - which in the last century was the Golden Lion Inn. It lost its licence for allowing unruly behaviour! In the village you will notice cottages with names like Otago, Dunedin, Dundora, etc. - these were bought and named by village men who returned from the gold rush in the 19th century.