STOKE JUXTA GUILDFORD
Stochae (xi cent.); Stok (xiii cent.).
Stoke is a parish lying across the River Wey just
below Guildford. It is bounded on the west and
north by Worplesdon, on the east by Merrow, on
the south by St. Martha's, Shalford, and the Guildford parishes. It measures 3 miles from north-west
to south-east, and 1½ miles from south-west to north-east. The total area of the whole parish is 2,301
acres. It extends from the ridge of the chalk down
east of Guildford across the Thanet and Woolwich
beds, the London Clay, and the sand and alluvium of
the Wey Valley. It is intersected by the river, and
by the railways and roads which enter Guildford
from the north and east. The Cobham and Guildford line, with a station in the London Road, Guildford, in Stoke parish, was opened in 1885. Stoke is
now largely a town or suburban parish, or parishes, for
by the Local Government Act of 1894 it was divided
into two parishes. Stoke Within is part of the
borough of Guildford, and contains 252 acres. It
comprises the southern part of the old parish. Stoke
next Guildford is the more outlying suburban and
country part of the parishes, and contains 2,049
acres. No Inclosure Act is known, but Stoke Fields,
now built over, suggest common fields by their name.
Neolithic implements have been found in the
parish.
Wood Bridge is a brick bridge on an old line of
road where a bridge has long existed. It was repaired by the neighbourhood and not by the lord of
the manor. (fn. 1) It is now a county bridge and was rebuilt
in brick in 1847–8. (fn. 2) When the property of Stoke
Park and Stoke Mills was purchased by Mr. Aldersey in
1780 the road ran between his house and the east
end of Stoke Church, and passed the river by a ford
with a long narrow wooden bridge by the side of it
for use in flood time. He diverted the road to the
west end of the church, where it now is, and built
Stoke Bridge of brick.
On the site of Stoughton Manor House are the
remains of the old moat. Stoke Park is now the seat
of Mrs. Budgett. It is not the site of the old manorhouse; this was at Warren Farm on the chalk down
east of Guildford, where the courts used to be held.
The name Stoke Park was not used in 1762, (fn. 3) when
the place was called the Paddocks. Mr. Dyson, the
owner, laid out the park about that time. Stoke Hill
was the seat of the late Rev. F. Paynter; Woodbridge
Park is the seat of Mrs. Blount. Mrs. Charlotte
Smith, who died at Elstead in 1806, and was well
known formerly as a poetess and writer, was a native
of Stoke, and has a monument in the church.
Stoke Church Institute in the Foxenden Road was
opened in 1895. There is a Roman Catholic chapel
(St. Joseph's) in Chertsey Street, where also is a
Primitive Methodist chapel. There is a Baptist chapel
in Martyr Road, and one in Commercial Road.
Stoughton is an ecclesiastical parish formed from
Stoke in 1893. There is a Wesleyan chapel founded
in 1895. The cemetery in Stoughton was purchased
and laid out in 1880–2. It comprises 8 acres.
Stoughton Barracks are the dépôt of Regimental
District No. 2, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions of
the Royal West Surrey. Guildford Union Workhouse is in Stoke Within.
Stoke (Church) School was built in 1856 and enlarged in 1895. Sandfield School (Provided) was
opened in 1901. Stoke Hill School (Church) was built
in 1870, Stoughton School (Provided) in 1885, and
St. Joseph's (Roman Catholic) in 1885.
MANORS
At the time of Domesday STOKE
formed part of the royal demesne. (fn. 4) It
continued to be a Crown possession until
the time of King John, who
granted it to the Bishop of
London and his church of St.
Paul. (fn. 5) By 1222, however,
the rights of St. Paul's in Stoke
had apparently ceased to exist,
since there is no mention of
the manor in the Domesday of
St. Paul's drawn up about that
date. (fn. 6) The Bishops of London continued to be the lords
of the manor of Stoke (fn. 7) until
the 16th century, when Bishop
John Aylmer released it to
Queen Elizabeth. (fn. 8) It seems
to have been granted shortly afterwards to Thomas
Vyncent of Stoke D'Abernon, who in 1587 conveyed
it to Laurence Stoughton, (fn. 9) lord of the manor of
Stoughton in Stoke, q.v.
See of London. Gules two swords of St. Paul crossed having hilts and pomels or.
The manor of STOUGHTON in Stoke seems to
have originated in land called 'Stocton' which was
part of the manor of Stoke, and was afforested under
Richard I. (fn. 10) King John granted it with Stoke to the
Bishop of London, (fn. 11) and it was continuously held as
of that manor. (fn. 12)
The first record of immediate lords occurs in
1345, when Henry de Stoughton settled the manor on
himself and his wife Joan and their heirs. (fn. 13) In 1415
Walter Stoughton, probably son of Henry, died
seised of the manor, leaving a son Thomas, then
twenty years of age, to succeed him. (fn. 14)
The manor apparently passed through Gilbert son
of Thomas (fn. 15) to Laurence Stoughton, (fn. 16) who held it
in the 16th century. (fn. 17) He died in 1571, leaving a
son Thomas, (fn. 18) who survived him only five years. (fn. 19)
The manor had in 1575 been settled in tail male on
Laurence son of Thomas on his marriage with Rose
Ive, (fn. 20) and it accordingly passed to him. (fn. 21) At his
death in 1615 (fn. 22) he was succeeded by his third son
George, (fn. 23) who died in 1624
without issue. (fn. 24) His brother
Nicholas barred the entail in
order to secure the manor to
his daughter Rose, wife of
Arthur Onslow, but on the
failure of her issue it passed
to Nicholas son of Anthony
eighth son of Laurence Stoughton. (fn. 25) He was created a
baronet in 1661, and died in
1685, leaving one son Laurence
and four daughters. (fn. 26) Laurence
died childless in 1692, (fn. 27) and
by a Parliamentary decree his estates were vested in
trustees to be sold for the double purpose of paying
his debts and providing portions for his sisters. (fn. 28)
Stoughton, baronet. Azure a cross engrailed ermine.
The now combined manors of Stoke and Stoughton
were bought by Edward Hubbald in 1698. (fn. 29) He
died in 1707. His son William died in 1709, and
shortly after his death in 1711 an Act was passed for
the sale of his estates. (fn. 30) Nicholas Turner purchased
the manors in 1718, and his son sold them about
1760 to Jeremiah Dyson. (fn. 31) Mr. Dyson died in
1776. His son sold in 1780 to Mr. George
Vansittart, who sold immediately to Mr. William
Aldersey (vide supra). The latter also purchased
parts of Stoughton which had been alienated since
1700 and had passed to Lord Onslow, including the
site of Stoughton Place, which had been pulled down
after the sale in 1692. Mr. Aldersey died in 1800.
His widow sold next year to Mr. Nathaniel Hillier.
Colonel the Hon. C. T. Onslow married in 1812
Susannah second daughter and co-heiress of Mr.
Hillier. His son, Mr. G. A. C. Onslow, who died in
1855, succeeded, and his son, the present Earl of Onslow is now lord of the manor. No separate courts
have been held for Stoughton since 1615.
In 1324 there is mention of a messuage and 5
acres of land in Stoke called WOODBRIDGE. This
tenement was held of the family of La Poyle, (fn. 32) who
had lands in Guildford and Tongham. The earliest
tenant seems to have been Thomas de Woodbridge,
who was holding about 1264; Juliana his daughter
and heir married Roger de Rypon. (fn. 33)
About the end of the 16th century Henry Stoughton was in possession of this property, (fn. 34) which passed
from him to his son Thomas, who died seised of it in
1612. Woodbridge, with certain lands appurtenant,
was settled on his wife Alice, with remainders to
various members of the Stoughton family. (fn. 35)
Manning (fn. 36) speaks of Woodbridge House as having
been the property of Jeremiah Dyson in the 18th
century. It was afterwards in the possession of
Mr. Allen and Mrs. Smith, and in Manning's time
belonged to John Creuse. (fn. 37) It was subsequently the
residence of Colonel the Hon. E. M. Onslow, of
Colonel Annand, and now of Mr. H. Porter.
CHURCHES
The church of ST. JOHN THE
EVANGELIST, STOKE JUXTA
GUILDFORD, consists of a chancel
15 ft. 5 in. by 33 ft. 2 in., with a north chapel
24 ft. 10 in. by 13 ft. 10 in.; south vestry and chapel
formed by a prolongation of the aisle; a nave
40 ft. 6 in. by 19 ft. 6 in.; a north aisle 18 ft. 7 in.
wide; a south aisle 17 ft. 6 in. wide; a west tower
12 ft. 8 in. by 10 ft. 3 in., and a south porch. Like
so many churches in the neighbourhood it has suffered
severely at the hands of the restorer, and externally is
almost completely modern. The earliest details now
to be seen are in the arcades of the nave and south
chapel, which are of early 14th-century date. Late
in the 15th century the tower was added, and the
north chapel is probably work of a century later. In
comparatively recent years the north aisle has been
completely rebuilt and widened, and the whole church
greatly modernized. The south porch and south-east
vestry are completely modern, but the latter is evidently on the site of an earlier and similar structure.
The east window of the chancel is of five lights, of
15th-century style, with sub-mullions and smaller
lights in the two-centred head. The north wall is in
three bays, the first being blank and the other two
filled with an arcade with a circular column and halfround responds, plainly moulded capitals, and arches
of two chamfered orders. The bases are now buried
under the floor. On the south is a similar arrangement, but the arcade is of earlier date, and has arches
of two wave and ogee moulded orders. The capitals
are of good profile, and the bases have a roll-moulding, all being circular on plan. There is no chancel
arch, a cambered beam of late 16th-century date supporting the eastern gable of the nave.
The nave is of three bays, with arcading of similar
date but plainer detail than the south chancel arcade.
The arches are of two plain chamfered orders, and
the columns circular with moulded capitals and bases.
The tower arch is of late 15th-century date, and of
two continuously moulded orders, separated by a
three-quarter hollow.
The north chapel has a two-light window to
the east and a four-light to the north, both transomed, and with square heads of late 16th-century
date. Between the chapel and the aisle is a plastered
arch, either of brick or lath-and-plaster. At the north-east is an external door with a segmental head.
The north aisle has, to the north, two modern
windows of two lights with tracery of 14th-century
detail. The west window is of four lights, also of
14th-century design.
The south aisle and chapel, in one range, have an
east window of which the opening is apparently
original and at such a height above the floor as to
clear the vestry. The tracery and external jambs are
quite modern, and of 14th-century detail. In the
south wall are four two-light windows, all of the same
14th-century design. There are perhaps some old
stones in the internal splays, but otherwise they are
completely modern. The west window is of the
same design and date as that of the north aisle. The
south door, between the western pair of windows, and
the porch are modern, and of 15th-century design.
At the north-east of the aisle is a small door, possibly
of late 14th-century date, restored with a pointed
chamfered head, leading into the vestry. The latter
is quite modern, and has a three-light modern window
to the east, and a small external door to the south.
The tower is of three stages, with an embattled
parapet, and buttresses, and a south-east turret staircase. The walling is worked in a checker of flints
and blocks of Heath stone. The belfry windows,
which are very much restored, are of two four-centred
uncusped lights, in a square-headed chamfered reveal.
In the second stage is a small single light of similar
detail, and below it is the west window, which is
quite modern, and of four lights with tracery. The
west door, also modern, is of 15th-century design,
with a two-centred head within a square outer order,
and spandrel sinkings, &c.
The font is a late 18th-century one, and has a
small black marble octagonal bowl on a baluster stem
of white marble. The base is also of black marble.
The other fittings and the seating are all modern,
except the communion rails, which are of early 18th-century date. A table of the same period also remains. The roofs of the nave and chancel are both
of late date, probably early 17th or late 16th century, while those of the aisles, &c., are modern.
In the north chapel are a number of incised wall
slabs to members of the Stoughton family. One is
to Sir Nicholas Stoughton of Stoughton, 1647, married, first, to Brigid Compton; secondly, to Anna
Evans. Six shields, arranged round the frame of the
inscription, give the arms of Stoughton, Compton of
Godalming, and other families. Another slab is to
Brigid (Compton), wife of the above, 1631, who
had four children, John, George, Rose, and Brigid.
There are two shields, the first, Stoughton impaling
Compton, and Compton. Also three slabs close together, one to Sir Laurence Stoughton, 1615, and
Rose Ive his wife, 1632, with Stoughton impaling
Party cheveronwise sable and argent three elephants'
heads razed and countercoloured with crowns or; a
second to Thomas Stoughton, second son of Sir Laurence
Stoughton and his wife Catherine Evelyn, who had
five children and both died in 1610, with the arms
of Stoughton and Evelyn on separate shields; and the
third to Sir George, third son and heir of Sir Laurence
Stoughton, 1623–4. There is also, in the chancel, a
monument to George Barnes, 1683, eldest son of
George Barnes of Wassage, and grandson of Sir George
Barnes of London. The arms are Azure three leopards' heads argent impaling Ermine a cheveron azure.
In the south aisle is an achievement of the royal arms,
with the initials A.R., and the date 1702.
The tower contains four bells, the treble, second,
and third cast by Bryan Eldridge in 1620, and the
tenor dated 1790.
The plate consists of a chalice of 17th-century type
with illegible date-letter, a modern copy, a paten
made in 1701, a very large flagon made apparently
in 1631 and presented in 1702, and a plated
paten.
The first book of registers contains mixed entries,
1662 to 1726; second, 1727 to 1812, marriages
stopping 1748; the third, marriages 1754 to 1776;
the fourth, banns and marriages 1776 to 1800; the
fifth, marriages 1801 to 1812. There are also two
small books, the first, 1727 to 1748, containing
baptisms; the second, similar, but with burials also,
1764 to 1803.
The church of ST. SAVIOUR, WOODBRIDGE
ROAD, is of stone, in 14th-century style, with a
tower and spire. It was consecrated in 1899. A
church room was built in 1892.
The church of EMMANUEL, STOUGHTON, is
built in stone by Mr. W. Gilbert Scott in 14th-century style. It was consecrated in 1904. A brick
church on the other side of the road was formerly used.
CHRIST CHURCH is a chapel of ease to Stoke,
built in the Waterden Road, Guildford, in 1868. It
is in 13th-century style, of stone, with a tower.
ADVOWSONS
The church of Stoke is mentioned in the Domesday Survey. (fn. 38)
It was afterwards in the gift of the
priory of St. Pancras at Lewes, (fn. 39) who at the Dissolution released it to the king. (fn. 40) It was afterwards
granted to Robert Lord. (fn. 41) The mayor of Guildford
presented in 1633, (fn. 42) Sir Nicholas Stoughton in 1662,
William Hubbald, son of William who died in 1709,
in 1712. (fn. 43) In 1719 Henry Sherrat conveyed it to
Nicholas Turner. (fn. 44) John Russell presented in 1749,
and George West in 1795. (fn. 45) In 1826 George West
conveyed it to Francis Paynter. (fn. 46) Samuel Paynter
presented in 1831. (fn. 47) The advowson is now in the
hands of Simeon's trustees.
St. Saviour's was formed into an ecclesiastical parish
in 1893 from Stoke and the formerly extra-parochial
liberty of the Friary. The living is in the gift of
Simeon's trustees.
Stoughton parish was formed from Stoke in 1893.
The patron was then the late Rev. Francis Paynter of
Stoke Hill.
CHARITIES
Parsons' Almshouse for poor widows
was established by William and Henry
Parsons in 1796. They were brothers
engaged in business in Guildford. Henry died in
1791, leaving money by will for the purpose, which
was carried out by William. The building, in Stoke
Road, is of brick, with a turret and clock in the
centre, and is not unpleasing.
Smith's Charity is distributed as in other Surrey
parishes.
In 1767 Mr. James Price left £400 3 per cent.
stock for the benefit of poor housekeepers not
receiving parish relief.
Dr. James Price, his nephew, in 1783 added £800
to this charity. Dr. Price was really named Higginbotham, but took his maternal uncle's name. He pretended to discoveries in the transmutation of metals.
He was a F.R.S., and when a committee of the society
was appointed to test his experiments, committed suicide.