Stoak
STOAK, a parish, in the union of Great Boughton, Higher division of the hundred of Wirrall, S.
division of the county of Chester; containing, with
the township of Little Stanney, and part of Whitby,
346 inhabitants, of whom 111 are in the township of
Stoak, 5½ miles (N. by E.) from Chester. The parish
comprises, exclusively of Whitby, 1407 acres, of a clay
soil; and is intersected by the Ellesmere canal. The
living is a perpetual curacy; net income, £130; patron
and impropriator, Sir H. E. Bunbury, Bart. The church,
which is the burial-place of the Bunbury family, has a
Norman doorway, some ancient wooden screen-work,
and a small chapel attached to the south side of the
chancel; it was partially rebuilt in the year 1827. There
are bequests to the poor, amounting to about £25 per
annum.
Stoat
STOAT, a hamlet, in the parish of Tidenham, union
of Chepstow, hundred of Westbury, W. division of
the county of Gloucester; with 176 inhabitants.
Stoborough
STOBOROUGH, a liberty, in the parish of the Holy
Trinity, borough of Wareham, union of Wareham
and Purbeck, Wareham division of Dorset, ¾ of a
mile (S.) from Wareham; containing 375 inhabitants.
It was formerly governed by a mayor, chosen at Michaelmas; but the inhabitants declining to qualify themselves,
when the Schism act came into operation, in 1714, the
office no longer exists, although a bailiff is appointed by
a jury at the manor court.
Stock (All Saints)
STOCK (All Saints), a parish, in the union and
hundred of Chelmsford, S. division of Essex, 3 miles
(R. by S.) from Ingatestone; containing 605 inhabitants.
The parish is almost surrounded by that of Buttsbury,
in which it is supposed to have been formerly a hamlet.
It comprises 1848 acres, whereof 1425 are arable and in
homesteads, 261 grass, 97 woodland, and 65 waste; the
soil is in some parts very fertile, and there is abundance
of fine clay for making bricks of superior quality. The
living is a rectory, with that of Ramsden-Bellhouse annexed, valued in the king's books at £10; net income,
£658; patron, the Rev. Edward Edison. The tithes of
Stock have been commuted for £428. 10., and the glebe
comprises 25 acres. The church is a large edifice of
brick, with a turret of wood; in the south wall is a table
monument with the recumbent figure of an armed warrior. There is a place of worship for Independents.
Among former rectors of the parish was Charles Hoole,
master of Rotherham and other schools, and editor of
several useful school books; he was incumbent from
1660 to 1667.
Stock
STOCK, a tything, in the parish, union, and hundred of Calne, Chippenham and Calne, and N. divisions of Wilts; containing 328 inhabitants. It is situated on a tributary of the river Avon, and to the south
of the road leading from Droitwich to Alcester.
Stock
STOCK, Middle division of the hundred of Oswaldslow, county of Worcester.—See Bradley.
Stock-Cross
STOCK-CROSS, a hamlet, in the parish of Speen,
union of Newbury, hundred of Kintbury, county of
Berks, 2½ miles (N. W.) from Newbury. A district
church was erected and endowed in 1839, at the expense
of the Rev. H. W. Majendie; it is a handsome cruciform
edifice in the early English style, containing 400 sittings,
of which 300 are free, and, being situated on elevated
ground, forms an interesting feature in the surrounding
landscape. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of the Vicar of Speen.
Stock-Dennis
STOCK-DENNIS, with Stock-Wyndham, an extraparochial district, in the hundred of Tintinhull, union
of Yeovil, W. division of Somerset; containing 11
inhabitants. This was formerly a parish, but the church
having been destroyed, and the place almost depopulated, it lost its parochial rights. It consists of two
large farms adjoining the parish of Ilchester. The living
was a rectory, valued in 1294 at £20; it belongs to the
Rev. J. H. Wyndham, and yields a net income of £188
per annum.
Stock-Gayland
STOCK-GAYLAND, a parish, in the union of Sturminster, hundred of Brownshall, Sturminster division
of Dorset, 7 miles (E. S. E.) from Sherborne; containing 60 inhabitants. This parish is bounded on the north
by the river Caundle, and intersected by the Lidden: it
comprises 849a. 1r. 36p. The living is a discharged
rectory, valued in the king's books at £5. 7. 1., and in
the patronage of the Rev. H. F. Yeatman, the incumbent,
whose tithes have been commuted for £146. 17. 3.:
there is a glebe of 43 acres. The church is an ancient
structure, beautifully situated in the pleasure-grounds
of the Manor-house, adjacent to the park, which contains
about 120 acres.
Stockbridge (St. Peter)
STOCKBRIDGE (St.
Peter), a market-town and
parish, having separate jurisdiction, the head of a union,
and formerly a representative
borough, locally in the hundred of King's Sombourn,
Andover and N. divisions of
the county of Southampton, 18 miles (N. by w.)
from Southampton, and 66
(W. S. W.) from London;
containing 937 inhabitants.
The town is situated on the great road from London to
Exeter, and consists of one long street, intersected at
the west end by the river Test, and at the east by the
Andover and Redbridge canal, over each of which is a
bridge; that across the former was rebuilt in 1799, and
is a handsome structure. Five smaller streams cross
the street in the intermediate space, over which were
formerly bridges of one arch, but these have all been
taken down, except one, and the streams have been
arched over. The inhabitants are supplied with excellent water. Races are held in June, and for some years
past, a plate has been given by the Grosvenor family.
The old course was on Houghton Down, about two miles
west of the town; the new one has been formed immediately adjoining it, in the parishes of Wallop and Longstock, under Danebury Hill, from the area and intreuchments of which the whole of it may be seen. A stand
has been erected, which is also used by the members of
the Bibury Racing Club, lately removed hither from
Gloucestershire. The streams are particularly favourable for trout-fishing; and some of the principal nobility
and gentry of this and the adjoining counties meet here
three or four times a year, and spend several weeks in
this favourite recreation. The preparation of parchment
and glue affords employment to a few persons. The
market, on Thursday, is well attended: a large and
handsome market-room, adjoining the Grosvenor Arms,
was built at the expense of the late Marquess of Westminster. There were formerly three fairs, of which two
only are now held, one on July 10th, and the other on
the last Thursday in October; the latter is among the
largest in the county for lambs, several thousands being
sold. A fortnight cattle-market has been lately established.
Arms.
Stockbridge is a borough by prescription, under a
bailiff and constable who are elected by a jury at the
court leet of the manor, held by the steward on EasterWednesday. It sent representatives to parliament from
the first of Elizabeth, but was disfranchised by the act
of the 2nd of William IV., cap. 45. Petty-sessions are
held monthly. The town-hall, a neat edifice near the
centre of the town, was built in 1810, on the site of a
previous structure, at an expense of £1500, defrayed by
the inhabitants. The parish comprises 1077 acres, of
which 241 are common or waste land. The living is
a perpetual curacy: a rent-charge of £40 in commutation of tithes is paid to certain impropriators, and of £3
to the vicar of Barlow. There is a place of worship for
Independents. The poor-law union of Stockbridge comprises 15 parishes or places, 14 of which are in the
county of Hants, and one in that of Wilts; and contains
a population of 7096. About two miles and a half from
the town is Danebury Hill, a circular intrenchment in
good preservation, inclosing an extensive area, with very
high ramparts. On the north and west are several
barrows, one of which is named Canute's Barrow; and
on the east, at a distance of about a mile and a half, is
another circular intrenchment with a high rampart,
inclosing an area of about twenty acres, called Woolberry,
on the east side of which is the representation of a white
horse, cut many years since, at the expense of W. P.
Powlett, Esq., of Sombourn House. Robert, Earl of
Gloucester, natural brother of the Empress Matilda, was
made prisoner in this town on his flight from Winchester; according to tradition, he took refuge in the
church, after effecting the escape of the empress, who,
feigning death, was conveyed hence in funeral procession
through the besieging army, and having arrived at a
certain distance, mounted a horse and reached Gloucester in safety.
Stockbury (St. Mary Magdalene)
STOCKBURY (St. Mary Magdalene), a parish, in
the union of Hollingbourn, hundred of Eyhorne,
lathe of Aylesford, W. division of Kent, 5 miles (W.
by S.) from Sittingbourne; containing 603 inhabitants.
The parish comprises 2928a. 30p., of which about 618
acres are woodland, and 48 common or waste. A fair,
chiefly for toys, is held on the 2nd of August. The
living is a vicarage, valued in the king's books at
£9. 11. 0½.; net income, £243, with a house, erected in
1834; patrons and appropriators, the Dean and Chapter
of Rochester. The church is a spacious cruciform structure in the early English style; the columns and arches
on the north side are of Petworth marble, and peculiarly
elegant. A great part of the chancel and north transept
was destroyed by fire, in 1836, and has been rebuilt,
partly at the expense of the Dean and Chapter, and
partly by subscription; the new pillars and arches are
of Bethersden marble, and the ancient carved work has
been carefully restored. A dreadful tempest, attended
with the most destructive effects, happened here in
1746.
Stockeld
STOCKELD, a hamlet, in the township and parish
of Spofforth, Upper division of the wapentake of
Claro, W. riding of York, 2 miles (W.) from Wetherby; containing 62 inhabitants. The hamlet forms
a manor, comprising 970 acres of land, the property of
Peter Middelton, Esq., of Stockeld Hall. In the grounds
of the Hall is a lake, near which rises a rock of peculiar
shape, 65 feet in girth, and in height 30, that probably
gave name to the place, Stockheldt being the Dutch term
for a misshapen figure of stone. The sides of the valley
through which the water flows, have many sandstone
rocks of large size and various forms. There is a Roman
Catholic chapel at the Hall.
Stockerston (St. Peter)
STOCKERSTON (St. Peter), a parish, in the union
of Uppingham, hundred of Gartree, S. division of the
county of Leicester, 2¾ miles (W. S. W.) from Uppingham; containing 48 inhabitants. The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £13, and in the gift
of T. Walker, and G. Bellairs, Esqrs.: the tithes have
been commuted for £202, and the glebe contains 37½
acres. John Boyvile in 1465 obtained leave of Edward
IV. to erect an almshouse here in honour of the Blessed
Virgin, for a chaplain and three persons, and to settle
lands upon them in mortmain, of the annual value of
£10. Stockerston Hall is a handsome brick mansion,
the residence of Mr. Walker.
Stockham
STOCKHAM, a township, in the parish and union
of Runcorn, hundred of Bucklow, N. division of the
county of Chester, 3½ miles (N. E.) from Frodsham;
containing 43 inhabitants. It is on the road from Runcorn to Northwich, and comprises 323 acres, the soil of
which is clay.
Stockhill
STOCKHILL, with Middleton, a township, in the
parish of Ilkley, Upper division of the wapentake of
Claro, W. riding of York, 6½ miles (N. W.) from
Otley; containing 186 inhabitants. These two hamlets
comprise about 2280 acres of land, the property of William Middleton, Esq., of Middleton Lodge, an ancient
mansion in the Gothic style, near which is a neat Roman
Catholic chapel.
Stockingford
STOCKINGFORD, a district chapelry, in the parish
and union of Nuneaton, Atherstone division of the
hundred of Hemlingford, N. division of the county of
Warwick, 1½ mile (W.) from Nuneaton; containing
1386 inhabitants. The living is a perpetual curacy, in
the gift of the Vicar of Nuneaton; income, £120. The
chapel, erected in 1824, and dedicated to St. Paul, is a
handsome building with a square embattled tower.
Stockland (St. Michael)
STOCKLAND (St. Michael), a parish, in the union
and hundred of Axminster, S. division of Devon, 6
miles (N. E. by E.) from Honiton; containing 1841 inhabitants, of whom 1328 are in the portion of the parish
exclusive of the chapelry of Dalwood. The parish comprises 10,000 acres: the surface is hilly, and the soil a
rich marl; dairy-farming prevails, and considerable
quantities of wheat are grown. The living is a vicarage,
valued in the king's books at £15. 13. 11½.; patrons,
the Freeholders and Inhabitants: the tithes of the parish,
exclusive of Dalwood, have been commuted for £309
payable to the impropriators, and £450 payable to the
vicar, who has also a glebe of one acre. The church is
a large ancient structure. There is a chapel of ease at
Dalwood; and a national school is supported by subscription, and an allowance of £10 a year from lands
left for charitable purposes.
Stockland-Bristol
STOCKLAND-BRISTOL, a parish, in the union of
Bridgwater, hundred of Cannington, W. division of
Somerset, 7 miles (N. W. by N.) from Bridgwater;
containing 193 inhabitants. The living is a discharged
vicarage, valued in the king's books at £6. 9. 4., and in
the patronage of Thomas Daniel, Esq. The impropriate
tithes have been commuted for £60, and the vicarial for
£151; the glebe comprises 16 acres.
Stocklewath-Bound
STOCKLEWATH-BOUND, a township, in the parish of Castle-Sowerby, union of Penrith, Leath
ward, E. division of Cumberland, 8 miles (S. by W.)
from Carlisle; containing 291 inhabitants. Within the
township is Castle-Steads, a Roman camp, 188 yards
long and 160 broad, which has an inner and an outer
rampart. It is placed in a triangular position with, and
at an equal distance from, two other fortifications, called
Whitestones and Stoneraise, the latter whereof, it is
supposed, was originally a burial-ground of the Druids,
afterwards occupied by the Romans. About a mile from
these are vestiges of a Druidical temple, where three
stone coffins, containing human bones and other relics,
have been found; and a little to the south are fragments
of a large rocking-stone, to which an avenue of stones
seems to have led.
Stockley
STOCKLEY, a township, in the parish of Brancepeth, N. W. division of Darlington ward, union, and
S. division of the county of Durham, 4¾ miles (S. W.
by W.) from Durham; containing 53 inhabitants. It
comprises about 1160 acres: the village is situated near
the source of a rivulet to which the township gives
name. The tithes have been commuted for £49.
Stockley
STOCKLEY, a tything, in the parish, union, and
hundred of Calne, Chippenham and Calne, and N.
divisions of Wilts; containing 175 inhabitants.
Stockley-English (St. Mary)
STOCKLEY-ENGLISH (St. Mary), a parish, in
the union of Crediton, hundred of West Budleigh,
Crediton and N. divisions of Devon, 5¼ miles (N. by E.)
from Crediton; containing 161 inhabitants. The living
is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £7, and in
the patronage of the Crown; net income, £116.
Stockley-Pomeroy (St. Mary)
STOCKLEY-POMEROY (St. Mary), a parish, in
the union of Crediton, hundred of West Budleigh.
Crediton and N. divisions of Devon, 3½ miles (N. E. by
E.) from Crediton; containing 258 inhabitants. It is
situated on the road between Crediton and Tiverton,
and comprises by computation 1300 acres. The living
is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £15. 6. 8.;
net income, £222; patron, the Bishop of Exeter. There
is a glebe-house, and the glebe consists of about 41
acres. The church contains portions of several styles;
the nave is the most ancient part, and is entered by a
rich Norman doorway: the chancel has an old lancet
window, and a piscina with a trefoiled head; there are
some specimens of handsomely carved oak, and the
stone steps of a rood-loft still remain.
Stocklinch, Magdalene (St. Mary Magdalene)
STOCKLINCH, MAGDALENE (St. Mary Magdalene), a parish in the union of Chard, hundred of
Abdick and Bulstone, W. division of the county
of Somerset, 2¾ miles (N. E.) from Ilminster; containing 92 inhabitants The living is a discharged
rectory, valued in the king's books at £4. 4. 7; net
income, £140; patron, the Rev. James Upton.
Stocklinch, Ottersay (St. Mary)
STOCKLINCH, OTTERSAY (St. Mary), a parish,
in the union of Chard, hundred of Abdick and Bulstone, W. division of the county of Somerset, 2½
miles (N. E.) from Ilminster; containing 132 inhabitants. The living is discharged rectory, valued in the
king's books at £6. 9. 2.; net income, £148; patron,
Jeffreys Allen, Esq.