Stoak - Stocklinch, Ottersay

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.

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.