North Stoke, Oxfordshire

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North Stoke
Oxfordshire
NorthStokeOx01.JPG
St Mary's parish church
Location
Grid reference: SU6186
Location: 51°34’16"N, 1°7’12"W
Data
Post town: Wallingford
Postcode: OX10
Dialling code: 01491
Local Government
Council: South Oxfordshire
Parliamentary
constituency:
Henley

North Stoke is a small village and ancient parish in Oxfordshire, situated beside the River Thames, which here forms the border with Berkshire. It lies two miles south of the market town of Wallingford in the latter county. Its parish church of St Mary is Grade I listed.

Parish church

The Church of England parish church of Saint Mary was built in the 1230s when Robert de Esthall was the vicar. His memorial slab (1274) may be seen in the chancel. There is a 13th-century crusader chest and the remains of a Saxon piscina. Most notable, however, are the large number of 14th-century wall paintings. Consequent on these factors, it is Grade-I listed.[1] The original tower collapsed in 1669 and was not rebuilt until 1725.[2] St Mary's parish is now a member of The Langtree Team Ministry: a Church of England benefice that includes also the parishes of Checkendon, Ipsden, Stoke Row, Whitchurch-on-Thames and Woodcote.[3]

The Ridgeway path runs through the churchyard, to either side crossing the Thames and climbing the Chilterns.

Transport

Road

The village is, bar a few farmhouses, two forked dead-end residential roads against the river Thames, however its closer New Town end has a lakeside Hotel and Golf Course which may be used by its visitors.

Buses

North Stoke is served by bus services from Wallingford to Goring-on-Thames.[4]

River

Private homes and a private boathouse join the river, no public slipway is available. The Thames Path is on the opposite bank.

Notable people

  • The Academy Award-winning actor Michael Caine lived at Rectory Farmhouse.
  • The contralto Dame Clara Butt lived in the village.
  • Rock vocalist Ian Gillan, formerly of Deep Purple, used to live in the country house that is now the Springs Hotel. He had the guitar-shaped swimming pool built.

References

  1. St Mary's Church - Grade I- National Heritage List 1059577: North Stoke, Oxfordshire
  2. Sherwood & Pevsner, 1974, page 723
  3. "The Langtree Team Ministry". Langtree.org. http://www.langtree.org/index.htm. Retrieved 2012-06-06. 
  4. "timetables & fares". Goridebus.co.uk. http://www.goridebus.co.uk/go_ride/timetables_%26_fares.html. Retrieved 2012-06-06. 

Bibliography

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("Wikimedia Commons" has material
about North Stoke, Oxfordshire)
  • Pedgley, B; Pedgley, D. (1990). Crowmarsh – A history of Crowmarsh Gifford, Newnham Murren, Mongewell and North Stoke. Crowmarsh History Group. ISBN 0-9516305-0-4. 
  • Sherwood, Jennifer; Pevsner, Nikolaus (1974). Oxfordshire. The Buildings of England. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. pp. 723–724. ISBN 0-14-071045-0.