STORE-PRIOR. 553 STOKES BAY. manor was once held by the Moling, Hastings, Sir !). Coke, the eminent lawyer, Lord Purbeck, th< Gayers, Halseys, Lady Cobham, and William Penn the founder of Pennsylvania. The living ia a vie." in the dioc. of Oxford, val. 319. 'The church, dedicated to St. Giles, is an ancient ivy-covere( structure, containing brasses of the Molins or Mullens hearing date 1425, and of E. Hampden, also monu- ments of the Grays, of whom was the poet Gruy who died at Cambridge in 1771, but lies buried in the churchyard of this parish, the scene of his " Elegy.' There is a National school for both sexes, endowed with about 30 per annum, also a charity school supported by Miss Vyse. A monument to W. Penn has been erected in a field opposite the church. The principal residence is Stoke Park, rebuilt by Wyatt in 1789, near the ruin of the old one, in which Sir Edward Coke en- tertained Queen Elizabeth in 1601. The hall contains portraits of Charles I.'s children by Vandyke, also others by eminent masters. II. Labouchere is lord o( the manor. STORE-PRIOR, a par. in the hund. of Wolphy, co. Hereford, 3 miles 8.E. of Leominstcr, its post town, and near the Fordbridge railway station. It contains the limits, of Wicton and Risbury. The village, which is large, is situated betwixt the Leominster and Hereford and the Leominster and Worcester turnpike roads, and near the river Lug. The land is chiefly in pasture, orchards, and hop-grounds. The soil consists of a rich loam with a subsoil of clay. The living is a perpet. cur. annexed to that of Docklow, in the dioc. of Hereford, val. 132, in the patron, of the Vicar of Leominster. The church, dedicated to St. Peter, is an ancient edifice with a tower and three bells. There is a National school for botti sexes. Adjoining this parish is an ex- tensive piece of land designated Blackwardine, or Black- Caer-Dun, said to have been a British fortified town, where many Roman coins and other relics have been found. J. Arkwright, Esq., is lord of the manor and principal landowner. STORE-PRIOR, a par. in the middle div. of Oswald- stow hund., co. Worcester, 2 miles S. of Bromsgrove, its post town, and 4 N.E. of Droitwich. It has stations on the Bristol and Birmingham and the Worcester and Wolverhampton railways. The village, which is large, contains brick and tile kilns, stone quarry, chemical works, a needle factory, alkali and salt works, and flour mills, also mines of rock salt, which are worked with great advantage. The Birmingham and Worcester canal passes through the parish. The living is a vie.,* with the cur. of St. Godwald's annexed, in the dioc. of Worcester, val. 310, in the patron, of the dean and chapter. The church, dedicated to St. Michael, is an ancient structure with a tower and four bells. The in- terior has several stained windows. The register dates from 1513. The parochial charities produce about 29 per annum, of .which 16 go to a Sunday-school. There is a National school for both sexes, including infants. The Dean and Chapter of Worcester are lords of the manor. STOKE RIVERS, a par. in the hund. of Sherwill, co. Devon, 5 miles N.E. of Barnstaplo, its post town. The village is situated on an acclivity, and is wholly agricultural. The subsoil consists of rubble. The Iniiigisarect.* in the dioc. of Exeter, val. 231. The church, dedicated to the Holy Ascension, or to St. Bar- mcw, has a tower and five bells. It was rebuilt in 1831, with the exception of the tower. There is a free 1 for both sexes, which is endowed with 200 by L Tamlyn, Esq. Sir A. Chichester, Bart., is lord of the manor. There is a circular encampment called Burah Castle, also tho supposed site of one of the t liriti.sh 1c. STOKE ROCIIFORD, or STOKE, SOUTH, a par. in tho hund. of Winnibriggs and Threo, co. Lincoln, 6 miles S. of Grantham, its post town, and 2 S.W. of Great Ponton railway station. The village is situated on tho river Witham, and is chiefly agricul- tural. The :r. include s the tr.slijs. of East' n and North Stoke. It once belonged to the Rochfords, and has remains of a Roman villa. The living is a rect.* in the dioc. of Lincoln, val. 785, in the patron, of the prebendary of South Grantham. The church, dedicated to SS. Mary and Andrew, has a tower and five bells. It has three chancels, some stained windows, and monu- ments of the Cholmeley and Turner families. It was restored in 1847. Tho parochial charities produce about 40 per annum. There is a school on the National principle, supported by Lady C. Turner. Stoke Hall is the principal residence. STOKE-RODNEY, a par. in the hund. of Winter- stoke, co. Somerset. Sue RODSEY-STOKE. STOKE ROW, an ecclesiastical district in the hund. of lloreton, co. Berks, 2 miles S. of Wallingford, within which borough it is included. The living is a perpet. cur. in the dioc. of Oxford, val. 90, in tho patron, of St. John's College, Cambridge. The church is modern. STOKE, ST. GREGORY, a par. in the hund. of North Curry, co. Somerset, 8 miles N.E. of Taunton, its post town, 5 N.W. of Langport, and 1J mile from Athelney Bridge railway station. The village is situated between the rivers Parrot and Tone, near Athelney Island. The par. includes East Curry, Curryload, and Stathe. The living is a perpet. cur. in tho dioe. of Bath and Wells, val. 120, in the patron, of the Dean and Chapter of Wells. The church, dedicated to St. Gregory, is an ancient edifice, with a tower and five bells. The register dates from 15G1. There are National schools for both sexes, also a Sunday-school held at the vestry-room. The Bible Christians have a chapel. The Dean and Chapter of Wells are lords of the manor. STOKE, ST. MARY, a par. in the hund. of Taunton, no. Somerset, 3 miles S.E. of Taunton, its post town, and 10 N. of Chard. The village is situated on the road from Taunton to Chard, and is chiefly agricultural. Tho soil is of a clayey nature. The par. includes the hmlt. of Stoke Hill. The living is a reel, and don. in the dioc. of Bath and Wells, val. 133. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is an ancient edifice with a tower and four bells. The Independents have a chapel. R. Mattock, Esq., is lord of the manor. STOKE, ST. MICHAEL, a par. in the hund. of Whitstone, co. Somerset. See STOKE-LANE. STOKE, ST. MILBOROUGH, a par. in the lower div. of Munslow hund., co. Salop, 6 miles N.E. of Ludlow, its post town, and 13 from Wenlock. It com- prises the tnshps. of Clee Downton, Clee Stanton, and the chplry. of Heath. The inhabitants are chiefly en- gaged in agriculture. Tho soil is of various qualities. The living is a vie. with the cur. of Heath annexed, in the dioc. of Hereford, val. 474. The church, dedicated to St. Milburgh, has a tower and four bells. It is situ- ated in a dell, and is said to have been originally built by Milburgh, daughter of Merwald, King of Jlercia, and has been recently restored. The parochial charities Droduce about 3 per annum, which go to a school. There is a chapel-of-easo at Heath, also a National school for both sexes. The Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists have chapels. STOKESAY, a par. in the lower div. of'Munslow mnd. co. Salop, 7 miles N.W. of Ludlow, and 22 S. of Shrewsbury. Newton is its post town. It is situated >n the river Onny and the turnpiko road between Shrewsbury and Hereford. It comprises the tnshps. of Aldon, Broom with Rowton, Newton, and Wettleton. ~n the vicinity are a Roman encampment called Norton's yanys, and the ruins of Stokesay Castle. The soil is f a clayey, limey, and gravelly nature, with a subsoil of iluo clay. The living is a vie. in the dioc. of Hereford, val. 351. Tho church, dedicated to St. John the Japtist, or St. Peter, is an ancient structure with a tower nd six bells. It has been recently restored. The paro- hial charities produce about 12 per annum. There is n endowed parochial school for both sexes. Earl Craven i lord of the manor and principal landowner. STOKES BAY, a coast-guard station near Anglesea, o. Hants, 2 miles S.W. of Gosport. It is a station on he London and Soulh-Wcslcru railway. Off tho shore
