Churchstoke
| |
|---|---|
 St Nicholas' church, Churchstoke | |
  Churchstoke Location withinPowys | |
| Area | 54.31 km2 (20.97 sq mi) |
| Population | 1,691 (2011)[1] |
| • Density | 31/km2 (80/sq mi) |
| Principal area | |
| Preserved county |
|
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Montgomery |
| Postcode district | SY15 |
| Dialling code | 01588 |
| Police | Dyfed-Powys |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| UK Parliament | |
| Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament | |
52°32′24″N3°04′37″W / 52.540°N 3.077°W /52.540; -3.077 Community map
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Churchstoke (Welsh:Yr Ystog; also spelled asChurch Stoke) is a village,community andelectoral ward inMontgomeryshire,Powys,Wales. Located in the southeast of theVale of Montgomery, it is overlooked by Todleth Hill,Roundton Hill andCorndon Hill. The riversCaebitra andCamlad have their confluence just outside the village. The nearest town isMontgomery. In the2011 census the village had a population of 708.[2]
Thecommunity of Churchstoke covers a wider area than the village, including the neighbouring villages ofHyssington andThe Marsh. Recently the detached part of the community around Weston Madoc was transferred to Montgomery's community.[3] The community is situated on asalient and covers an area of over 50 square miles (130 km2).[4]
Theplacename identifies it as a farm (or settlement) with a church; it was recorded as 'Cirestoc' in 1086 in theDomesday Book.
Theparish church today is largely the result of 19th-century rebuilding, but retains its 13th-century tower with a later timberbelfry. From the period before the 19th century, only afont, a stoup and a chest have survived up to three phases of restoration and reconstruction. The main body of the church with its large high pitched roof dates to the second half of the 19th century, although the sequence of construction is not completely clear.
The layout of thechurchyard and its location immediately above theRiver Camlad suggests an earlymedieval origin. In 1881 the interior was laid out in its present form and the church was rededicated toSaint Nicholas (having previously been dedicated to St. Mary).[5]
The church has a 13th-century square tower at the western end, reduced in height in 1812 with a typicalMontgomeryshire styletimber-framed belfry and a pyramidal roof which was re-tiled with oakroof shingles in 2005. The tower was used as a place of refuge during 14th-century feuds and later inEnglish Civil War battles. In 1646 theParliamentarians attacked theRoyalists who were planning to stay overnight at Churchstoke. The Royalists took refuge in the church and in the ensuing battle the Parliamentarians set fire to the church door forcing the Royalists to surrender.[5]
The wooden belfry and thespire were added in 1815. The clock was installed in 1887.[5] There is a suggestion that the tower was originally higher than it stands now.[citation needed]
In 1751 the south wall of the church was taken down and a new south aisle was constructed. In 1812 the old church was taken down and a new nave was built using stone from Churchstoke Hall and Churchstoke Quarries. It was roofed with slate from Corndon Hill and included a schoolroom and galleries. The present iron columns, made inCoalbrookdale, presumably carried the galleries. The columns, which have octagonal stone bases and square decorative capitals, now support the lowered roofline. In 1881 the schoolroom and galleries were removed along with the oldbox pews and the interior was laid out in its present form. The exterior buttresses were added together with thenave windows and the ground level lowered around the church. The north and south walls of thechancel were rebuilt, and a new south porch was added. The aisles are divided from the nave by arcades of six bays above which is a frieze of timber arcading.[5]
The chancel is supposed to have been added in 1867 and is narrower than thenave. There are encaustic floor tiles throughout the chancel and sanctuary, and the tiledreredos has recently been uncovered. There is apiscina in the south wall of the chancel, and three 19th Century brasses. These were probably added in 1867. The southtransept houses the organ and the north transept forms the choirvestry underneath which is the boiler house.[5]
The church is situated in a raised sub-circular churchyard which has been extended in recent times. A few signs ofmusket shots from the skirmishes in the Civil War can still be seen, notably on the soffit of the upper storey round-headed window on the north wall of the tower.[6] The graveyard extension to the west of the church was consecrated in 1868. The earliest gravestone recorded is a sandstone slab to Sarah (died 1749) and Hugh Pugh (died 1768). There is asundial withoutgnomon on the south side of the church near the entrance porch.[5] There are many fine mature trees in the graveyard, which are protected by law, as they are in theConservation Area.[citation needed]
Although physically in Wales, the churches at Hyssington and Churchstoke are within theChurch of EnglandDiocese of Hereford. When theWelsh Church Act 1914 had been passed to disestablish theChurch in Wales, Churchstoke, and Hyssington withSnead parishes both straddled theEngland-Wales border. TheWelsh Church Commissioners therefore carried out aballot of parishioners in 1915 to decide whether the parishes of Churchstoke andHyssington withSnead should remain part of the Church of England, or form part of theChurch in Wales. The parishioners in Churchstoke voted by 390 to 70, and those in Hyssington with Snead by 108 to 33, to remain part of the Church of England.[7]
Churchstoke EnglishMethodist church was built in 1879. AGothic Revival building, it is built of polychromatic brick under a slate roof. A plaque records the building's construction.[8]
The village has many facilities including a largesupermarket (Midcounties Co-operative, formerly Harry Tuffins), as well as a primary school, twopublic houses (The Horse and Jockey and The Court House Hotel), a Chinese takeaway and fresh locally made ice cream. A market is also held here on Sundays. The central area of Churchstoke is aconservation area.
According to the2011 Census, Churchstoke is the community with the 2nd lowest proportion ofWelsh speakers in Wales. Only 4.3% of people in the community claim to speak the language.[9]
According to details published by theCo-operative Group on its bottles, both Co-op Fairbourne Springs Water and their Sparkling Natural Mineral Water are bottled at source in Churchstoke.[citation needed]
Churchstoke has acommunity council representing the community's interests, with nine councillors elected from Churchstoke and three fromHyssington.[10]
The Churchstoke electoral ward is represented by a county councillor onPowys County Council. Since 1995 the ward has elected anIndependent councillor.[11]
Admiral SirMichael Pollock (1916–2006) lived at Churchstoke following his retirement from theRoyal Navy[12] while the Australian artist and lecturer,May Marsden, was born here in 1876.[13]
