| Stokenham | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Stokenham Location withinDevon | |
| Population | 1,895 (2011 census) |
| Civil parish |
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| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| 50°16′24″N3°40′47″W / 50.273202°N 3.679744°W /50.273202; -3.679744 | |
Stokenham (/stoʊkənˈhæm/) is a village andcivil parish in theSouth Hams district, in the county ofDevon, England. The population of the parish at the2011 census was 1,895.[1]
For the great majority of towns in England with names ending in -ham the suffix is very weakly pronounced as /əm/ and the stress is always earlier in the word. In Birmingham, for example, the stress is on the first syllable. Stokenham is a clear exception, with the -ham fully enunciated and stressed.
As well as Stokenham the civil parish includes the settlements ofTorcross,Beesands,Hallsands, Kellaton, Kernborough, Dunstone, Beeson andChillington and Bickerton.[2] It forms part of thedistrict of South Hams.
Download coordinates as:
| Point | Coordinates (Links to map resources) | OS Grid Ref | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beesands | 50°15′11″N3°39′26″W / 50.253°N 3.6572°W /50.253; -3.6572 (Beesands) | SX818406 | |
| Torcross | 50°16′00″N3°39′13″W / 50.2666°N 3.6535°W /50.2666; -3.6535 (Torcross) | SX822420 |
The village of Stokenham was known inSaxon Times as Stoc orStoc Hamme ("meaning Stoc meadows").[3] By the 13th century the town was called Stoke in Hamme.[4] Anelectoral ward has the same name. The ward population at the2011 census was 1,895.[5]
InMediaeval times St. Humbert the Confessor (d.1188AD)[6] was locallyvenerated aspatron saint in the town.
The area was known in the 19th century for the fine crabs, and inWorld War II local residents were evacuated from the area, on the eve ofD-day.
To the east of the parish isStart Bay in theEnglish Channel. The principal road in the parish is theA379 running between the nearest towns ofKingsbridge (to the west) andDartmouth to the north.
The present church dates from 1431;[7] an earlierNorman church predated it.[8]
"The church as it stands today, is a fine example of the perpendicular style of medieval architecture. It is built on the side of a hill so that its whole length can be seen from below and is dedicated to St Michael and All Angels, which was common practice for churches standing on elevated sites. It was, however, dedicated to St Barnabas and prior to that to St Humbert the Confessor."[9]
Immediately to the east of thechurch is the site of Stokenhammanor house, abandoned in 1585 but possibly dating back to at least the 12th century.[10]
The Tradesman's Arms is an imposing 14th-century, part-thatched pub and restaurant.
On the 27 September 2021, a fire believed to have originated in the kitchen destroyed much of the pub alongside three neighbouring homes. The Tradesman's Arms was repaired having undergone a three-yearbuilding reconstruction, along with the fire damaged adjoining cottages which all reopened in May 2024.[11]
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