THE POST OFFICE DIRECTORY OF HAMPSHIRE, INCLUDING THE ISLE OF WIGHT; WILTSHIRE AND DORSETSHIRE (published by Kelly & Co) - 1875
STOKE ABBOTT is a parish and village, 2 miles west from Beaminster, and 6 north from Bridport, in the hundred and union of Beaminster, Bridport petty sessional division, and county court district, hundred of Beaminster Forum, diocese of Salisbury, archdeaconry of Dorset, and rural deanery of Bridport. The church of St Mary the Virgin is a stone building, consisting of of an Early English chancel, nave, a small north transcept, a square tower with a peel of 5 bells; it contains an ancient Norman font. On December 8, 1828, the church was struck by lightning, which did great damage, breaking all the windows, bursting open the doors, melting the wires of the chimes and splitting the tower. The parish register dates from the year 1559. The living is a rectory, the tithe-commutation is £420 yearly, and there are about 60 acres of glebe, with rectory house, erected in 1864; it is in the gift of New College, Oxford, and held by the Rev William Edward Crauford Austin-Gourlay MA, formerly Fellow of that college. A National school for boys and girls was erected in 1858. There is an Independent chapel. The Beaminster Union House is situated in this parish. The flax and hemp trade of Bridport gives employment to some of the cottagers. LEWESDON HILL, from which there are extensive and beautiful prospects, is in this parish, and is the scene of an elegant poem by the Rev William Crowe, public orator of the University of Oxford, and a short time rector of this parish. The principal landowners are: Colonel Cox, William Colfox esq, JP Foster esq, GT Gollop esq, and J Story-Maskelyne esq. The soil is clay. The chief crops are wheat, barley and oats. The area is 2,303 acres; gross estimated rental £4,284 12s 8d; rateable value, £3,672; in 1871 the population was 671.
Parish Clerk, Edward Holland
POST OFFICE. - Edward Holland, receiver. Letters arrive from Bridport through Beaminster at 8.30am; dispatched at 4.40pm. The nearest money order offices are at Beaminster and Broad Windsor
INSURANCE AGENT. - Liverpool & London & Globe, W Hann
National School, Miss Kate Bouts, mistress
COMMERCIAL. - Hann William, jun. carpenter
BARTHOLOMEW'S GAZETTEER OF THE BRITISH ISLES
1887 - Stoke Abbot, parish and villiage, in west of Dorset - parish, 2303 acres, population 551; village, 5 miles north of Bridport; Post Office
KELLY'S DIRECTORY OF DORSET (published by Kelly's Directories Ltd)
1889 - STOKE ABBOTT is a parish and village, 2 miles west from Beaminster, and 6 north from Bridport station on the Great Western railway, in the Western division of the county, hundred and union of Beaminster, petty sessional division and county court district of Bridport, rural deanery of Bridport Beaminster portion, archdeaconry of Dorset and diocese of Salisbury. The church of St Mary the Virgin is a stone building, consisting of an Early English chancel, nave of three bays, north aisle, south porch and a square western tower with a peel of 5 bells, which chime every three hours: it contains an ancient Norman font: on December 8, 1828, the church was struck by lightning: the church was restored in 1878 by subsciption, and a north aisle added in the place of a small north transcept; a stained window was erected in the chancel by Mrs Symes, of Charmouth, in memory of her husband; also one to William Udal esq and Mary Anne, his wife: and the church was reseated with open benches: there are sittings for 210 persons. The living is a rectory, the tithe-commutation is £420 yearly, gross income £440, net £350, and there are about 60 acres of glebe, with rectory house, erected in 1864: it is in the gift of New College, and held since 1878 by the Rev Frederick Peers Whickham MA formerly fellow of that college. There is a Congregational chapel. The Beaminster Union House is situated in this parish. The principal landowners are John Russell Cox esq, William Colfox esq of Westmead, Bridport, Sir AJ Strachan, Capt G Gollop of Strode House, Netherbury, and M Story-Maskelyne esq JP. The soil is sandy loam; subsoil , sandy loam. The chief crops are wheat and barley. The area is 2,271 acres; rateable value, £3,908; in 1881 the population was 551, inclusive of the 73 officers and inmates of the Beaminster Union House.
Sexton (appointed annually), John Hook Hann
POST OFFICE. - Mrs Caroline Holland, receiver. Letters arrive from Beaminster RSO at 7.50am; dispatched at 4.50pm. The nearest money order office & telegraph office is at Broadwindsor. Postal orders are issued here, but not paid.
INSURANCE AGENT. - Liverpool & London & Globe, JH Hann
National School (mixed), erected in 1858, & a class room has been added by the present rector; for 100 children; average attendance, 63; Miss Jane Hayward, mistress
CARRIER. - Charles Canterbury, to Broadwindsor & Crewkerne, every wed.; to Bridport, daily, except wed.
COMMERCIAL. - Hann John Hook, builder, contractor, shop fitter, cabinet maker, timber dealer, blacksmith, waggon builder & agent for Liverpool, London & Globe Fire & Life Insurance Co
1895 - STOKE ABBOTT is a parish and village, 6 miles north from Bridport terminal station on the Great Western railway, 2 west from Beaminster and 7 from Crewkerne, in the Western division of the county, hundred and union of Beaminster, petty sessional division and county court district of Bridport, rural deanery of Bridport (Beaminster portion), archdeaconry of Dorset and diocese of Salisbury. The church of St Mary the Virgin is a stone building, consisting of an Early English chancel, nave of three bays, north aisle, south porch and a square western tower with a peel of 5 bells, which chime every three hours: it contains an ancient Norman font: on December 8, 1828, the church was struck by lightning: the church was restored in 1878 by subsciption, and a north aisle added in the place of a small north transcept; a stained window was erected in the chancel by Mrs Symes, of Charmouth, in memory of her husband; also one to William Udal esq and Mary Anne, his wife: and the church was reseated with open benches: there are sittings for 210 persons. The living is a rectory, tithe commutation is £420 yearly, average £315, gross income £415, net £320, and 51 acres of glebe, with rectory house, erected in 1864; in the gift of New College, since 1892 by the Rev George Studley Sealy Vidal MA formerly chaplain of that college. There is a Congregational chapel. Beaminster Union House is situated in this parish. The principal landowners are John Russell Cox esq, William Colfox esq of Westmead, Bridport, the Gollop family, Netherbury, and M Story-Maskelyne esq JP. The soil is sandy loam; subsoil, sandy loam. The chief crops are wheat and barley. The area is 2,327 acres; rateable value, £3,720; in 1891 the population was 499, inclusive of 67 officers and inmates of the Beaminster union workhouse and infirmary.
Parish Clerk, John Hook Hann
POST OFFICE. - Edwin Moores, sub-postmaster. Letters arrive from Beaminster RSO at 7.50am & 7.15pm; dispatched at 5.45 & 7.15pm. Postal orders are issued here, but not paid. The nearest money order & telegraph office is at Broadwindsor.
National School (mixed), erected in 1858, & a class room has been added for 100 children; average attendance, 72; Miss Mary Gallimore, mistress
CARRIER. - Charles Canterbury, to Broadwindsor & Crewkerne, every wed.; to Bridport, daily, except wed.
COMMERCIAL. - Hann Charles, shoe maker and Hann John Hook, builder, contractor, cabinet maker, timber dlr, blacksmith & waggon builder
1915 - STOKE ABBOTT is a parish and village, 6 miles north from Bridport station on the Great Western railway, 2 west from Beaminster, and 6.5 south from Crewkerne station on the main line of the London and South Western railway, in the Western division of the county, hundred and union of Beaminster, petty sessional division and county court district of Bridport, rural deanery of Bridport (Beaminster portion), archdeaconry of Dorset and diocese of Salisbury. The church of St Mary the Virgin, originally Norman, is a building of stone, consisting of an Early English chancel, nave of three bays, north aisle, south porch and a square western tower containing 5 bells with chimes: the church was partially restored in 1913, when the bells were rehung. The font is of Norman date, with carvings in good preservation: and there is a small Norman window on the north side: a stained window was erected in the chancel by Mrs Symes, of Charmouth, in memory of her husband, and there is another to William Udal esq and Mary Anne, his wife; on December 8, 1828, the church was struck by lightning, but was restored in 1878: and now has sittings for 210 persons. The living is a rectory, net income £275, and 55 acres of glebe, with residence, erected in 1864: in the gift of New College, and held since 1911 by the Rev David Cymmer Owen MA of New College, Oxford and LTh of Durham. There is a Congregational chapel, seating 80 persons. Beaminster Poor Law Institution is in this parish. The principal landowner is Mr John Bowditch. The soil is sandy loam; subsoil, sandy loam. The chief crops are wheat, barley, flax and pasture. The area is 2,327 acres; rateable value, £2,910; in 1911 the population was 430, inclusive of the 7 officers and 93 inmates of the Beaminster Poor Law Institution.
Parish Clerk, Charles Hallett
Post Office. - Mrs Caroline Holland, George Woolmington, sub-postmaster. Letters arrive from Beaminster, Dorset at 7.55am & 5.25pm; dispatched at 5.40pm, week days only. Broadwindsor, 1.5 miles distant, is the nearest money order office & telegraph office.
Wall Letter Box, Venn, cleared 4.30pm week days only.
Elementary School (mixed), erected in 1858, & a class room has been added by the present rector; for 100 children; Mrs Rogers, mistress
Carrier. - Charles Canterbury, to Broadwindsor & Crewkerne, every wed.; to Bridport, daily, except wed.
MODERN DAY
2005 - STOKE ABBOTT is a ecclesiastical parish and village, 6 miles north from Bridport, 2 west from Beaminster, and 6.5 south from Crewkerne station on the main line of South West trains. The administrative parish forms part of Char Valley Parish Council in the West Dorset administrative district, the village is in the Broadwindsor ward of the Beaminster electoral division of West Dorset parlimentary constituency, petty sessional division of Bridport and county court district of Dorchester. The ecclesiastical parish is in the rural deanery of Beaminster, archdeaconry of Sherborne and diocese of Salisbury. The church of St Mary the Virgin, originally Norman, is a building of stone, consisting of an Early English chancel, nave of three bays, north aisle, south porch and a square western tower which used to contain 5 bells with chimes: the church was partially restored in 1913, when the bells were rehung; they have since been removed for safety reasons and are now in the porch The font is of Norman date, with carvings in good preservation: and there is a small Norman window on the north side: a stained window was erected in the chancel by Mrs Symes, of Charmouth, in memory of her husband, and there is another to William Udal esq and Mary Anne, his wife; on December 8, 1828, the church was struck by lightning, but was restored in 1878: and now has sittings for 210 persons. In 1951 the ecclesiastical parish was merged with Netherbury, becoming part of Beaminster Team Ministry in 1982. The rectory is now a private house, the glebe having been sold off in lots - in December 1955, March 1956 and September 1960. The Congregational chapel, seating 80 persons, was restored in 1972, but closed in 1999. Beaminster Poor Law Institution was converted to private apartments in 1975 and is now known as Stoke Water House. The principal landowner is ?. The soil is sandy loam; subsoil, sandy loam. The chief crops are apples and pasture. The area is 941 hectares; in 2001 the population was 209 in 102 dwellings, 18 further dwellings were second homes and a further four unoccupied. Of the population, 10% were under 15 years, 57.4% between 16 and 64 years and 32.5% 65 years or above
Parish Clerk,
Post Office. - closed in February 1979.
Elementary School (mixed), erected in 1858, was closed in 1950, purchased from New College, Oxford in 1951 and became the Village Hall
CENSUS POPULATION
1841 808
1851 826
1861 703
1871 671
1881 551
1891 499
1901 419
1911 430
1921 341
1931 344
1941 no census
1951 393
1961 355
1971 211
1981 210
1991 230
2001 220