GENUKI Home page up Devon ContentsContents & Search Nearby Places Nearby Places upGeneral information
 
 

STOKENHAM

Map of the area
Select map to view parish
boundaries in detail.
"STOKENHAM, or Stockingham, a small pleasant village, 5½ miles E. by S. of Kingsbridge, has in its parish 1619 inhabitants, and 5920 acres of land, including six villages, extending 4 miles along the picturesque shore of Start Bay, of which the following are the names and population :- Chillington, 325; Beeson, 106; Beesands, 104; Halsands, 128; Kellaton, or Kellington, 105; and Torcross, 192. several of them are fishing villages, noted for fine crabs, which are in high repute in London. The parish extends southward to Start Point, where there is a lighthouse. It includes also the hamlets of Bickerton, Dunstone, Cornborough, and many scattered houses. TORCROSS, near Ley lake and Slapton Sands Hotel (see Slapton), is a pretty little bathing place, with several lodging-houses for visitors. . . . Sir R.L. Newman, Bart., of Mamhead, is lord of the manor of Stokenham, and has a neat marine residence, called Stokely House, built about 35 years ago. The manor has been held by the Fitzjohns, Fitzherbert, Courtenays, Hastings, and Carys, and was sold by the latter to the Newmans. Miss Burnell is lady of the manor of Kellaton, and A.B.E. Holdsworth, Esq., owns Stokenham Priory estate. . . . Coleridge, a handsome new mansion, in the Elizabethan style, is the seat of John Allen, Esq. . . . The Nicholls, Edmunds, Pitts, Randall, Cole, and other families have estates in the parish, mostly freehold. The Church (St. Barnabas,) is a large antique structure, with a low tower and six bells. . . . The vicarage, valued in K.B. at £48. 7s. 8½d., and in 1831 at £625, with the curacies of Chivelstone and Sherford annexed to it, is in the patronage of the Crown, and the incumbency of the Rev. Hy. Taylor, M.A., of South Pool Rectory. The Parsonage is small, but neat, and the glebe is only 2A. 21P." [From White's Devonshire Directory (1850)]
In Coleridge Hundred, the Archdeaconry of Totnes and the Diocese of Exeter. [Note: The parish church is now dedicated to St Michael and All Angels. Previously it was dedicated to St Barnabas, and before this it was dedicated to St Humbert the Confessor.] Regarded as part of the South Hams area.

General information:

Biography

Steer, Freda (ed.). A fisherman's life: told in the words of Frederick Stone Steer, born at Beesands June 8th 1898. [Beesands]: [F.Steer?] [1984?] [Westcountry Studies Library - px639.22/STO/STE]

Cemeteries

MIs for this parish are included in the Devon FHS index - see under Cemeteries on the main Devon page.

A transcription of the Memorial Inscriptions for the Parish Church and Churchyard, Ford Congregational Chapel, Chillington Methodist Chapel, Collington Burial Ground, and Bessands Church is held in the Society of Genealogist's Library, in Vol. 9 of Devon Memorial Inscriptions.

Roberts, W.A. Stokenham in South Devon: Records of family names. Stokenham: W.A. Roberts (1980) 106p. [Westcountry Studies Library - x929.5/STO/ROB]
Roberts, W.A. Records of Family Names in Stokenham: Indexed Monumental Inscriptions from all Burial Grounds in the Parish (1981). [Devon FHS Library p942.35/STO]
Roberts, W.A. Stokenham in South Devon: Records of family names: first supplement. Stokenham: W.A. Roberts (1993) 25p. [Westcountry Studies Library - px929.5/STO/ROB]

Census

Transcription of the 1841 census, from the Parishes of the South Hams website.

Church History

Stokenham - from J. Stabb. Some Old Devon Churches (London: 1908-16).

Photographs and history of Stokenham Parish Church, Torcross Chapel, Beesdands Church, and Chillington Methodist Chapel.

Wilkins, J.G. Stokenham Parish Church. Tozers of Dartmouth (printers) (Aug 1986) 8p.
Williams, H. Fulford. The Rectory of Stokenham. Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries 24 (1950-51) pp.175-177.
Williams, H. Fulford. The Rectory and Vicarage of Stokenham. Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries 25 (1952-53) pp.153-160. [Raymond: Lists rectors 1310-1497, and vicars 1319-1920.]

Church Records

Parish Registers going back to 1570 are held in the Devon Record Office - for details see Parish Registers in the Devon Record Office.

Transcripts of the Parish Registers going back to 1570 are held in a special collection in the Westcountry Studies Library - for details see Parish Registers in the Devon & Cornwall Record Society's Collection.

The Devon FHS publishes indexes covering (as of June 2004): Baptisms 1813-1839, Marriages 1754-1837, Burials 1813-1837, together with Stokenham Independent Chapel Burials 1813-1837 - for details see their book list.

Other churches and chapels (with pre-1840 records):

Entered into the IGI (as of Jan 1993): Parish Church Christenings 1578-1591 Marriages 1574-1582, Ford Independent Chapel Christenings 1772-1837.

Indexes to baptisms (1725-1812), banns (1838-1873) and banns (1888-1889), from the Parishes of the South Hams website.

Deanery of Woodleigh Baptisms 1813-1839, Marriages 1754-1837 and Burials 1813-1988 - CD-ROM, Exeter, Devon FHS (2006). [Index of Aveton Gifford: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1813-1837), Bigbury: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837, Burials 1813-1837), Buckland-Tout-Saints: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1818-1822), Burials (1813-1988), Charleton: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1780-1812), Chivelstone: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1800-1837), Churchstow: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1813-1848), Dodbrooke: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1813-1837), East Allington: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1813-1837), East Portlemouth: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1813-1837), Kingsbridge: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1813-1837), Kingsbridge Ind.: Burials (1793-1897), Loddiswell: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1813-1837), Malborough: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1813-1837), Moreleigh: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1813-1837), Ringmore: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1764-1814), Salcombe: Baptisms (1813-1839), Sherford: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1800-1837), Slapton: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1813-1837), South Huish: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1813-1856), South Milton: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1813-1838), South Pool: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1813-1838), Stokenham: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1813-1837), Stokenham Ind.: Burials (1795-1836), Thurlstone: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1813-1838), West Alvington: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1813-1837), Woodleigh: Baptisms (1813-1839), Marriages (1754-1837), Burials (1813-1837)]

Description and Travel

Stokenham village - photographs and brief description from the parish web-site.

Directories

Transcript of the name listing in White's History, Gazetteer and Directory of Devonshire (1850), made available by Nick Heard.

Transcription of the entry in White's Devonshire Directory (1850) by Terry Partridge.

Copy provided by Val Henderson of the entry (description and names) in Morris and Co's Commercial Directory and Gazetteer of Devonshire 1870.

Gazetteers

The transcription of the section for this parish from the National Gazetteer (1868), provided by Colin Hinson.

Genealogy

Cowell, Peter. Prettejohn, Stokenham occasional papers 3, 1981, pp. 60-64. [Includes pedigrees, 17-20th c.]
Tolchard, Brian. The Tolchard Story: Court Manor Rolls of Stokenham, Devon Family Historian, vol. 126, (2008) p.14.

History

Old Hallsands - an excellent web-site on the history of a village that collapsed into the sea in 1917.

Oath-takers and Tax-payers in Georgian Stokenham by Paul Luscombe, provided by the Friends of Devon Archives.

Bradbeer, Grace. The Land That Changed Its Face: The Evacuation of Devon's South Hams 1943-1944. David & Charles, Newton Abbot, Devon (1973). [ISBN 0-7153-5781-6]
Harvey, John L. The tragedy of Hallsands village. [1980?] 16p. ill. [Westcountry Studies Library - pB/HAL 3/1897/HAR]
Melia, Steve. Hallsands: A Village Betrayed, Forest Publishing (2002). [ISBN 0 9536852 4 1]
Roberts, W.A. Stokenham occasional papers, Book 1: Queen Katherine's Rental 1547, Wreck of Sea 1588, The Church of Hardenstocke 1198. Kingsbridge: W.A.Roberts (1980) 23 leaves. [Westcountry Studies Library - pB/STO 7/0001/STO]
Roberts, W.A. Stokenham occasional papers:, Book 2: Sir Francis Drake and Stokenham Church, Chillington Grist Mill, Uproar in Court 1556. Kingsbridge: W.A.Roberts (1981) 24-47 leaves: maps, plans. [Westcountry Studies Library - pB/STO 7/0001/STO]
Roberts, W.A. Stokenham occasional papers, Book 3: Settlement in Stokenham, Prettejohn by Peter Cowell, Stokenham Corn Mill. Kingsbridge: W.A.Roberts (1981) 50-71 leaves: ill, maps. [Westcountry Studies Library - pB/STO 7/0001/STO]
Roberts, W.A. Manorial Stokenham in the 14th Century. Stokenham occasional papers, Book 4: Manorial Stokenham in the 14th Century. Kingsbridge: W.A.Roberts (1981) 75-97 leaves. [Westcountry Studies Library - pB/STO 7/0001/STO]
Roberts, W. A. Stokenham people and property in 1842. Kingsbridge: The Author (1982) [61]leaves: maps, facs. [Westcountry Studies Library - x912.133622/STO/STO]
Roberts, W.A. Stokenham occasional papers: Book 5. Kingsbridge: W.A.Roberts (1982) 101- 122 leaves. [Westcountry Studies Library - pB/STO 7/0001/STO]
Tanner, K. and Walsh, P. Hallsands: a pictorial history, (1984) [ISBN 0950995901] [Devon FHS Library p929.35/HAL]
Worth, R H. Hallsands and Start Bay. Trans. Dev. Assoc. 36 (1904).
The sacrifice of the South Hams, 1943-1944, [Slapton], [Commem. Cttee.] [1984] 7 pp. [Westcountry Studies Library pB/SOU 2/1943/SAC]

Manors

Roberts, W. A. The lords of Stokenham: and their feudal manor in South Devon. [Stokenham]: [W.A. Roberts] (1979) 54 leaves: maps. ISBN: 094626600X (pbk). [Raymond: Traces descent of the manor.]
Roberts, W. A. Elizabethan court rolls of Stokenham Manor in South Devon, 1560-1602: indexed for persons, places and subjects: with supplementary documents. Kingsbridge: W.A. Roberts (1984) xxx, 358 columns: 1 facsim., 2 maps. ISBN: 0946266093 (pbk).

Maps

Roberts, W. A. Stokenham parish tithe map 1841: extracts and notes. [Stokenham] [W.A. Roberts] (1979) 65 leaves: maps. ISBN: 0946266018 (pbk).

Names, Personal

Stokenham contributors to a 1678 brief for the rebuilding of St Paul's Cathedral.

Names from White's Devonshire Directory (1850), provided by Nick Heard.

Roberts, W.A. Family names occurring in Stokenham, South Devon, between 1370 and 1850. Kingsbridge, Devon : W.A. Roberts, (1984) 2p. [LDS 942.35/S6 D4r]

Schools

Transcribed extracts (in PDF format) by Jane Hill from the logbook of Stokenham National School for 1862-1874 and 1875-1905 provided by Clare Pawley.

Find help, report problems, and contribute information.

Last updated: 12 Dec 2011 - Brian Randell

Return to top of page
Note: The information provided by GENUKI must not be used for commercial purposes, and all specific restrictions concerning usage, copyright notices, etc., that are to be found on individual information pages within GENUKI must be strictly adhered to. Violation of these rules could gravely harm the cooperation that GENUKI is obtaining from many information providers, and hence threaten its whole future.