Stoke Charity

Stoke Charity, Wonston
settlement
parish:
county:
coords:
Wonston
Hampshire
SU4839
refce: HANTSLOC.t

old map: 25inch County Series map -- Hants XXXIII.5

Stoke Charity
otherwise: Stoches, 1086; Eledestoke, 1256; Elledestok, 1276; Stokecharite, 1270; Eldestok; Eldestoke, 1276; Oldestoke, 1364; Old Stoke Charitie, 1603-1625

refce: Coates 1989
STOKE CHARITY
Originally just hypothetical 'Stoc'='dependent farm, grange farm'. Ekwall suggested, in a letter to Gover, that the earliest qualifier of the name represents Old English 'aelede'='burnt'. This was later taken as 'eald'='old', developing regularly in one tradition into the 'Old Stoke' of modern times (still on the OS map as a house name, SU485377). The manor was held in 1276 by Henry de la Charite hence the other tradition. The two traditions merge in an early Stuart document.

description
Stoke-Charity
The place is described in text Cobbett 1830

refce: Cobbett 1830
... we came down to a very fine farm-house, which we stopped a little to admire; and I asked Richard whether that was not a place to be happy in. The village, which we found to be STOKE-CHARITY, was about a mile lower down this little vale.
... After, however, crossing the village, and beginning again to ascend the downs, we came to a labourer's (once a farm house), where I asked the man, whether he had any bread and cheese, and was a little pleased to hear him say 'Yes.'
Then I asked to give us a bit, protesting that we had not yet broken our fast. He answered in the affirmative, at once, though I did not talk of payment. His wife brought out a cut loaf, and a piece of Wiltshire cheese, and I took them in hand, gave Richard a good hunch, and took another for myself. I verily believe, that all the pleasure of eating enjoyed by all the feeders in London in a whole year, does not equal that which we enjoyed in gnawing this bread and cheese, as we rode over this cold down, whip and bridle-reins in one hand, and the hunch in the other. Richard, who was purse bearer, gave the woman, by my direction, about enough to buy two quartern loaves: for she told me, that they had to buy their bread at the mill, not being able to bake themselves for want of fuel; and this, as I said before, is one of the draw-backs in this sort of country. I wish everyone of these people had an American fire-place. Here they might, then, even in these bare countries have comfortable warmth. Rubbish of any sort would, by this means, give them warmth. I am now, at six o'clock in the morning, sitting in a room, where one of these fire-places, with very light turf in it, gives as good and steady a warmth as it is possible to feel, and which room has, too, been cured of smoking by this fire-place.
...
When we got here to Burghclere, we were again as hungry as hunters. What, then, must be the life of these poor creatures? But is not the state of the country, is not the hellishness of the system, all depicted in this one disgraceful and damning fact, that the magistrates, who settle on what the labouring poor ought to have to live on, ALLOW THEM LESS THAN IS ALLOWED TO FELONS IN THE GAOLS, and allow them nothing for clothing and fuel, and house-rent! ...
Looking, now, back again, for a minute, to the little village of Stoke-Charity, the name of which seems to indicate, that its rents formerly belonged wholly to the poor and indigent part of the community. It is near to Winchester, that grand scene of ancient learning, piety and munificence. Be this as it may, the parish formerly contained ten farms, and it now contains but two, which are owned by Mr. Hinton Bailey and his nephew, and, therefore, which may probably become one. There used to be ten well-fed families in this parish, at any rate: these, taking five to a family, made fifty well-fed people. And, now, all are half-starved, except the curate and the two families. The blame is not the land-owner's; it is nobody's; it is due to the infernal funding and taxing system, which of necessity drives property into large masses in order to save itself; which crushes little proprietors down into labourers; and which presses them down in that state, there takes their wages from them and makes them paupers, their share of food and raiment being taken away to support debt and dead-weight and army and all the rest of the enormous expenses, which are required to sustain this intolerable system. ...

old map
Stoke Charity
Shown on an old map by Harrison 1788
- settlement, village - Buddlesgate Hundred - Hampshire
Period - 1780s
refce: Harrison 1788
(HAR1SU53.jpg)

old map
Stoke Charity
Shown on an old map by Morden 1695
- settlement, village - Budlesgate Hundred - Hampshire
Period - 1690s-1720s
refce: Morden 1695
(MRD2SU44.jpg)

old map
Stoke Cherytye
Shown on an old map by Saxton 1575
- settlement, village - Southamtoniae
refce: Saxton 1575
(SAX1SU53.jpg)

   Old Hampshire Gazetteer - JandMN: 2001