History of the Area

Location

The Shropshire Union Canal passes right by the village of Stoak, while today the village of Little Stanney is gradually being swallowed up by the Cheshire Oaks Trading Estate and associated developments. The name of the settlement is a variant of 'STOKE' from the old English word 'STOC'. This word generally indicated a 'cattle farm' or 'dairy farm'. Another meaning of 'STOC' is 'stockade'.

Little Stanney OS Map 1881

Stoak OS Map 1881

Domesday Book

A Victorian Description of the area

".... Stoak parish includes the townships of Stoak, and Little Stanney and embraced a part of the townships of Backford, Ince and Whitby, which together have a population of 346 souls and 1780 acres of land". "...... At the last Census Stoak had 19 houses and 111 inhabitants. Sir H E Bunbury, (Baronet) is Lord of the Manor, and owns the whole township." The manor was anciently possessed by the Soterleigh family. Roger de Soterleigh was noted to be the earliest possessor of this township. This occurred in an agreement with the abbot of St Werburgh printed in an account of the township church.

Tithe Map (1845)

The Church of St Lawrence, Stoak

The Church is dedicated to St Lawrence. It is described by George Ormerod (a 19thc Cheshire local historian) as 'a picturesque and venerable building of red stone' - which is the red sandstone of the county. There is no mention of the church in Domesday Book but it is evident from the fragments of architecture that it dates back to the Norman Period. It is in the gothic style, with the church font being very ancient and ornamented in the Saxon style. The western tower of the church contains a clock and three bells which are dated 1627, 1642 and 1661. The Church of St Lawrence was redesigned by George Edgecumbe and rebuilt in 1827. This provided a new tower and north transept as well as the south wall and south transept being rebuilt. A new gallery was also made at the west end by which 55 additional free sittings were added. The small chancel and nave roof of the previous church remain and the interior of the building contains a late 17th century pulpit. There is a west gallery and a communion rail with twisted balusters from the late 17th century. There is a large marble tablet in memory of Henry Bunbury (1668). During World War II the Victorian stained glass window ws damaged by bombs. These, unfortunately, were replaced by plain glass. The Church Register dates from the year 1573 - (Baptism registers 1573-1925, marriages 1573-1993 and burials 1573-1889 are kept at the Cheshire Record Office. There also have a transcript of memorial inscriptions).

Transport

Unfortunately, the local roads on the lower clay lands to villages such as Whitby, Little Stanney and Stoak were very poorly maintained. Another Victorian local historian, Routledge, wrote a rather damning description of the area in 1882. He described Stoak village as
"...... a collection of ragged and filthy hovels, scattered round the church without the least attention the arrangement on a small elevation adjacent to the marshes through which the River Gowy forces its way to a confluence with the River Mersey. Of the roads it may be sufficient to say that they are not worse than could be expected, after stating that the soil is deep clay and that materials are distant...."

Care of the Poor