South Stoke, West Sussex

For other uses, see South Stoke (disambiguation).
South Stoke

South Stoke Church
South Stoke
 South Stoke shown within West Sussex
Area  5.35 km2 (2.07 sq mi) [1]
Population 44 (Civil Parish)[2]
    density  8/km2 (21/sq mi)
OS grid referenceTQ026099
    London  47 miles (76 km) NNE 
Civil parishSouth Stoke
DistrictArun
Shire countyWest Sussex
RegionSouth East
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post town ARUNDEL
Postcode district BN18
Dialling code 01903
Police Sussex
Fire West Sussex
Ambulance South East Coast
EU Parliament South East England
UK ParliamentArundel and South Downs
List of places
UK
England
West Sussex

Coordinates: 50°52′49″N 0°32′34″W / 50.88021°N 0.54279°W / 50.88021; -0.54279

South Stoke is a small, almost wholly rural village and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England. It is centred two miles (3 km) north of Arundel also on the west bank of the River Arun and on the edge of Arundel Park. It is reached by road, footpath or river from Arundel. A footpath also leads to North Stoke on the east bank. The civil parish, which includes the hamlet of Offham, covers an area of 534.86 hectares (1,321.7 acres).

The parish church, Saxon in origin, is dedicated to St Leonard. Offham has a large pub.

History

Human population here reverted to medieval levels after 1806 when common land was enclosed to make Arundel Park, depriving unlanded villagers of sheep-grazing land. Some of this was returned to woodland after a few centuries of being used as pasture.

Amenities

Offham has a pub with outdoor seated area, the Black Rabbit.

The Monarch's Way long-distance footpath crosses the western edge of the parish between Houghton and Arundel.

In film, the media and fiction

Offham is the setting for Michael de Larrabeiti's 2003 novel Foxes' Oven, set in 1940.[3]

The parish church

The 11th century building is recorded in the Domesday Book, when the village was named as "Stoches". Built of flint it has a thin western tower which carries a 19th-century broach spire with four slatted dormer windows. There is one bell dated 1657. The porch is 13th century.

References

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