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Churchstoke
Churchstoke (Welsh: Yr Ystog; also spelled as Church Stoke) is a village, community and electoral ward in Montgomeryshire, Powys, Wales. Located in the southeast of the Vale of Montgomery, it is overlooked by Todleth Hill, Roundton Hill and Corndon Hill. The rivers Caebitra and Camlad have their confluence just outside the village. The nearest town is Montgomery. In the 2011 census the village had a population of 708.
The community of Churchstoke covers a wider area than the village, including the neighbouring villages of Hyssington and The Marsh. Recently the detached part of the community around Weston Madoc was transferred to Montgomery's community. The community is situated on a salient and covers an area of over 50 square miles (130 km2).
The placename identifies it as a farm (or settlement) with a church; it was recorded as 'Cirestoc' in 1086 in the Domesday Book.
The parish church today is largely the result of 19th-century rebuilding, but retains its 13th-century tower with a later timber belfry. From the period before the 19th century, only a font, a stoup and a chest have survived up to three phases of restoration and reconstruction. The main body of the church with its large high pitched roof dates to the second half of the 19th century, although the sequence of construction is not completely clear.
The layout of the churchyard and its location immediately above the River Camlad suggests an early medieval origin. In 1881 the interior was laid out in its present form and the church was rededicated to Saint Nicholas (having previously been dedicated to St. Mary).
The church has a 13th-century square tower at the western end, reduced in height in 1812 with a typical Montgomeryshire style timber-framed belfry and a pyramidal roof which was re-tiled with oak roof shingles in 2005. The tower was used as a place of refuge during 14th-century feuds and later in English Civil War battles. In 1646 the Parliamentarians attacked the Royalists who were planning to stay overnight at Churchstoke. The Royalists took refuge in the church and in the ensuing battle the Parliamentarians set fire to the church door forcing the Royalists to surrender.
The wooden belfry and the spire were added in 1815. The clock was installed in 1887. There is a suggestion that the tower was originally higher than it stands now.[citation needed]
In 1751 the south wall of the church was taken down and a new south aisle was constructed. In 1812 the old church was taken down and a new nave was built using stone from Churchstoke Hall and Churchstoke Quarries. It was roofed with slate from Corndon Hill and included a schoolroom and galleries. The present iron columns, made in Coalbrookdale, presumably carried the galleries. The columns, which have octagonal stone bases and square decorative capitals, now support the lowered roofline. In 1881 the schoolroom and galleries were removed along with the old box pews and the interior was laid out in its present form. The exterior buttresses were added together with the nave windows and the ground level lowered around the church. The north and south walls of the chancel were rebuilt, and a new south porch was added. The aisles are divided from the nave by arcades of six bays above which is a frieze of timber arcading.
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Churchstoke AI simulator
(@Churchstoke_simulator)
Churchstoke
Churchstoke (Welsh: Yr Ystog; also spelled as Church Stoke) is a village, community and electoral ward in Montgomeryshire, Powys, Wales. Located in the southeast of the Vale of Montgomery, it is overlooked by Todleth Hill, Roundton Hill and Corndon Hill. The rivers Caebitra and Camlad have their confluence just outside the village. The nearest town is Montgomery. In the 2011 census the village had a population of 708.
The community of Churchstoke covers a wider area than the village, including the neighbouring villages of Hyssington and The Marsh. Recently the detached part of the community around Weston Madoc was transferred to Montgomery's community. The community is situated on a salient and covers an area of over 50 square miles (130 km2).
The placename identifies it as a farm (or settlement) with a church; it was recorded as 'Cirestoc' in 1086 in the Domesday Book.
The parish church today is largely the result of 19th-century rebuilding, but retains its 13th-century tower with a later timber belfry. From the period before the 19th century, only a font, a stoup and a chest have survived up to three phases of restoration and reconstruction. The main body of the church with its large high pitched roof dates to the second half of the 19th century, although the sequence of construction is not completely clear.
The layout of the churchyard and its location immediately above the River Camlad suggests an early medieval origin. In 1881 the interior was laid out in its present form and the church was rededicated to Saint Nicholas (having previously been dedicated to St. Mary).
The church has a 13th-century square tower at the western end, reduced in height in 1812 with a typical Montgomeryshire style timber-framed belfry and a pyramidal roof which was re-tiled with oak roof shingles in 2005. The tower was used as a place of refuge during 14th-century feuds and later in English Civil War battles. In 1646 the Parliamentarians attacked the Royalists who were planning to stay overnight at Churchstoke. The Royalists took refuge in the church and in the ensuing battle the Parliamentarians set fire to the church door forcing the Royalists to surrender.
The wooden belfry and the spire were added in 1815. The clock was installed in 1887. There is a suggestion that the tower was originally higher than it stands now.[citation needed]
In 1751 the south wall of the church was taken down and a new south aisle was constructed. In 1812 the old church was taken down and a new nave was built using stone from Churchstoke Hall and Churchstoke Quarries. It was roofed with slate from Corndon Hill and included a schoolroom and galleries. The present iron columns, made in Coalbrookdale, presumably carried the galleries. The columns, which have octagonal stone bases and square decorative capitals, now support the lowered roofline. In 1881 the schoolroom and galleries were removed along with the old box pews and the interior was laid out in its present form. The exterior buttresses were added together with the nave windows and the ground level lowered around the church. The north and south walls of the chancel were rebuilt, and a new south porch was added. The aisles are divided from the nave by arcades of six bays above which is a frieze of timber arcading.