South Stoke, West Sussex
| South Stoke | |
|---|---|
 South Stoke Church |
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 South Stoke
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| South Stoke shown within West Sussex | |
| Area | 5.35 km2 (2.07 sq mi) |
| Population | 44 (Civil Parish) |
| • Density | 8/km2 (21/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | TQ026099 |
| • London | 47 miles (76 km) NNE |
| Civil parish |
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| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United 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 Parliament | |
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). It is in the civil parish of Houghton.
The parish church, Saxon in origin, is dedicated to St Leonard. Offham has a large pub.
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.
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.
Offham is the setting for Michael de Larrabeiti's 2003 novel Foxes' Oven, set in 1940.
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.
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Wikipedia