Church Stoke

Churchstoke or Church Stoke () is a large village in Powys, but adjacent to the English-Welsh border, on the junction of the A489 and A490 roads. It is overlooked by Roundton Hill. The nearest town is Montgomery. An outline map of the Parish of Churchstoke may be seen . The location of Churchstoke itself may be seen .

Etymology

The placename identifies it as a farm (or settlement) with a church; recorded as 'Cirestoc' in 1086 in The Domesday Book.

Today

The village has many facilities including a large supermarket and convenience store (), as well as a primary school, two public houses (The Horse and Jockey pub and The Court House Hotel), a Chinese takeaway (The Golden Fish) and fresh locally made ice cream (Dairy Dreams). A market is also held here on Sundays. The central area of Churchstoke is a Conservation Area.

St. Nicholas Church

The parish church today is largely the result of 19th century rebuilding, but it retains its 13th century tower with a later timber belfry. From the period prior to 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...
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