Stoke, Kent

{{Short description|Civil parish in Kent, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}} {{Use British English|date=May 2025}} {{infobox UK place| |country = England |coordinates = {{coord|51.450|0.631|display=inline,title}} |official_name= Stoke |civil_parish = Stoke |population = 1060 |population_ref = (2011)<ref name=ONS>{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11129108&c=ME3+9RB&d=16&e=62&g=6396141&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=0&s=1443692150622&enc=1|title=Civil Parish population 2011|access-date=1 October 2015|publisher=Office for National Statistics |work=Neighbourhood Statistics}}</ref> |unitary_england= Medway |lieutenancy_england = Kent |region= South East England |constituency_westminster= Rochester and Strood |post_town= ROCHESTER |postcode_district = ME3 |postcode_area= ME |dial_code= 01634 |os_grid_reference= TQ831760 }} thumb|Lower Stoke village shop

'''Stoke''' is a civil parish on the Hoo Peninsula in Kent, England, to the south of Allhallows, on the north of the Medway Estuary. The parish had a population of 1,060 at the 2011 census.<ref name=ONS/>

The two small villages of Lower Stoke and Stoke (sometimes referred to as Upper Stoke) stand on low-lying fertile farmland that is at most 17 m above highwater. The farmland descends to the Stoke Saltings – a maze of intricate channels and small islands beloved by wading birds. The church of Saints Peter and Paul is in Stoke; it was an appendage to the Manor of Great Hoo. The building contains some Norman and Early English work dating from 1175. It has no spire.<ref name=matthews>Brian Matthews, the History of Strood Rural District, 1971, Strood Rural District Council</ref>

In an Anglo-Saxon charter Stoke is referred to as "Andescohesham".<ref>[http://www.esawyer.org.uk/charter/27.html "S 27"]. (2014). Electronic Sawyer. Retrieved 13 January 2014.</ref> It was passed with other lands by Eadberht, son of King Wihtred of Kent to the See of Rochester for "the good of his soul and the remission of sins".<ref name=matthews/> In 959, Lower Stoke, then called "Osterland", was granted by Queen Eadgifu to Christ Church, Canterbury.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://research.historicengland.org.uk/redirect.aspx?id=6183|last=Smith|first=Joanna|year=2014|title=The Parish of Stoke, Hoo Peninsula, Kent: Historic Area Assessment|publisher=English Heritage|page=5|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721193122/http://research.historicengland.org.uk/redirect.aspx?id=6183|archive-date=21 July 2015}}</ref> In Domesday Book it is called "Estoches" and "Stoches".<ref>[http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D7299540 Place name: Stoke, Little Stoke, Stone, Kent Folio: 5v Great Domesday Book]. (not dated). The National Archives. Retrieved 13 January 2013.</ref>

Due to its low-lying nature, Stoke has often suffered flooding, such as in 1158, 1235, 1309, 1682, and 1735 when ploughmen were swept from their fields as the sea broke through. Also, in 1791, 1854, 1874, and 1897, Stoke was cut off from the Isle of Grain for a week.<ref name=matthews/>

In 1720 Manor Farm was leased to Jacob Sawbridge, one of the South Sea Bubble directors.<ref name=matthews/>

In 1732 William Hogarth stayed overnight at the 'Nag's Head' in Lower Stoke. Due to the shortage of beds he had to share a bed.<ref name=matthews/>

There was a large airship base nearby at Kingsnorth from which patrols covering the North Sea were launched during World War I. The site is now covered by Kingsnorth Power Station.

Stoke has a private unlicensed airfield, home to Medway airsports club and previously part of Medway Microlights manufacturing microlight aircraft such as the Medway Executive SLA. Stoke Medway airfield is known in the aviation community as being a particularly challenging airfield to fly from. It is unique in its topography as it is situated parallel to marshes of the river Medway on one side of the runway. On the other side of the runway is an active rail line and high tension electricity pylons. The runway also has a curve along its entire length and is relatively short in aviation terms of only bring approx 450 metres long.{{cn|date=September 2022}}

==Future proposals== Proposals made by Lord Foster in November 2011 to expand the transport system of south east England, called the Thames Hub, planned a new river barrier and road crossing and a shipping and rail complex. The most controversial part of the scheme involved remodelling the Thames Estuary, by constructing a Thames Hub Airport on the neighbouring Isle of Grain, partially on land reclaimed from the estuary but including land at Allhallows and Lower Stoke.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2011/november/2/lord_foster_to_unveil_airport.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150428094759/http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/lord-foster-to-unveil-ambitious--a70287 |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 April 2015 |title=Lord Foster to unveil ambitious airport plans |date=4 November 2011 |pages=5, 7|website=Kent Online |publisher=Medway Messenger|accessdate=30 October 2023}}</ref> While the road crossing is still progressing, the other proposals have been shelved, with the airport plan abandoned in July 2015 on the recommendation of the Airports Commission.<ref>{{cite web |title=Final Report| url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/440316/airports-commission-final-report.pdf |publisher=Airports Commission |accessdate=25 October 2023}}</ref>

==See also== *Listed buildings in Stoke, Kent ==References== <references/> {{Medway}}

Category:Villages in Kent Category:Civil parishes in Kent Category:Stoke, Kent