Stoke Poges
Encyclopedia
Stoke Poges is a village and civil parish in the South Buckinghamshire district of Buckinghamshire
, England
. It is in the south of the county, about three miles north of Slough
and a mile east of Farnham Common
.
The name "Stoke Poges": Stoke means a stockaded place. In the Domesday Book
of 1086 the village was recorded as Stoche. The affix 'Poges' came later, and refers to the family that owned the manor
in the 13th century. Thus William Fitz-Ansculf, who held the Manor in 1086 (in the grounds of which the Norman Church was built), became known as William Stoches or William of Stoke. Two hundred years after William, Amicia of Stoke, heiress of the then occupant of the Manor, married Robert Pogeys, who was Knight of the Shire. Thus the name was given to Stoke Poges.
The manor house
in Stoke Poges was once very substantial, and Queen Elizabeth I
was entertained here in 1601. A few decades later the lady of the manor, Lady Purbeck, had a love affair with the Member of Parliament Robert Howard
. The affair's discovery caused a national scandal and in 1635 she was imprisoned for adultery. She escaped from prison to France
, later returning to Stoke Poges where she died in 1645.
King Charles I
was imprisoned at the manor house in 1647 before his execution. Later the manor came into the possession of William Penn
, who founded Pennsylvania
, and remained in his family for at least two generations.
Thomas Gray
's Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard
is believed to have been written in the churchyard of the Church of England parish church
of Saint Giles
in Stoke Poges, although there are other local claimants, including the theory by Rev. H. Cavalier that the Elegy was actually written in the Churchyard of Everdon
, Northamptonshire
, based on observations comparing the two churchyards and the lines in the poem.
Gray is buried at St Giles and there is a large monument displaying the Elegy nearby, built by John Penn, William Penn
's grandson.
Immediately outside the south entrance of the church is the white tomb of Jemima Harington, wife of Captain Tomas Talbot Harington of Seaforth Cape of Good Hope.
Stoke Poges is also mentioned in 20th century literature, in the book Brave New World
by Aldous Huxley
, where it is the location of a frequently-visited golf course. The golf course at Stoke Park Club
(formerly Stoke Poges Golf Club) also appeared in the 1964 James Bond
film Goldfinger
, during a crucial golf match played between the principal characters. Stoke Park Club also featured in the films Layer Cake
, Wimbledon
, Bride and Prejudice
, and Bridget Jones' Diary. The 1981 James Bond
film For Your Eyes Only
filmed its opening sequence, when Bond visits his wife's grave, in the graveyard outside St Giles Church. Part of the 2007 series Jekyll was also filmed on the boardwalk and surrounding area. In the 1963 film I Could Go On Singing
, Judy Garland
's character visits St. Giles' parish church with her son.
The French Formula One
racing driver Jacques Laffite
, who won six Grands Prix for Ligier during the late 1970s and early 1980s, lived in Stoke Poges during some of his racing career.
As of the 2001 UK census, the Stoke Poges electoral ward had a population of 4,839. The ethnicity was 93.3% white, 1.3% mixed race, 4.8% Asian, 0.3% black and 0.3% other. The place of birth of residents was 88.1% United Kingdom, 1.6% Republic of Ireland, 2.5% other Western European countries, and 7.8% elsewhere. Religion was recorded as 76.5% Christian, 0.2% Buddhist, 0.7% Hindu, 2.7% Sikh, 0.5% Jewish, and 1.1% Muslim. 10.6% were recorded as having no religion, 0.2% had an alternative religion and 7.6% did not state their religion.
The economic activity of residents aged 16–74 was 40.8% in full-time employment, 11.6% in part-time employment, 12.6% self-employed, 1.8% unemployed, 1.5% students with jobs, 3.1% students without jobs, 16.8% retired, 6.7% looking after home or family, 2.5% permanently sick or disabled and 2.5% economically inactive for other reasons. The industry of employment of residents was 15.4% retail, 13.4% manufacturing, 6.9% construction, 21.1% real estate, 9.2% health and social work, 7.3% education, 8.8% transport and communications, 3.5% public administration, 3.4% hotels and restaurants, 2.8% finance, 0.8% agriculture and 7.4% other. Compared with national figures, the ward had a relatively high proportion of workers in real estate, transport and communications. According to Office for National Statistics
estimates, during the period of April 2001 to March 2002 the average gross weekly income of households was £870, compared with an average of £660 in South East England
. Of the ward's residents aged 16–74, 28.4% had a higher education
qualification or the equivalent, compared with 19.9% nationwide.
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is in the south of the county, about three miles north of Slough
Slough
Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...
and a mile east of Farnham Common
Farnham Common
Farnham Common is a village in the parish of Farnham Royal, in Buckinghamshire, England, about 3 miles north of the town of Slough, on the A355 road between Slough and Beaconsfield. It is to the north of the village of Farnham Royal, and adjoins the woodland of Burnham Beeches.Lois Allan invented...
.
The name "Stoke Poges": Stoke means a stockaded place. In the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 the village was recorded as Stoche. The affix 'Poges' came later, and refers to the family that owned the manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
in the 13th century. Thus William Fitz-Ansculf, who held the Manor in 1086 (in the grounds of which the Norman Church was built), became known as William Stoches or William of Stoke. Two hundred years after William, Amicia of Stoke, heiress of the then occupant of the Manor, married Robert Pogeys, who was Knight of the Shire. Thus the name was given to Stoke Poges.
The manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
in Stoke Poges was once very substantial, and Queen Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
was entertained here in 1601. A few decades later the lady of the manor, Lady Purbeck, had a love affair with the Member of Parliament Robert Howard
Robert Howard (royalist)
Sir Robert Howard was an English landowner, member of parliament, and Royalist soldier. He was involved with a scandal when his mistress Lady Purbeck was found guilty of adultery and was twice summoned to explain her pregnancies to the Star Chamber...
. The affair's discovery caused a national scandal and in 1635 she was imprisoned for adultery. She escaped from prison to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, later returning to Stoke Poges where she died in 1645.
King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
was imprisoned at the manor house in 1647 before his execution. Later the manor came into the possession of William Penn
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
, who founded Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and remained in his family for at least two generations.
Thomas Gray
Thomas Gray
Thomas Gray was a poet, letter-writer, classical scholar and professor at Cambridge University.-Early life and education:...
's Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard
Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard
Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard is a poem by Thomas Gray, completed in 1750 and first published in 1751. The poem’s origins are unknown, but it was partly inspired by Gray’s thoughts following the death of the poet Richard West in 1742. Originally titled Stanza's Wrote in a Country...
is believed to have been written in the churchyard of the Church of England parish church
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
of Saint Giles
Saint Giles
Saint Giles was a Greek Christian hermit saint from Athens, whose legend is centered in Provence and Septimania. The tomb in the abbey Giles was said to have founded, in St-Gilles-du-Gard, became a place of pilgrimage and a stop on the road that led from Arles to Santiago de Compostela, the...
in Stoke Poges, although there are other local claimants, including the theory by Rev. H. Cavalier that the Elegy was actually written in the Churchyard of Everdon
Everdon
Everdon is a village in the Daventry district of the county of Northamptonshire in England some two miles south of Daventry.Nearby The Stubbs is a wood belonging to the Woodland Trust, a UK conservation charity...
, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, based on observations comparing the two churchyards and the lines in the poem.
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
's grandson.
Immediately outside the south entrance of the church is the white tomb of Jemima Harington, wife of Captain Tomas Talbot Harington of Seaforth Cape of Good Hope.
Stoke Poges is also mentioned in 20th century literature, in the book Brave New World
Brave New World
Brave New World is Aldous Huxley's fifth novel, written in 1931 and published in 1932. Set in London of AD 2540 , the novel anticipates developments in reproductive technology and sleep-learning that combine to change society. The future society is an embodiment of the ideals that form the basis of...
by Aldous Huxley
Aldous Huxley
Aldous Leonard Huxley was an English writer and one of the most prominent members of the famous Huxley family. Best known for his novels including Brave New World and a wide-ranging output of essays, Huxley also edited the magazine Oxford Poetry, and published short stories, poetry, travel...
, where it is the location of a frequently-visited golf course. The golf course at Stoke Park Club
Stoke Park Club
Stoke Park is a historic estate in Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire. The Mansion is located amongst of parkland, lakes, historic gardens and monuments. The site is now a hotel, spa and country club....
(formerly Stoke Poges Golf Club) also appeared in the 1964 James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film Goldfinger
Goldfinger (film)
Goldfinger is the third spy film in the James Bond series and the third to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Released in 1964, it is based on the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming. The film also stars Honor Blackman as Bond girl Pussy Galore and Gert Fröbe as the title...
, during a crucial golf match played between the principal characters. Stoke Park Club also featured in the films Layer Cake
Layer Cake (film)
Layer Cake is a 2004 British crime thriller produced and directed by Matthew Vaughn, in his directorial debut. It is based on the novel Layer Cake by J. J...
, Wimbledon
Wimbledon (film)
Wimbledon is a 2004 romantic comedy film directed by Richard Loncraine. The film centers on a washed-up tennis pro named Peter Colt and an up-and-coming tennis star named Lizzie Bradbury during the Wimbledon Championships.The film was dedicated to Mark McCormack, who died on 16 May 2003 after...
, Bride and Prejudice
Bride and Prejudice
Bride and Prejudice is a 2004 romantic musical film directed by Gurinder Chadha. The screenplay by Chadha and Paul Mayeda Berges is a Bollywood-style adaptation of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. It was filmed primarily in English, with some Hindi and Punjabi dialogue. The film released in...
, and Bridget Jones' Diary. The 1981 James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film For Your Eyes Only
For Your Eyes Only (film)
For Your Eyes Only is the twelfth spy film in the James Bond series and the fifth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. It marked the directorial debut of John Glen, who had worked as editor and second unit director in three other Bond films. The screenplay by Richard Maibaum...
filmed its opening sequence, when Bond visits his wife's grave, in the graveyard outside St Giles Church. Part of the 2007 series Jekyll was also filmed on the boardwalk and surrounding area. In the 1963 film I Could Go On Singing
I Could Go On Singing
I Could Go On Singing is a 1963 film starring Judy Garland and Dirk Bogarde.Although not a huge box office success on release, it won Garland much praise for her performance...
, Judy Garland
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
's character visits St. Giles' parish church with her son.
The French Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
racing driver Jacques Laffite
Jacques Laffite
Jacques-Henri Laffite is a French former racing driver who competed in Formula One from to . He achieved six grand prix wins, all while driving for the Ligier team. He is now a TV commentator on French television TF1....
, who won six Grands Prix for Ligier during the late 1970s and early 1980s, lived in Stoke Poges during some of his racing career.
Demography
| Stoke Poges compared | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 UK Census | Stoke Poges ward | South Bucks borough | England |
| Population | 4,839 | 61,945 | 49,138,831 |
| Foreign born | 11.9% | 12.2% | 9.2% |
| White | 93.3% | 93.4% | 90.9% |
| Asian | 4.8% | 4.5% | 4.6% |
| Black | 0.3% | 0.4% | 2.3% |
| Christian | 76.5% | 75.6% | 71.7% |
| Muslim | 1.1% | 1.1% | 3.1% |
| Hindu | 0.7% | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| No religion | 10.6% | 12.5% | 14.6% |
| Unemployed | 1.8% | 1.9% | 3.3% |
| Retired | 16.8% | 14.8% | 13.5% |
As of the 2001 UK census, the Stoke Poges electoral ward had a population of 4,839. The ethnicity was 93.3% white, 1.3% mixed race, 4.8% Asian, 0.3% black and 0.3% other. The place of birth of residents was 88.1% United Kingdom, 1.6% Republic of Ireland, 2.5% other Western European countries, and 7.8% elsewhere. Religion was recorded as 76.5% Christian, 0.2% Buddhist, 0.7% Hindu, 2.7% Sikh, 0.5% Jewish, and 1.1% Muslim. 10.6% were recorded as having no religion, 0.2% had an alternative religion and 7.6% did not state their religion.
The economic activity of residents aged 16–74 was 40.8% in full-time employment, 11.6% in part-time employment, 12.6% self-employed, 1.8% unemployed, 1.5% students with jobs, 3.1% students without jobs, 16.8% retired, 6.7% looking after home or family, 2.5% permanently sick or disabled and 2.5% economically inactive for other reasons. The industry of employment of residents was 15.4% retail, 13.4% manufacturing, 6.9% construction, 21.1% real estate, 9.2% health and social work, 7.3% education, 8.8% transport and communications, 3.5% public administration, 3.4% hotels and restaurants, 2.8% finance, 0.8% agriculture and 7.4% other. Compared with national figures, the ward had a relatively high proportion of workers in real estate, transport and communications. According to Office for National Statistics
Office for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Overview :...
estimates, during the period of April 2001 to March 2002 the average gross weekly income of households was £870, compared with an average of £660 in South East England
South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. It consists of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
. Of the ward's residents aged 16–74, 28.4% had a higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
qualification or the equivalent, compared with 19.9% nationwide.