DmECIORY.] SUFFOLK. STOKFe-BY-CLARE. 313 STERNFIELD is a parish and village abou~ I mile at a cost of [,1,400, and has 100 sittings. The register south from Saxmundham station on the Ipswich and dates from the year 1560. The living is a rectory. Lowestoft line of the Great Eastern railway, in the North net yearly value £219, with 84 acres of glebe and resi­ Eastern division of the county, Plomesgate hundred and dence, in the gift of W. E. Long esq. and held since won, Blything petty sessional division, Framlingham 1880 by the Rev. John Longe, of St. Bees. The Town and Saxmundham county court district, rural deanery Lands now produce £61 yearly, which sum is applied to of Orford, 31rchdeaconry of Suffolk and diocese of Nor. the relief of the poor ·and other purposes. William wich. The church of St. Mary Magdalene is an edifice Evelyn Long esq. J.P. of Hurts Hall, who is lord of the flf flint and rubble, in part of Norman date, and consists manor, Mrs. &hreiber and Sir Hugh Edward Adair bart. ef chancel, nave, south porch and a low embattled western of Flixton Hall, are the principal landowners. The soil is bower of flint containing 4 bells: the chancel was rebuil1l mixed; subsoil, sand and clay. The chief crops are by the Rev. Montague North D.D. in 1764, and has for wheat, barley, beans and roots. The area is 1,105 acres; an altar-piece a. fine painting by West, of the "Blind rateable value, £944; the population in 1891 was 212. Restored to Sight," presented by Lord Farnborough: Sexton, Simon Jordan. there are escutcheons of the Long and North families: Pillar Letter Box, cleared at 11.15 a.m. &; 6.20 p.m.; the communion plate bears the date 1568: the stained sundays, 10.30 a.m. Letters received by foot post east window is a memorial to the Rev. James Drummond from Saxmundham, arrive at 6.30 a.m. & 2.30 p.m. Money, a former rector: in 1891 a memorial window was Saxmundham, I mile distant, is the nearest money erected by the Rowley family to the late Mrs. W. order k telegraph office Beeston Long, of Hurts Hall, Saxmundham, d. 1889: The children of this place a:ttend Saxmundham &; Benhall the church was completely restored and re-seated in 1877, schools Longe Rev. John. Rectory Jordan Simon. shoe maker &; sexton Packard Robert. farmer. Glebe farm COMMERCIAL. Precious Robert Clutten. surveyor &; Reynolds George Edmund, farmer. Baldry Robert. farmer . sanitary inspector for Plomesgate Sternfield hall Durrant Thomas &; Son, farmers·, Rural District Council &; attendance Wisby Martha (Mrs.). farmer &; horse Town farm. ; officer for Plomesgate union slaughterer STOKE-BY-CLARE is a parish with a station on a quently removed here, and in 1415, by grant of Henry V. branch of the Great Eastern railway from Long Melford to Edmund (Mortimer). 5th Earl of March. was converted to Cambridge, 70 miles from London, 2! south-west from into a college with a dean. 6 prebendaries, 8 vicars, 4 Clare and 12 from Sudbury, in the Southern division of clerks and 6 choristers. and so continued till the general the county, Risbridge union, petty sessional division and dissolution of religious houses in 1534, when the college hundred. Haverhill county court district, rural deanery became a mansion, and in 1557 was purchased by the of Clare, archdeaconry of Sudbury and diocese of Ely. Elwes family: Matthew Parker, second Archbishop of The river Stour flows on the south side of the parish and Canterbury (1559). after the Reformation, was the last separates it from Essex. The church of St. John the dean of Stoke College: Sir Gervais Elwes bart. 1660. Baptist is a handsome edifice of flint, with stone 'dress­ owner of Stoke College estate, was succeeded by his ings, in the Perpendicular style. and consists of chancel, grandson, Sir Hervey Elwes. who in his later life becam~ \South transept, clerestoried nave of five bays, aisles, a miser; with him the title lapsed: he was followed by north and south porches and an embattled western tower his nephew, John M. Elwes, the second and better known -containing a clock and 6 bells: the aisles are continued miser. The ancient and interesting mansion house now on either side of the chancel, opening into the same standing on the site of the Priory, under the name of through one arch on the n<lrth and two on the south; 8toke College, is the property of Lord Loch, whose father there is a piscina on the south side of the chancel and the purchased it from G. P. Elwes esq.; the Muse has rood stairs also remain: in 1871 the interior was undergone many alterations since its early priory. days, thoroughly restored. the old pews removed and open and of the priory some vestiges still remain in the ancient benches substituted: there are several tablets to the chapel, now the library. and in tbEll kitchens: on a toQwer, Elwes family, whose vault is in this church, and tomb­ originally the porter's lodging, is an inscription in stones to Sir H. W. Elwes d. 1763, and to John Elwes monkish Latin inviting all travellers to enter: there is esq. of Marcham, Berks. and some time M.P. for that a fine row of sycamores by the river terrace, and long county. d. 26 Nov. 1789: the eastern stained window of walls enclosing about 30 acres: the two wings are con­ three lights is a. memorial to J. E. H. Elwes esq. d. nected by long corridors: during the reign of Queen !:869, and his wife, d. 1868; and in 1879 a memorial Mary, Bishop Ridley, Bacon, Bilney. Bradford, Cecil and window was erected to Charlotte E. Elwes, who died in others, leading reformers, were concealed in the college that year: the tower, chancel, north chantry, south by Dr. Parker, and in cavities in the thick walls and porch and a chapel, now the manorial pew. are parts of chimney places there are tra,('es of hiding places: res­ the collegiate church. circa 14J5: the nave is a restora· torations at various times have kept up this interesting tion by Dean Parker (1535): there are brasses, Dean mansion in perfect condition. G. P. Elwes esq. of Ed­ Parker's pulpit, several old oak seats, doors and a record mondsham, Cranborne, Dorset. is lord of the manor and chest: some mural paintings can still be traced: the bell wrd Loch principal landowner. The soil is chiefly light on the top of the tower, on which the ancient clock clay -and loam; subs<lil. chalk. The crops are oats. iltrikes. was originally the Priory chapel bell: in the wheat, barley, beans, peas and roots. and the valley lands chantry wall. at a height of 15 feet from the floor, is a are very productive, even in dry seasons. The area is narrow doorway with two steps: there are sittings for 2,428 acres, mostly arable; rateable value, £2,577; the 360 persons. The register dates from the year 1538. population in 1891 was 658. The living is a vicarage. net yearly value £115. with Post, Telegraph &; Express Delivery Office. Miss Agnes residence, built in 1843, in the gift of wrd Loch D.S.O. Ch3ipman, sub-postmistress. Letters arrive from and has been held since 1863 by the Rev. William Joel Clare R.8.0. at 7 &; 10.30 a.m.; dispat-ehed at 11.15 Denman B.A. of St. Catharine'Si College, Cambridge, who a.m. &; 6.50 p.m.; sunday, 9.30 p.m. Postal orders is also ex-officio chaplain of Stoke College. Over the are issued here, but not paid. The nearest mon~y chapel in Stoke College are a suite of rooms which were order office is at Clare occupied by Dean Parker, the last chaplain here. There This parish was made a contributory district to Whixoe are several charities distributed to the p<lor; there is School Board, 25 January, 1876, sending 2 members also an almshouse occupied by poor parishioners. The A National School (mixed). erected, with residence for :Benedictine priory of St. John the Baptist, anciently the teacher. in 1885, for 136 children; average existing here, was first founded at Clare by AUric, in the attendance. 93; Mrs. Mary Doe. mistress time of Canute (1017-35). and from 1090 to 1124 was a cell to the abbey of Bee, in Normandy; it was subse- Railway Station, Albert Marsh, station master (Marked thus * should be addressed Burrows Joseph, gamekeeper to Lord Ford William. beer retailer Loch Mit80D Josiah, George inn.& shoe mkr Halstead.) Chapman Agnell (Miss). postmistress Graham Edward. Red Lion P.H Denman Rev.William Joel B.A.Vicrge Cox Samuel, farmer, Green farm Jones John, gardener to Lord Loch Doe Miss Cudby Ann (Mrs.), shopkeeper OrbeR Brothers. blacksmiths *Johnson Mrs. Baythorne grove Deeks Edwin, coal merchant Outing Mary .Ann (Miss), news agent Loch Lord D.S.D. Stoke College; &; Deeks Charles, farmer, Canhams *Pannell Daniel. farmer. Boyton End 23 Lowndes square, London Doe Charles Edward. engineer &; cycle Pannell WaIter, beer retailer Warren William. The Fernll agent &; assistant overseer Payne Arthur. farmer Whiting Mrs, Moot' hall Doe J oseph, shoe maker Smith William, shopkeeper COMMERCIAL. Eldred Joseph. carpenteJ'l Steward Philip, Railway Arou P.H Abbott John, farmer French WaIter. builder. lime burner *Turn~r Oliver Thomas. beer retailer Bean George, general dealer & quarry owner.res.:Birdbrook. Esu Wright Angelina (Mrs.). shopkeeper.