Stock, United Kingdom

History

The origins of the village are uncertain and are subject to debate. Archaeological finds suggest that there was a settlement on the site during the Iron Age period. The Domesday Book of 1086, however, does not mention Stock.

The first documentary evidence of the settlement dates from the 13th century. Until the 16th century, the village was known as Hereward Stock, Stoke or variations thereof.

Stock historically formed part of the ancient parish of Buttsbury, which had its parish church of St Mary's in an isolated location at the western edge of the parish. From at least the 12th century, there was a chapel of ease dedicated to All Saints at Stock. Stock was more central to the parish and, by medieval times, had become the main village in Buttsbury parish. The chapelry of Stock subsequently became a separate parish. The area ceded to the new parish of Stock was relatively small, with north-eastern parts of the built up area of Stock around the High Street remaining in Buttsbury, forming part of a long salient which skirted around the northern edge of the village. As late as the 19th century, this area around Stock's High Street was where most of the houses in Buttsbury parish were located; the built up area was sometimes described as being Stock and Buttsbury intermingled.

From the History section of Stock, Essex on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.