Bishopstoke, a village and a parish in Hants. The village stands on the river Itchin, about a mile E of Eastleigh and Bishopstoke station on the L. & S.W.R., 72 miles from London, and 6 1/2 NNE of Southampton, under which it has a post, money order, and telegraph office. It is large and well built, includes the hamlets of Hoiton Heath, Pyle Hill, and part of Crowd Hill. There is a reading-room, erected in 1875. The parish comprises 3431 acres; population of the civil parish, 1662; of the ecclesiastical, 941. The manor was held in the time of Edward VI. by Bishop Bale. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Winchester; net value, £320 with residence. Patron, the Bishop of Winchester. The church, which was built in 1825, was unsuited by its arrangements, and the great number of faculty pews, to the present requirements of the parish. A much larger and very beautiful church, in which all seats are free and unappropriated, was built and consecrated in 1891. This has been formally constituted the parish church. The old church is still standing. A considerable number of houses for artisans have been built.
