St Mary's parish church, Stockland Bristol, Somerset, seen from the southwest. It's no coincidence that Stockland has the name Bristol appended. In earlier times the village was owned by Gaunt's Hospital in Bristol which is thought to have been founded by Maurice and Robert de Gaunt early in the 13th century. In those days the village was called Stokeland Gaunts but in 1534 the hospital was "surrendered into the hands of the King's commissioners" and in 1541, by letters patent granted by Henry VIII, ownership of the village passed to "the Mayor and Commonalty of Bristol" and the present name was gradually adopted.