page_title: Stokesley
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Stokesley / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Co-op Supermarket in Stokesley
context_page_description: Stokesley is a small market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. Historically in the North Riding of Yorkshire, it lies on the River Leven. Stokesley is about two miles south of the Middlesbrough borough boundary and ten miles south of Middlesbrough town centre. Stokesley is between Middlesbrough, Guisborough and Northallerton in a farming area. Local attractions nearby include Great Ayton, Captain Cook's monument and Roseberry Topping in the North York Moors National Park.
context_section_description: Stokesley was granted a charter to hold fairs in 1223 by Henry III. The Pack Horse Bridge crossing over the River Leven dates from the 17th century. Its large range of building types, including fine Georgian architecture has contributed to its character. Prominent historical features include the Mill Wheel, thought to represent the site of a mill recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. Domesday also recorded "a church and priest" in Stokesley. There are three churches in Stokesley. One of these, the Church of St Peter and St Paul, is the oldest building in town, and it is just off the Market Plain. It has a medieval tower and chancel, a Georgian nave built around 1777, colourful 20th-century stained glass and woodwork carved by the Mouseman of Kilburn. 
  The historic High Street is lined with independent small shops and restaurants. Other facilities include a leisure centre with a swimming pool, a recently-refurbished, medium-sized Co-operative Food supermarket, showground, camping site, health centre, industrial estate, library, police and fire stations. The town has four pubs (The Queen's Head, The White Swan, The Mill and The Spread Eagle). Stokesley is also the home of Quorn, produced by Marlow Foods. There are 80 grade II listed buildings (including Peaton Carr Farm, which is within the parish boundary), along with four Grade II* listed buildings of special architectural or historic interest.  They are the former Barclays Bank, Handyside Cottage, the Manor House and the Old Rectory.
  The inaugural meeting of Stokesley Agricultural Society was held at the Golden Lion Hotel, now The Leven Hotel, in 1859. The hotel was also used as the law court for the area being placed between Middlesbrough and Northallerton. Stokesley Agricultural Show, first held in 1859, is held every year on the third Saturday in September. It is one of the largest one day shows in the north of England.
  A weekly market is held on Friday in the main square called the Plain. A farmers' market takes place on the first Saturday of each month.
  A four-day fair takes place in September in the town centre. The fair spans the full length of the high street and rides such as Speed Buzz, the Extreme, Vertigo, King Frog, Cyclone and various Crows rides attend. The fair begins on Wednesday evening and runs until the Saturday, opening all day on the Saturday at the same time as the annual agricultural show which takes place on the showground.
caption: Co-operative Food Supermarket in Stokesley before refurbishment
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