198 Hktory of the Parish of Stockton, Wilts. 



Stockton House was erected by John Topp, Esq. It was pro- 

 bably begun in the latter part of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, 

 and finished in the reign of James I., as the arms of both these 

 sovereigns are on the ceiling of the great bedroom. Sir Richard 

 Hoare shews that the Topps were resident at Stockton before the 

 Reformation, as tenants of the manor under the Monks of St 

 Swithin at Winchester ; but it does not appear how they obtained 

 possession of the property. Sir Richard Hoare has fallen into 

 an error with respect to the Porte family as connected with Stockton. 

 The fact is, the Topp who is the subject of the great monument, 

 married a Hooper of Boveridge in Dorsetshire, whose ancestor 

 having married the heiress of the family of Porte, of Poole, in 

 Dorset, the arms of Topp were very properly impaled with those 

 of Hooper and Porte quarterly. I don't think any of the Porte 

 family ever had anything to do with Stockton. 



There is a tradition in the parish that the family was raised to 

 wealth and station by success in trade as clothiers ; but in the time 

 of Queen Elizabeth, they were evidently people of consideration. 

 Francis Topp, of a junior branch of this family, was created a 

 Baronet in 1668. The first member of the family noticed in the 

 parish register, is the founder of Stockton House, John Topp, 

 Sherifi" of Wilts in 1630, and who died in the night of August 

 31st, 1632, and was buried in the night following. He married 

 Mary, eldest daughter of Edward Hooper of Boveridge, Dorset- 

 shire. She died in her 43rd year, at 6 a.m., 6th April, 1617, 

 and was buried in the church of Stockton on the 23rd of the same 

 month; being Easter week, a funeral sermon having been previously 

 delivered by Mr. Terry the Rector, and afterwards an ample dis- 

 tribution was made among the poor." 



We are indebted for the minute particulars of her funeral to 

 Mr. Crockford, schoolmaster, or curate of the parish, who entered 

 her burial in the register, and describes her as a most excellent 

 person. Her brother James, third son of Edward Hooper of 

 Boveridge, was married at Stockton, September 24th, 1613, to 

 Penelope, sixth daughter of Geofi'ry Whitaker, late of Tinhead in 

 the parish of Edington, Wilts. John Topp and Mary Hooper 



