Holyoaks
Major Settlement in the Parish of Stockerston
Historical Forms
- Haliach 1086 DB 1221 RHug
- Haliac(k) 1163 P 1201 OblR m.13,1330 Peake
- Hal(l)iak l.13,1318,1330,1338 ib
- Halyac(k) Hy3 Blore m.13 Peake
- Halihac 12 ib
- Halihagh 1239 Cur
- Halioc e.13 Peake 1275 SlCart 16 Peake l.13 SR 1327
- Haliok 1243 Cur 1274 Banco 1375 Peake 1386 Pat
- Halihoc l.13,13 Peake
- Halihok l.13 1296 SR
- Halyok(e) 1367 Pat 1374 Cl 1537 MinAccts 1560 LeicW
- Halleock 1601 Terrier
- Holiok 13 Peake 13 SlCart 16
- Holliock 1606 ExchSpC
- the Nether Holliock, the Upper Holliock 1606 ib
- Nether Holliock, Upper Holliock 1652 ib
- Hollioakes Chas1 Nichols
- Nether Hollioakes, Over Hollioakes Chas1 ib
- Holyoke 1537 AAS
- Holyoak 1698 LeicW
- Holyoakes 1722 LeicW
- Holyoaks 1824 O
Etymology
'The holy oak', v. hālig , āc . At the time of the Domesday Survey, Haliach was a substantial township with a valuable mill and its own woodland. Presumably it was originally a pagan Anglo-Saxon religious site associated with the god Thunor whose especial tree was the oak (note pureslege , probably 'the grove sacred to the god Thunor', in nearby Ayston parish in Rutland, v. Ru 174). It may be significant that the medieval hermitage of Mirabel with its chapel was located in close proximity to Haliach , perhaps to counter lingering local pre-Christian beliefs and practices among the peasantry here, v. Little Merrible Wood and The Hermitage infra .
Holyoaks Liberty, part of the manor of adjacent Stoke Dry in Rutland, was added to Stockerston by Local Government Order of 1885. With Stoke Dry, it was held by the Knights Hospitallers as early as 1206 Cur.It is perhaps described as a liberty on account of privileges once held by the Hospitallers. The last harvest at Holyoaks was gathered in 1496, after which Sir Robert Brudenell destroyed seven messuages and evicted thirty villagers to make way for sheep pastures.