Church of St Peter, Thornaby | |
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Church of St Peter ad Vincula, Thornaby | |
Old Church of St Peter St Peter's Church, Thornaby | |
54°32′28″N1°18′18″W / 54.541°N 1.305°W | |
OS grid reference | NZ460164 |
Location | Thornaby-on-Tees, North Yorkshire |
Country | England |
Denomination | Church of England |
Website | Official webpage |
History | |
Dedication | St Peter (in chains) |
Architecture | |
Functional status | Active |
Style | Norman |
Specifications | |
Length | 40 feet (12 m) |
Width | 17 feet 6 inches (5.33 m) |
Administration | |
Diocese | York |
Archdeaconry | Cleveland |
Deanery | Middlesbrough |
Benefice | South Thornaby |
Parish | St. Mark and St. Peter ad Vincula South Thornaby |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
Designated | 19 January 1951 |
Reference no. | 1139917 |
The Church of St Peter ad Vincula, Thornaby, is an Anglican church in Thornaby, North Yorkshire, England. The structure, which is grade II* listed, is dated to the 12th century, replacing an earlier building on the same site. The church is noted for being the supposed baptismal location of Grace Pace, Captain Cook's mother.
Historically the church was known as St Mary's, but was rededicated to St Peter ad Vincula after an early twentieth century renovation. It is sometimes referred to as the Old Church of St Peter, as the newer development of South Stockton, later known as Thornaby-on-Tees, had a new church built to accommodate its growing population.
The Domesday Book states that Thornaby had a church in 1086, however, the current structure has been dated to the 12th century. [1] Originally dedicated to St Mary Magdalen(e), it was rededicated as St Peter ad Vincula (St Peter in Chains) after the basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli in Rome. [2] The rededication occurred in 1908, just after it underwent a major renovation. [3]
In 1495, when the church was dedicated to St Mary Magdalene, the church was tied to the priory at Guisborough. The income from the church and that of an agricultural cottage and land nearby, paid for the five lamps that lit the church and the surrounding green. The five lamps were placed there to light a shrine to St Mary (the dedication) by Robert de Thormodbi, who suffered a severe wounding during a Crusade encounter at Acre in the 13th century. [4] de Thormodbi swore that if he survived his wounding, he would build a shrine to St Mary. [5] [6]
The church is located on high ground just east of the River Tees and formed part of the ancient village of Thornaby, on what is now Thornaby Green. [7] [8] The old village of Thornaby, was centred around the church, supposedly the oldest building in the area, and a few houses built around it, with a long village green. [9] [10] The industrialisation on the Tees meant a newer settlement (originally called South Stockton), developed further north but on the south side of the river. This led to another church being built in Thornaby-on-Tees (as South Stockton was later rechristened), as the Church of St Peter could only seat 80 people. [11] [12] [note 1] St Peter's was historically described as being a chapel, or a chapel of ease as it was often within another parish. [14] [15]
A prevailing local legend states that Grace Pace, the mother of Captain Cook, was baptised in the church. [16] Whilst it its known that she was born and lived in what was the village of Thornaby, some have pointed out that at the time of her baptism, (c. 1702), the church was not the mother building in the parish and most likely, baptisms, marriages and funerals were held elsewhere. [17] However, the church retains an original Norman font, so baptisms are assumed to have been undertaken at some point in the history of the church. [4]
Originally in the parish of Stainton, the church became the mother church of its own parish (Thornaby-on-Tees) in 1844, [18] but this was quite short, as by 1858, St Pauls church in Thornaby became the mother church for the parish. [19] In 1869, the 6-acre (2.4 ha) graveyard was officially opened [20] (the earliest listed burial being 1746), [21] only to close to burials in 1870. [3] However, burials still continued of those who had close relatives interred in the churchyard, so that they "might have the privilege of being buried there on their decease [sic]." [22] Some burials are listed for St Peter's up to 1905. [23]
In the 1970s, the lych gate was removed and the area around the church was landscaped which removed most of the headstones to the edges of the churchyard. [4] [24]
The original design of the building was in the Norman Romanesque style, and the church itself consists of one single room, [10] [25] 40 feet (12 m) in length by 17 feet 6 inches (5.33 m). [26] The thickness of the outer walls vary from side to side, though some do hold evidence of pre-conquest architecture. [27] Some of the stones in the south wall show evidence of re-use; at least two have dials cut into them representing twenty-four hours. [28] The two buttresses on the east facing wall, were added in the 15th century when the church was renovated, with a bellcote, situated at the west end of the church, dating from around the same time. [28] [29] Internally, the design of the columns and the roof has crossed leaves, something which is rare in North Yorkshire, being recognised in only one other church in the area, that at St Wilfrid in South Stainley. [30] Some of the supporting columns have been dated to the 12th century. [31]
A chancel is known to have been on the eastern end of the church, but this was removed at some unknown date, and the access arch through the east side was walled up. [24] The pantile roof is modern, the original being installed (c. 1908), but a more modern roof was installed c. 1950. [29] A new roof is being installed over 2020 and 2021 with Welsh slate. [10] A plaque dedicated to No. 608 Squadron RAF, who were formed at RAF Thornaby in 1930, is affixed to one of the church's walls. [1]
The current Contracted minister of the church is the deacon Tom Desics, who was appointed in March 2020. [32] Previously, the church (and parish) were located in the Deanery of Cleveland. [14] It is now in the Deanery of Middlesbrough, the Archdeaconry of Cleveland, and the Diocese of York. [33]
Yarm, also referred to as Yarm-on-Tees, is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees, North Yorkshire, England. It is in Teesdale with a town centre on a small meander of the River Tees. To the south-east, it extends to the River Leven, to the south it extends into the Kirklevington.
Stockton-on-Tees is a market town in County Durham, England, with a population of 84,815 at the 2021 UK census. It gives its name to and is the largest settlement in the wider Borough of Stockton-on-Tees. It is part of Teesside and the Tees Valley, on the northern bank of the River Tees.
Thornaby-on-Tees, commonly referred to as Thornaby, is a town and civil parish on the River Tees's southern bank. It is in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees, North Yorkshire, England. The parish had a population of 24,741 at the 2011 census, in the Teesside built-up area.
The Borough of Stockton-on-Tees is a unitary authority with borough status in the counties of County Durham and North Yorkshire, England. The borough had a population of 196,600 in 2021.
Ingleby Barwick is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees, North Yorkshire, England. It is south of the River Tees and north-east of the River Leven.
The Tees Valley is a devolved region in Northern England, around the lower River Tees. The area is not a geographical valley; the local term for the valley is Teesdale. The combined authority covers five council areas: Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees.
Appleton Wiske is a small village and civil parish that sits between Northallerton and Yarm in the Vale of York, a flat tract of land that runs between the North Yorkshire Moors to the east, the Yorkshire Dales to the west and the River Tees to the north.
Kirklevington is a village in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees, North Yorkshire, England. At the 2011 census, the village had a population of 809.
South Bank is a former industrial town in the Redcar and Cleveland borough in North Yorkshire, England on the south bank of the River Tees. It is 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Middlesbrough and 6 miles (9.7 km) south-west of Redcar. The town is served by South Bank railway station.
Stainton is a village in the south-west outskirts of Middlesbrough, England. It is in the Borough of Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire.
North Stainley is a village in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Ripon. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is the closest settlement to the theme park Lightwater Valley which is 0.62 miles (1 km) to the south.
Langbaurgh West was a division of the wapentake of Langbaurgh in the North Riding of the ancient county of Yorkshire. The area along with Langbaurgh East forms the Anglo-Saxon baronial Liberty of Cleveland and roughly covers the modern districts of Middlesbrough, the western, urbanised portion of Redcar & Cleveland, the southern portion of Stockton-on-Tees, the northern parts of Hambleton and the northern parts of the Borough of Scarborough.
Seamer is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England, near the border with the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees and 2 miles (3 km) northwest of Stokesley. According to the 2011 census, the population of the village was 566, which North Yorkshire County Council estimated had dropped to 560 by 2015.
Stainton is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England.
The County Borough of Teesside was a county borough in the north-east of England, which existed for just six years. It was created in 1968 to cover the Teesside conurbation which had grown up around the various port and industrial towns near the mouth of the River Tees. The council was based in Middlesbrough, the area's largest town. The county borough was abolished in 1974 on the creation of the new county of Cleveland, which covered a larger area, with the county borough's territory being split between three of the four districts created in the new county.
South Stainley is a small village in the Harrogate District, in the county of North Yorkshire, England. Nearby settlements include the city of Ripon, the town of Harrogate and the village of Markington. South Stainley is on the A61 road. South Stainley has a pub and a place of worship, St Wilfrid's Church, which is a grade II listed structure.
St Germain's Churchyard is a large cemetery overlooking the North Sea at Marske-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire, England. Its church tower is a grade II listed structure at the midpoint to the yard and a landmark for sailors out on the sea. It is a remnant of a demolished church, services at St Germain's were replaced in 1876 by St Mark's.
The Borough of Middlesbrough is a borough with unitary authority status in North Yorkshire, England, based around the town of Middlesbrough in the north of the county. It is part of the Tees Valley combined authority, along with Stockton-on-Tees, Redcar and Cleveland, Hartlepool and Darlington boroughs. Nunthorpe along with Stainton and Thornton have statutory parish councils.
Ulshaw Bridge is a hamlet on the River Ure, near to Middleham, in North Yorkshire, England. The hamlet derives its name partly from the Medieval stone bridge which spans the River Ure to the immediate south of the hamlet. Ulshaw Bridge is 2.5 miles (4 km) west of Thornton Steward, and 1.25 miles (2 km) east of Middleham.
The non-metropolitan county of Cleveland was created under the Local Government Act 1972, which came into effect on 1 April 1974, comprising the urban areas around the mouth of the River Tees, previously parts of the administrative counties of Durham and North Riding of Yorkshire. Although it was abolished in 1996, the four unitary authorities which succeeded it have been considered together for the purposes of reviewing parliamentary boundaries. The area has returned 6 MPs to the UK Parliament since 1983.