Darlington St John

Parish Notes Durham

Darlington St John the Evangelist

[Population 1911: 7,387 incl. 292 persons enumerated in the Darlington Union Workhouse, and 167 in the Fever Hospital]

ST JOHN'S CHURCH, situated on the eastern bank of the Skerne, in the vicinity of the York, Newcastle, and Berwick Railway station, is an elegant edifice, in the architecture of the late period of early English. The foundation stone was laid by George Hudson, Esq., M.P., at that time lord mayor of York, on the 10th September, 1847; and it was consecrated by the Bishop of Durham on the 16th July, 1853. An ecclesiastical district was formed, under Sir Robert Peel's Act, and attached to this church by an order in council, dated July 6th, 1845. The district includes "all that part of the township of Darlington, in the county and diocese of Durham, and also that part of the township of Blackwell, in the same parish, situated on the eastern side of the river Skerne." The population of this district, in 1851, was 3,458 souls. Previous to the erection of the church, the railway company set apart one of their warehouses for the celebration of divine service. The church was erected from designs furnished by John Middleton, Esq., and consists of nave and chancel, with a lofty western tower, containing a peel of six bells, and which is intended to be surmounted by a spire 160 feet high. The entrance is by a projecting porch on the south. The tower opens into the nave by a lofty arch, beneath which is a stone screen for the support of an organ. There are open stalls thoughout the church, with richly-carved poppy heads, and accomodation is furnished for 600 persons. The font is a gift from Archdeacon Thorp. The chancel is laid was a tasselated pavement of a very rich running and circled pattern, in blue, red, and yellow. The church possesses some fine stained glass windows, filled with representations of the evangelists, the apostles, Sts. Peter and Paul, monograms, &c. Under the eastern window is a reredos of seven trefoiled arches. The living is in the patronage of the queen and the bishop of Durham, who present alternately. The income is about £170 per annum. Rev. George Brown, incumbent; Rev. Richard Garland, curate. [Whellan's History, Topography and Directory of Durham (and Newcastle) (1856), pages 362-63.]

Darlington St John the Evangelist

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