Stanhope St Thomas

Parish Notes Durham

Stanhope St Thomas the Apostle

[Population 1911: 2,665]

The Parish
Church
Townships
Topography
History

Its Records
The Parish Chest
Non-Parochial Records
Monumental Inscriptions
Indexes

Church

THE CHURCH, dedicated to St. Thomas the Apostle, occupies an elevated position on the north side of the town, and consists of nave, aisles, and chancel, with a low square tower. The church is entered from the south by a porch of circular arches. The chancel is divided from the body of the church by an open wooden screen of ornamental carvings. The stalls, of painted oak, are also carved; there are six on each side of the chancel, and two on each side of the doorway. The windows in this part of the church contain some fragments of ancient stained glass. The organ is situated on the north side of the chancel. There was anciently a chantry in this church dedicated to St. Mary, and valued at the dissolution at £10 10s. The parish register commences in 1609. The living is a rectory in the deanery of Darlington, valued in the Liber Regis at £67 6s. 8d.; gross income £4,875. Rev. W.N. Darnell, rector. [Whellan's History, Topography and Directory of Durham (and Newcastle) (1856), page 326.]

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Non-Parochial Records

Plaque on wall near entrance to churchyard.

FOSSIL TREE SIGILLARIA SP

THIS GREAT TREE GREW IN A GREAT FOREST
OF THE MIDDLE CARBONIFEROUS PERIOD
(ABOUT 250 MILLION YEARS AGO) NEAR
EDMUNDBYERS CROSS NOW 1550 FEET ABOVE
SEA-LEVEL. AS ITS VEGETABLE MATTER
DECAYED THIS WAS REPLACED BY SAND
WHICH HAS FORMED A PERFECT CAST IN
HARD GANISTER. THE ROOTS (STIGMARIA)
SHOW THEIR CHARACTERISTIC FORM.
THE TREE WAS BROUGHT TO STANHOPE AND
ERECTED HERE IN 1962 BY MR. J.G. BEASTON

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Monumental Inscriptions

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