STOCKTON.

The ordination of the chapel of Stockton bears date under Bishop Poor, before 1237. The vicar agrees to find an officiating chaplain, and the parishioners shall have in their said chapel of Stockton baptism, burial, and all ecclesiastical rights; they shall visit their mother church on the Feast of the Assumption, and shall pay to the vicar 50s. at four terms. On every Lord's Day the parishioners shall offer one penny with the consecrated bread, except when they attend the mother church. Bishop Farnham, after his resignation of the see of Durham, gave four oxgangs and the toft and croft which belonged to Matildis de Cumba, to the chapel of St. Thomas the Martyr, in Stockton; and Bishop Kirkham ratified the donation. (See Hatfield's Survey, page 14.) There appears also to have been a free chantry here, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Shortly before the dissolution, William Baynbrigg gave the third of an oxgang to provide two wax-lights to burn before the altar of St. Thomas-a-Becket.

per annum.

Yet this poor In 1548, the whole revenues of the chapel amounted to £5, 3s. 6d. pittance was not reserved under the new establishment for the maintenance of a chaplain, but was seized by the crown, and granted out to individuals. A memorandum in the Harleian MSS. says, "The chappell of Stoketon standeth a myle from the p'yshe churche, not only for easment of th' inhabitants of the towne of Stoketon, but also for th' easment of divers p'ishioners of sundrie other p'ishes in the winter tyme, when for rayny fludes they can come none wher els to here devyne service." The premises were ordered to be leased to William Crofton, of London, for 21 years, at £8 rent. A minister, however, seems to have been continued here; and, in 1705, "the inhabitants still paid to the vicar of Norton £3 per ann., commonly called the Priest's own;" the vicar maintaining a curate at his own cost to serve the chapelry.

Succession of Chaplains before the Reformation.-John Capellanus, fil. Willi' Pistoris, 1333.-Thomas ......, 1408.-William Osbern, 1430-1448.-Thomas Salvin, William Crofton, the last incumbents. Curates after the Reformation.-Christopher Smith, 1561.-Sire Robert Syncler, 1563.-William Heron, 1565. William Hogwell, 1566.-William Allen, 1566.-Robert Blaxton, 1568 (rector of Elton 1571).— George Morden, 1572.-William Fowler, 1578, p. res. Morden.-John Collin, A. B., 1585 (drowned whilst swimming in the Tees)-Thomas Mann, 1585.-Thomas Edyer, 1585.-Christopher Fewster, 1599.-Thomas Robinson, 1609.-Thomas Smithson, 1610.-Thomas Lawson, 1612 (vicar of Stainton in Yorkshire).John Place, 1617, p. res. Lawson.-John Wright, 1623, p. m. Place. Michael Rawling, 1635.-Robert Macdowell, 1636, p. m. Rawling (he was killed by a fall from his horse on Barnby Moor).-Rowland Salkeld, 1641.-James Gregg, May 1, 1662.-Thomas Rudd, May 1, 1663.+

"He was left curate here by the Rev. and worthy Mr. Mallory, vicar of Norton, to manage his affairs in his absence; for in the time of the great rebellion, he (Mallory) was forced from his vicarage, and went At the Restoration, he into the West Indies, and should have had a fifth part of his vicarage; but Mr. Salkeld during those unhappy times got this chapelry turned into a vicarage, which he secured to himself. removed to be reader at Gateshead, and afterwards got a living in Northumberland.”—Par. Reg. a' manu T. Rudd.

+ In 1663, says Mr. Rudd, in his MS. notes, "Mr. Thomas Davison being collated to Norton, and desirous to gratify the inhabitants of Stockton with a preacher, Mr. Rudd gave up his school, and applied himself to preaching, for which he had an annual salary of £26 and the surplus fees, and so he continued till 2d February, 1689, when Mr. Davison was turned out for refusing to swear allegiance to Wm. and Mary. Mr. Rudd was made vicar in his place; yet was he so kind to his old worthy master, as that he freely permitted him to continue in the vicarage-house, and enjoy all the profits as formerly, he finding a curate, and only reserving for himself the profits of the chapelry of Stockton." In 1712, Mr. Rudd was instituted to LongNewton, after he had ministered at Stockton, 49 years and 3 months. He was the son of John Rudd, of Sandford, Westmoreland; and grandfather of William Rudd, Esq., of Durham, counsellor-at-law, and of the Rev. Edward Rudd, rector of Haughton-le-Skerne. (See his epitaph at Long-Newton.).

Stockton chapel being by length of time ruinous, and much too small, and the inhabitants growing every day more numerous, the building of a new church became necessary. On September 2, 1705, the Rev. T. Rudd preached a sermon on the subject from 2 Sam. vii. 2, "See now I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains ;" and when the brief was read, May 21, 1710, he preached on Exod. xxv. 8, "Let them build me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." The foundation-stone was laid June 5, 1710; and the structure was consecrated by Lord Crewe, August 21, 1712. The expense of the building was £1577; the whole sum collected was £1625, 13s. 9d. £550 was collected on the brief, £83 on the brief in Stockton, £40 in Norton and Blakiston, the justices of the county £267, the bishop £100, and divers private subscriptions, &c.

In the 12th year of Queen Anne, 1711, an act of parliament was obtained to make Stockton, with East Hartburn and Preston, a distinct and separate parish from Norton. The act states, that Stockton is an ancient corporation and borough, and by reason of its situation upon a navigable river not far from the sea, becoming a place of good trade and commerce, and very populous, instead of a ruinous chapel, the inhabitants had built a beautiful new church upon a parcel of the waste of the manor, near to the place where the ancient chapel stood, &c. It was thereby enacted, that there should be a vicar to have the care of souls of the inhabitants of such parish of Stockton, and a perpetual succession of vicars there, to have capacity and succession by the name of the vicar of the parish church of Stockton upon Tees, and be enabled to sue and be sued in that name in all courts and places of this realm, and should have and enjoy all tithes, offerings, oblations, obventions, mortuaries, and other ecclesiastical benefits. That the patronage of the vicarage should belong to the bishops of Durham, and that they exercise all ecclesiastical jurisdiction within that parish; and that the inhabitants be subject to the customs and usages for the choice of churchwardens, overseers of the poor, surveyors of the highways, constables, and other like parishofficers, as they had theretofore been. That there should be twelve vestry-men, to be chosen and have succession as therein directed, for the better raising and ascertaining future taxes, assess ments, and contributions, for discharging debts contracted about building the church, buying bells, keeping the same in repair, and defraying the yearly expenses of churchwardens, and paying £100 to the inhabitants of Norton in discharge of all contributions towards Norton church, all cesses and taxes to the parish of Norton, as for expenses touching the obtaining the said act. Then follow the rules for choosing the first vestry-men, to continue in office for the term of three years, with the method of electing successors in case of death, and at the end of every three years a new set of vestry.men. And the act directs that the minister, churchwardens, and vestry-men assembled, or the major part of them, should make by-laws, rules, orders, and directions for the good of the parish and better government thereof, the same to be ratified and confirmed by two justices of the peace for the county; and should from time to time rate, tax, and assess all lands, tenements, houses, and personal estate in the said parish, as the major part of them should think just and reasonable, towards discharging the matters before noted, for building a vestry-room, and making other improvements about the church, and keeping the same in repair; and for raising a yearly sum, not exceeding £20, to be paid to the vicar for the time being, as an augmentation of his income; to be collected by the churchwardens, and, if need requires, to be levied by distress and sale, by warrant from two justices, with right of appeal to the quarter sessions by persons aggrieved, where the same should be finally determined, and costs awarded. The lord bishop was thereby impowered to grant to the vicar, without any fine, a parcel of waste ground near the alms

house, of the yearly value of £20 or thereabouts, and any other waste ground in the manor, not exceeding the yearly value of £20. And it was thereby also enacted, that the vicar should hold the parcel of waste ground adjoining to the church-yard on the east side thereof, the same being intended for a place for a house to be built upon for the vicar. And the vicar was thereby impowered to take lands, not exceeding £100 a year, over and above the lands and provisions before stated; and was directed to bear and pay a third part of first fruits, tenths, procurations, and synodals for the parish of Norton.

In the first year of George I., 1714, an act was obtained to explain and make more effectual the act of Queen Anne, whereby the vicar for the time being was invested with power to demise the waste grounds granted as before mentioned.

The church is situated on the east side of the High Street, and is a spacious, convenient structure of brick, with copings of freestone to the doors and windows. Its length, including the tower and chancel, is 150 feet; and its breadth 67. The height to the middle of the roof is 40 feet. The tower at the west end is 80 feet high, and has a set of six bells. A clock and chimes were added in 1736, the tunes of which were altered in 1819. These are now removed, and a new clock, with chimes, have been put up during the present year (1832). There are five square pillars, supporting circular arches, on each side of the nave of the church, the whole of which is regularly stalled with oak; and the reading-desk and pulpit are of handsome workmanship. The west gallery was erected in 1719, and an excellent organ was placed in it in 1759. The north gallery was added in 1748, and the south gallery in 1827.* The whole of the side windows are modern sashes under circular arches; besides which there are skylights in the roof over the galle ries. The east window contains a beautiful figure, in stained glass, of the Redeemer bearing the cross, with the inscription below in a circle, He was despised and rejected of men. It was executed by Mr. Gibson, of Newcastle, in 1828. The communion-table stands in a recess. entrance is under the west tower, in the porch of which are placed the fire-engines of the town. Monuments.-On a marble tablet at the east end of the south aisle :

The

"In memory of Leonard Robinson, late of this place, merchant, who died May the 14th, 1788, aged 41 years; and of Priscilla his wife (second daughter of Peter Consett, Esq., of Brawith, in the county of York), who died October the 2d, 1786, aged 39 years. This stone is erected as a tribute of filial affection."

On other tablets in the south aisle:

"To the memory of Nathan Brunton, Esq., Vice-admiral of the White squadron of his Majesty's fleet, who departed this life the 19th November, 1814, in the 71st year of his age. Raised by professional merit to the exalted rank he held in the British navy, he possessed in a very eminent degree the esteem of all whom he served, whilst his conduct in private life procured him universal respect."

"In memory of John Allison, merchant, Lieut.-Colonel of the Loyal Stockton Volunteers, whose integrity of heart, affability of manners, Christian conduct, and love of his king and country, rendered him amiable and respected both in private and public life. He died Oct. 28, 1805, aged 59 years, leaving his widow Jane Allison to lament his loss.-Anne Allison, their only daughter, departed this life Dec. 10th, 1790, aged 18 years."

"Sacred to the memory of Grace Sutton, wife of George Sutton, of Stockton, Esq., who resigned a life passed in the exercise of every Christian virtue, on the 17th of January, 1814, in the 57th year of her age. She was fervent in her devotion, unbounded in her benevolence, personally administering to the wants, and

In this year, a piece of plate was voted by the parishioners to Mr. R. Wilson, for his valuable services whilst churchwarden.

consoling the sufferings of the afflicted: thus zealously endeavouring to fulfil her duty to her God and to her neighbour. To perpetuate the memory of this estimable woman, her female friends in this place have united to erect this tablet, as a recording homage of esteem and veneration for private worth from public affection." On a beautiful mural monument of marble, near the west end of the north aisle :"Sacred to the memory of Frances, the wife of George Hoar, Esq., and daughter of William Sleigh, Esq., of this place, who, in the short space of 31 years, having grac'd a most amiable person with every virtue which can adorn the longest life & procure esteem on earth, finish'd her course (alas! too early for our wishes) on the 24th January, 1761.

Tell thou spotless Parian stone,
Emblem of her purer breast;
Tell her name-her name alone,

All who knew her-feel the rest.

On a mural monument in the north aisle :

Whilst we here her loss lament,
Tears yet streaming from each eye;
Angels sing with one consent

Welcome to thy native sky."

"In memory of William Sleigh, Esq., lieutenant-colonel in the army, &c., one of his majesty's justices of the peace for the county of Durham, and for the North Riding of the county of York, who after a faithful discharge of the appropriate duties of his profession and station in life, died on the xiii day of February, MDCCCXXV. aged LXVI. years."

On altar-tombs in the church-yard:

"Depositum Pij Ornatissimique Viri Georgii Gibson Primi Vicarij hujus Ecclesiæ, qui Obijt 170. Die Junij Anno Domi. 1714 Etatis suæ 43. Et hic Requiescit In Spe Beata Resurrectionis Ámen."

"M. S. Georgii Walker M. A. hujus Ecclesiæ per 26 Annos Vicarij qui obijt 6o Die Maij; Anno Salutis 1742 Aetatis sui 65."

"Interr'd Mr. Ra. Bunting, late of Stockton, Alderman, and Anne his wife, who lived together in the Marryed State 62 Years, and had Eleven Children, one of which only survived them. He departed this Life 31 Oct. 1743, Aged 86. She 29th May, 1746, aged 84.”

"Wednesday May the 19th 1773, was here Interr'd the Body of Mrs. Sarah Baker, Daughter of Willm Canning, Esqre of Halford Bridge, in the County of Warwick, and Niece to John Hart, Esqre. who died High Sheriff of the County of Worcester. From her Infancy she was strictly Virtuous, Pious, Good, Just, Humble, Humane, Benevolent, Affable, and Compassionate. That none excell'd, and very few her equal. Aged 59.

Do thou reflect in Time

Death in itself is nothing.-But

PREPARE

To be you know not what

To go you know not where."+

On other table monuments are inscriptions to the memory of Robert Hilton, attorney, who died May 17, 1727, aged 75, and Esther his wife, who died August 13, 1723, aged 64; also of Alderman Sutton, who died May 23, 1718, aged 61, and Rachel his wife, who died April 19, 1713, aged 71. On head-stones:—

"Mr. Robert Stainsby, Chirurgeon, died 16th April, 1724. Anne his widow, daughter of Mr. Thomas Rudd, minister of this parish, bur. 28 Jan. 1771, æt. 72."

"Margaret, daughter of George Welbank, and wife of George Brown, Gent., ob. Nov. 14, 1776, in the 40th year of her age."

* This elegant monument is now partially hidden, being inclosed within the staircase of the north gallery. + This lady was the wife of an actor in Mr. Bates's company.-Brewster.

"Thomas Thompson, minister of the Gospel, died March 24, 1728-9, aged 68 years. Also, Rev. Mr. John Thompson, Feb. 23, 1753."

"Mr. Thomas Smelt, March 12, 1742-3, æt. 70. Mary his wife, Feb. 8, 1726, æt. 64. Sarah, daughter of Thomas and Mary, June 22, 1706, æt. 4. Mr. Thomas Smelt, physician, eldest son of the above Thomas, ob. 5 Aug. 1753, in the 48th year of his age. Mr. Richard Smelt, his son, Sept. 8th following, in the 17th year of his age."

"Here lies the body of John Short, late engineer of the port of Sunderland. He died June 14, 1781, aged 43 years."

"Sacred to the memory of the Rev. T. Storey, who died September 13, 1822, aged 48 years."

"Ralph Wood, who departed this life Oct. 22, 1730, in the 67th year of his age. Here lieth the body of Ralph Wood, aged 67, 1743.

We that have made tombs for others,

Now here we lie;

Once we were two flourishing woods,
But now we die."

Other stones point out the burial-places of Mr. Timothy Wright, Mr. Lawrence Jopson, &c. The church-yard being found too small, an additional piece of ground was consecrated July 20, 1770. This cemetery, which was formerly very wet, has lately been much improved by draining and other means. In August, 1832, it was found necessary to open out a field belonging to the bishop of Durham, near the south end of the town, as a place of sepulture. This ground will shortly be consecrated; and it is even said to be in contemplation to erect a chapel of ease upon it. The Register of Stockton chapelry commences 1621 :—

"Will. Buck & Roger Stainthrope, two of Mr. Robert Lampton's seamen sittinge on the side of his vessel called Lampton's Folly, fell backwards over into the river, and were both drowned, and were buried 9 July, 1637."

"Randall Hunt, of Capt. Heron's company, bur. 21 Dec. 1640. A soldier of Capt. Patten's company, 20 Dec. 1640. John Hopkins, a soldier of Capt. Lutenor's compy, 28 Dec. Samuel Paton, captaine, bur. 1 Jan. 1640-1. Lieut. Arthur Lowe, 18 Feb. Roger Francis, of Capt. Ferre's Compy, 18 March, 1640-1." "A poor sucourlesse boy was buried 28 March, 1641."

"John Sinitt, slaine by William Bunce, bur. 2 feb. 1649."

"Dimock Sadlington, maior, bur. 19 June, 1652."

"Mrs. Pilkington, deceased at Mr. Jenkins, bur. 27 July, 1663."

"Mr. Thomas Tempest, of Oughton, was drowned, found & buryed 27 June, 1691."

"Mr. Thomas Lascell, of Mount Grace, and Dorothy Gibson, mar. 12 Nov. 1691.”

"George Edwards kill'd by a ship in ye dock, bur. 29 April, 1743."

Succession of Vicars.-Stockton vicarage, not in charge nor certified. The church dedicated to St. Thomas.

George Gibson, A. M., 1713.-William Eden, A. M., 1714, p. m. Gibson (res. for Elwick).-George Walker, A. M., 1715, p. res. Eden (he abolished the practice of interring the bodies of the poor without coffins). John Skelly, A. M., 1742, p. m. Walker (he put a stop to the inhuman custom of throwing at cocks on Shrove-Tuesday).-William Vaughan, A. M., 1772, p. m. Skelly (res. for Norton, afterwards rector of Haughton-le-Skerne).-Alexander Cleeve, A. B., p. res. Vaughan (res. for Wooler).-James Greville, LL. B., 1780, p. res. Cleeve (res. for Whickham).-Christopher Anstey, A. M., 1792, p. res. Greville (res. for Norton).-Edward Wilson, A. B., 1786, p. res. Anstey.-John Brewster, A. M. (vicar of Greatham, rector of Egglescliffe), Linc. Coll. Oxon., 1799.-George Stanley Faber, B. D., Linc. Coll., 1805, p. res. Brewster (res. for Redmarshall, afterwards rector of Long-Newton).-Thomas Baker, A. M., Oriel Coll. Oxon., 1809, p. res. Faber (res. for Whitburn).--John Gilpin, B. D., 1810, p. res. Baker.-William Nicholas Darnell, B. D. (prebendary of Durham), C. C. C. Oxon., 1815, p. res. Gilpin.-James Cundell, 1820,