The first mention of a church at Grindon was in 1131. It has been suggested that this church was a single cell chapel, however it seems more likely that it was built to a similar plan to the present church. Evidence for this can be seen in the foundations of the nave, which are of a different construction to the walls, suggesting a rebuilding on old foundations. The chancel arch, which is reputed to be the oldest part of the church, was incorporated in the new building

This rebuilding was done by Hugh Pudsey, who was Bishop of Durham from 1154 to 1197. The architectural style of the nave dates it to about 1200 or slightly earlier. Various historians have suggested the year 1190. The church is dedicated to St.Thomas of Canterbury (St.Thomas a Becket). This is quite an early dedication, as St. Thomas a Becket was canonised in 1172.

The Master of Sherburn Hospital was patron of the church and received the tithes. He was also given other lands in the Parish of Grindon (at Thorpe Thewles and Whitton).Sherbum Hospital was endowed by Bishop Pudsey in 1181 .Other lands in the parish were given to Finchale Priory which was founded by St. Godric in 1104.He died in 1170.The first vicar of Grindon mentioned is a man named Gamel in 1194. These facts help confirm the approximate date of the church. Little else is known of the early history of the church.

The next recorded development, is the addition of the chapel early in the 14th century. This chapel would most probably be a chantry chapel, that is, a chapel endowed by a wealthy person, in return for which the priest would regularly say mass and pray for the donors welfare in life or soul in death.

In later times the chapel was known as the Fulthorpe Porch, this suggests it was given by the Fulthorpe family, who were at that time Lords of the Manor of Fulthorpe in the Parish of Grindon.

The following extract from a will helps date the chapel: -"Alan Langton by will of 1311 (proved 1316) desires burial in the porche of the parish church of Grindon, before St. Peters altar on the south side of the said church." This means the chapel must have been built by 1511.

An inventory of church goods was carried out throughout the Bishopric of Durham in 1555.The entry for Grindon states: -One chalice with a paten (plate for bread),parcell gilt(partly guilded),two bells above the church, a hand bell and one sacring bell.

The next major development was in 1788,when, according to Surtees, the church was almost completely rebuilt. A porch was built around the south door, the north door was blocked up, the outside wall of the chancel was built up in brick, and the lead roof was replaced by slate. Also at that time a fireplace was constructed in the south-east comer of the nave, as part of the Wynyard pew, for the benefit of the owners of Wynyard who worshipped at the church. It is also likely that at least the nave was paneled in wood at this time; holes are still visible in the walls of the nave, which could have held the wood panelling. The capacity of the church at this time was said to be 120 persons seated.

Hutchinson said in 1794 of Grindon church, "The church is a small edifice standing in an open field and requires no particular description further than there is a porch therein called Fulthorpe porch but contains nothing remarkable or curio".

Surtees gives details of the tithes, "the Master of Sherburn has the great tithes and the tithes of wool and lamb. The vicar is generally entitled to the hay tithes and all other tithes throughout the parish except no hay tithes from Whitton or Spittle Meadow in Thorpe".

Surtees goes on to say "the glebe (lands associated with the church) consists of two closes, one in front of the parsonage, the other adjoining on the west. In all, with the churchyard, 14 acres. Also a farm at Mordon Moor House in the Parish of Sedgefield purchased with Queen Anne 's Bounty and containing 45 acres". The lands around the church are shown on a map of John Tempests Thorpe Farm dated 1777.

At this time a carriage road was used by the owners of Wynyard to travel the two miles from Wynyard Hall to the church, although no longer a road, the track can still be traced particularly where it was a tree-lined avenue. Unfortunately many of the trees have now gone.

The main Sedgefield to Stockton road passed near the church before joining Blakeston Lane, on to Norton, then to Stockton. This road was probably replaced by a Turnpike road following the line of the present main road(A177) sometime in the late 18th or early 19th centuries.

By about 1840 the church was again in a dilapidated state, and in need of considerable renovation, but since the road now bypassed the church and the main centre of population of the parish was now in the village ofThorpe Thewles, it was decided to build a new church in Thorpe Thewles. This church was completed in 1849 and Grindon church was then closed and left to crumble away, although the churchyard remained in use for a number of years by families who had burial plots.

The church has deteriorated since then. By ~ 1905 the east, wall had collapsed and the roof disappeared, otherwise the church was complete. Since then the chancel arch and many of the walls have gone and the process of decay continues.

A Tour Of The Church Of St.Thomas Of Canterbury - Grindon

The church stands in its own grounds a short distance from the track from the Sedgefield -Stockton road to Grindon Cottages.

Porch & Doorways

The church is entered by the south porch which was added at the time of the re-building in 1788.The original south doorway dates from c . 1190 and consists of a round arch of two moulded orders and hood mould springing from angle shafts with carved capitals and bases,the inner order continues to the ground. Unfortunately very little remains of the details of the doorway.

Directly across the nave is the north doorway which has been blocked in,again probably at the time of the re-building of the church in 1788.This doorway is very simple with a single stone lintel It may have been used as an entrance by one of the local landowners, possibly the owner of Moor House to the north west of the church.

The north door of a church was often known as the "Devils Door" because the north side of the church was often used to bury unbaptized and excommunicated people.

The Nave

The nave dates from c. 1190 and is built in large stone blocks, inner and outer blocks being separated and filled with rubble masonry. There were two lancet windows on the south side of the nave, one on north side and one in the west end. The only one now complete is in the west wall under the bell tower, which contained two bells. These windows all had their heads made from two stones without hood moulds and were 14 inches wide with an internal splay.

Two later windows at the east end of the north and south walls are profitably 18th century replacements for former lancet windows; they are now in a very ruined condition.

In the southeast angle of the nave are the remains of an arched brick fireplace, which was part of the 18th century Wynyard pew used by the owners of Wynyard Hall.

Where the foundations have been cleared, stonework is visible which is different to the main structure of the nave walls, which suggests that the walls were built on older foundations when the nave was completed c. 1190.

Along the walls of the nave can be seen a series of holes which probably were used to support wood panelling in stalled during the 18th century. The walls were originally plastered but only very small areas of this plaster remain, and they show no evidence of the decoration that was commonly; found in churches of this age. The chancel arch, which was the oldest part of the church, dating from the early 12th century, has almost completely disappeared. It was semi-circular in shape, of a square order without hood mould, springing from chamfered imposts, which ran back along the wall for some distance.

The chancel appears to have been at least partially rebuilt in 1788. The jambs of the north window appear to be very old, possibly part of the original building. On the south side of the chancel was a small round headed window with a wide internal splay, which also appears to be original. To the east of this was a two light square-headed window, most probably inserted when the chapel was erected. The east window has completely collapsed and no description of it exists.

The altar slab was of Tees marble and is now in Thorpe Thewles church. There were two steps up to the altar pace but nothing remains of this. Surtees says there was an altar tomb dedicated to Catherine Rusdon a servant of John Tempest. This stone can still be seen in the church grounds and bears the following inscription: - "To the memory of Catherine Rusdon who was a servant in the family of John Tempest Esqr. forty five years, died 9th March 1784 aged 76yrs".

Chapel

The chapel was built in the early 14th century, probably as a chantry chapel by the Fulthorpe family who were Lords of the Manor at this time. It was known at a later date as the Fulthorpe Porch.

The chapel was separated from the chancel by a pointed archway of two chamfered orders dying into the wall at the springing and is built of rubble masonry. The piscina is in the usual position on the south wall and is still visible.

The church was originally roofed in lead, but was replaced by a slate roof when the church was rebuilt in 1788.

In the centre of the church were two blue slabs laid close together. One of the slabs had a cross, the other had a sword suspended from a cross below which was a cross Moline. This Moline cross was the arms of the Fulthorpe family. Six feet below these slabs were found two oak coffins.

Hutchinson said there was a stone coffin, which had the name Roger de Fulthorpe on it. This coffin is now in Thorpe Thewles churchyard; alongside it is a 12th/13th century font also from the church at Grindon.

It is possible that an effigy of a knight in Norton church, which has been identified as being of Roger de Fulthorpe, may well have been in Grindon church originally. The coat of arms on the knight's shield has been altered to that of the Blakiston family. The effigy may well have been admired by the Blakiston family, misappropriated by them and removed to Norton church.

Another gravestone still visible in the church grounds is that of Joseph Middleton one of the Vicars of the Church who died in 1816, also his wife and family.

Credits

FORDYCE - History & Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham
HORTON - The Story of Cleveland
HUTCHINSON - History & Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham
NORTON HERITAGE GROUP - Norton A Village Story -Part II
SOWLERA - History of the Town & Borough of Stockton-on-Tees
SURTEES - History & Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham
SURTEES SOCIETY - Various Publications
SYKES - Local Records of Northumberland & Durham Victoria History of the Counties of England, Durham
RICHMOND - Local Records of Stockton & Neighbourhood