England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Stockton on Tees St Thomas a Becket

The Parish

The parish of Stockton on Tees lies in the far southeast of the county of Durham, indeed its forms part of the boundary with neighbouring Yorkshire. As its name suggests Stockton on Tees sits on the banks of the River Tees about 20 miles south of the city of Durham. Stockton on Tees is a large industrial town and port which has a long history. Stockton Tees was certainly occupied by the Romans but it is the 13th century that it begins to become a significant settlement when incorporated as a borough in 1283. There was a port here, despite being 12 miles from the sea, in 1228 and a market was granted in 1310. Stockton on Tees was graced by a Norman castle built in the 14th century until dismantled soon after the English Civil War. Stockton today is a large and sprawling metropolis yet didn't exist as a separate parish until 1712. Nowadays it spreads for several miles to west and north of the original town. Stockton on Tees town is located about two miles east of the A19 route which runs from Newcastle Upon Tyne through York. As a major port and industrial centre Stockton on Tees grew significantly during the period of this transcript and most found employment in trades associated with the port as well as diverse manufacturing industries. Nowadays the heavy industries are declining but the skyline is still dominated by the chimneys and industrial paraphernalia associated with it. The Tees river drains the parish eastwards to the North Sea reaching it in just over 12 miles. Stockton on Tees is sited, in the old centre at least at just 10 metres above the sea with the suburbs rising to some 40 metres or so. County Durham parishes are large so at around 5,000 acres Stockton on Tees is not exceptional, it would have supported around 10,000 parishioners by the end of this transcript period but probably half that at the start. There is no specific mention of Stockton on Tees in Domesday Book which has scant coverage of this county.

The Church

St Thomas a Becket's church (this was the original dedication of the chapelry but many sources refer to the church simply as "The parish church of Stockton") is very much an urban church sitting on the eastern side of High Street in the centre of the shopping district of the town. The church is 18th century and was completed in 1712 synchronous with the parish being separated from Norton. Built in local brick it garners differing views from "impressive" to "unattractive". The church merits just simple description from Pevsner who offers no comment caustic or otherwise. Much of the church is of the original date but the chancel was rebuilt and heightened in the early 20th century. The church sits in a semi-pedestrianised area and in an oblong plot bordered by a railing topped stone wall, there are entrances at eastern and western ends of the site. The churchyard is small and tightly encloses the building which makes it sensible for photography to take place from outside its bounds.