YorkshireCROFTONTEESStPeter(michaelgarlickCC-BY-SA2.0)1 MichaelGarlick

St Peter

The church dates back to 1130, it also has connections with Lewis Carroll.

Croft on Tees, Yorkshire

Opening times

We are always pleased to welcome visitors. If you want to visit you can send an email. Access to the river walk is via the paved permissive foot path around the church.

Address

South Parade
Croft on Tees
Yorkshire
DL2 2SG

The church is Grade I Listed, and dates back to 1130 and there is evidence of earlier inhabitation in the form of a carving of a Roman fertility god and an Anglo Saxon stone carved cross dating back to approximately the 9th century. It was extended with the addition of aisles and a chancel in the and the tower in 1399. In the chancel there is a very fine 14th century stone sedilia with stepped seats for the priest, deacon, and sub-deacon. The three 3 bells date back to 1699.

The Clervaux Chapel dates from 1330 and holds the table tomb of Richard Clervaux. In the north aisle is the 17th century tomb of Sir Mark Milbank. A descendant of his, Arabella Milbank, married Lord Byron in 1825.

The raised Milbank box family pew dates from the 19th century. Lewis Carroll's father was rector from 1843to 1868 and his tombstone can be found in the grounds. Lewis Carroll spent much of his childhood in Croft and an effigy on the sedilia is claimed to be Lewis Carroll’s inspiration for the Cheshire cat. There is a memorial in the church to the Canadian Air Force airmen who flew Lancaster bombers out of Croft airfield in the Second World War.

  • Spectacular stained glass

  • Accessible toilets in church

  • Car park at church

  • Ramp or level access available on request

  • Church of England

  • Maintenance Grant, £2,500, 2017

  • Our Maintenance Grants funded urgent maintenance projects to help keep churches open.

Contact information

Other nearby churches

All Saints

Hurworth, County Durham

Grade I listed building containing some fine stone carving in chancel and beautiful stained glass windows.

St Cuthbert

Darlington, County Durham

With its cathedral like in proportions and presence, St Cuthbert's epitomises late 12th to early 13th century Early English style, with extensive use of wall arcading to frame both internal and external windows.