Stainton Church was the original Parish Church of Middlesbrough.
An archaeological survey in the year 2000 as a precursor to the building of a meeting room extension to the church found artefacts which indicate that the site was a burial ground as early as the 7th century. Items of stonework, now built into the walls of the Church Room are of Christian design from the 10th century. In 1119 the Church at Stainton and its lands were given to the newly established Guisburg Priory by Robert de Brus of Skelton. The lands were extensive, stretching from the southern boundary of the present parish north to the River Tees and east to west from Marton to Yarm.. The present church is built on mediaeval footings. There is a continuous record of Vicars of Stainton from 1247 when Will de Boltby was succeeded by Roger de Chesterton, to the present day; 50 Vicars so far and many (mostly forgotten) Curates. Parish Registers from 1551 onwards are held in the Middlesbrough Borough Archives. In 1133 Middlesbrough became a separate parish. By 1308 in the Parish of Stainton there were Chapels of ease at Thornaby and Acklam. With the expansion of trade and industry Thornaby became a separate parish in 1844 and Acklam in 1866 . Brookfield became a new parish in 1988 , Hemlington in 1993, and Ingleby Barwick in 2000. Our much smaller parish is now part of a group (a plurality) with Hilton and Brookfield churches. In 2019 Hemlington Church was declared unsafe and was eventually closed formally for Public Worship on 26th January 2021 and on 1st March 2021 Stainton and Hemlington parishes were reunited as one Parish, part of the Benefice of Stainton with Hemlington and Hilton.
click here to download the list of vicars since 1247
Click here to download "A Short History of Stainton Church"