St Chad

MATERIALS: Local ashlar red sandstone, except for red and grey sandstone of tower, under tile roofs.

EXTERIOR: Tudor-Gothic tower, Perpendicular nave and transepts, Decorated chancel.

On the north side is a Tudor-arched doorway to the stair turret and a small straight-headed window to the second stage.

Three-light C17 transomed bell openings have louvres.

The embattled parapet incorporates large gargoyles and the bases of corner pinnacles.

One of a pair of gargoyles on this side, taking rainwater from the roof of the main building. The other is [[2492966]]

© Richard Law

Buttressed nave and transepts have embattled parapets on moulded cornices, and gargoyles.

Bracketed beams across the transepts are on angel corbels and are enriched by quatrefoils and more angels.

It stands on a moulded cornice above shafts on angel and knight corbels.

Next to it is a window into the vestry, with an over-elaborate neo-Norman rere arch.

C19 tiles are in the nave floor, with raised wood floors to the pews.

Encaustic tiles in the chancel.

PRINCIPAL FIXTURES: The Perpendicular octagonal font has a panelled stem and base.

The Jacobean pulpit is profusely decorated.

Choir stalls have plain ends with carved arm rests, short carved poppy heads, and relief carving to quatrefoils in the bench backs.

In the nave south wall is a stone wall tablet with brass inscription plaque which is no longer legible.

In the nave north wall a brass plaque to Henry Wilkinson with archaic lettering in relief, and marble surround.

Many windows have glass of c1859.

Transept windows depict a priest and an angel, as well as plain glass incorporating coloured margins with foliage trails.

HISTORY: A church of probable C12 origin, evidence for which is the inclusion of a Norman-style window in the later chancel.

The only medieval part of the church is the tower, which is C15 in the lower stages, upper stages of which were completed before 1651.

Glass was made by David Evans of Shrewsbury and Frederick Preedy.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: The church of St Chad, Stockton, is listed Grade II* for the following principal reasons: * Its tower of the C15-C17 is a good example of Gothic-survival architecture. * It retains fixtures of good quality such as the pulpit and font. * It has some interesting C19 stained glass by David Evans and Frederick Preedy.