Churches and Chapels of Stoke-on-Trent

St. Peter Ad Vincula - Stoke

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also see photos of listed buildings in and around St. Peter's grounds

more on Glebe Street (where St. Peter's stands)

 


more pictures of St. Peters

photo: 2000

 

St. Peter's in about 1893
St. Peter's in about 1893

 


more pictures of St. Peters

from an 1893 journal on The Potteries:

Parish establishment of St. Peter: First among the public buildings, which will attract the attention of the visitor are the churches, at the head of which stands the parish establishment of St. Peter. The old parish church of Stoke was situated in the immediate vicinity of Rykenield Street; and the present church, which was rebuilt in 1826-29, stands on glebe land, formerly attached to the old churchyard. It is a very handsome structure in stone, in the Early English style, built from designs by Messrs. Trubshaw and Johnson, of Haywood. It consists of chancel with vestries, rectangular nave, with quasi aisles, and an embattled western tower of four stages, with crocheted pinnacles, and containing a fine peal of eight bells. There are porches on either side of the tower and the interior is surrounded on three sides by galleries. The east window and four others in the chancel are beautifully stained.

The interior of the church is interesting from its many monuments, many of which were removed from the old church, erected to the memory of notable people connected with district. Chief among these is the monument to the memory of Josiah Wedgwood, F.R.S., F.S.A., with a bust by his friend, and former employee, Flaxman. Others commemorate the Very Rev. John C. Woodhouse, D.D., Dean of Lichfield, seventeen years rector of Stoke, and a great benefactor to the town and the church, d. 1833; John Tomlinson, patron of the living, d. 1838; Josiah Spode, Esq., d. 1827, and his son Josiah, d. 1839, with emblematic sculpture by William Behnes; John Poulson, twenty-two years sacrit, d. 1691, and Joan his wife, d. 1688, and to the family of Fenton, 1782-92, and many others.

In the churchyard are two stones which bear ample testimony to the salubrity of the neighbourhood. They are to the memory of Sibil Clarke, d. 1684, aged 112 years, and Henry Clark, also 112 years old. The registers of the church date back to 1630. Stoke enjoy the honour of having given its first suffragan-bishop to Shrewsbury, the right Rev. Sir Lovelace Tomlinson Stamer, Bart., D.D., of Trinity College, Cambridge, having been rector of Stoke since 1858. There are also in the neighbourhood other handsome churches, which have been made heads of ecclesiastical parishes by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.

St Peter ad Vincula, Stoke, was confirmed as a Minster Church.  In a public ceremony on Tuesday 17th May at 7:30pm the Rt Revd Jonathan Gledhill conferedthe title of "Stoke Minster" on the church.

The Rector of Stoke, Father David Lingwood, said: "We are extremely pleased with this decision.  The designation of St Peter's as a Minster is a way in which the Church can affirm the importance of the city today.  Stoke-on-Trent is a major conurbation in the UK and deserves this recognition.

"It is also an acknowledgment of the part played by all the faith communities in the life of the Potteries.  The churches and other people of faith are vital players in the regeneration of our North Staffordshire.

Rev Pauline Shelton, the Team Vicar at St Peter's added: "We look forward to St Peter's continuing to grow as it becomes a Minster - and especially we are looking forward to new choir members and bell ringers to expand our fine tradition in Stoke."

Background Information

Minsters were originally mother churches that covered a large tract of country. They pre-dated the parish system and acted as a base for worship, service and missionary work. They were served by a team of priests.

It is not known when the first church of St Peter ad Vincula was built in Stoke, but the Saxon Preaching Cross in the churchyard indicates a very early date. Perhaps St. Chad, the first Bishop of Lichfield preached here. One meaning of "Stoc" is a "holy place" and it is from this site that the city gets its name.

The medieval church, of which only ruins remain, dates mainly from the 13th century. The present church building was completed in 1830.

St. Peter ad Vincula is closely associated with the ceramic industry for which this city is rightly famous. Josiah Wedgwood and Josiah Spode are both buried in the churchyard and have family memorials in the church.

St. Peter's has been the centre of Civic services for decades.


questions/comments/contributions? email: Steve Birks

updated: 11 March 2006