Saint Sulpitius
Mr William Hutton of Birmingham, who at the age of 85 years started upon a journey to the remote part of Yorkshire
accompanied by his daughter and servant, His visit took place in the year 1808, 44 years before Mrs Theresa Newcomen laid the foundation stone of Christ Church,Coatham.
Mr Hutton says "After a journey of 184 miles we arrived at Coatham and Redcar, which although two villages or rather hamlets; they are in the infancy of their existence.
"Coatham" he writes" is half a street that is built only on one side and consists of about 70 houses and is 400 yards long,
We then pass over an open space in the same line 400 yards more, which brings us to Redcar which is one street built 500 yards long and containing about 160 houses"
Writing in "A History of an ancient church at Coatham"
Mr T.M. Fallowes, M.A., F.S.A., says "There is no mention made of Coatham in the Domesday Book, but the existence of a church and priest at Kirkleatham is recorded, and from the silence as to Coatham it may be assumed that the chapel
there was of later origin, and that it was not in being when the great survey was made.
The port of Cleveland was at Coatham, and it was then,and for some centuries later of very considerable importance
relatively to the other ports, on the coast. We are, therefore,confronted with the existence of a considerable population at the far end of and beyond Warrenby, and the consequent
necessity for a church or chapel there. This chapel was called, St Sulpitius.
An excerpt from a book named
A Century & A Quarter of Christian Teaching at Christ Church Coatham |
