ST JOSEPH'S PARISH
Welcome to St Joseph's Parish-Stokesley, which is made up of St Joseph's, St Margaret Clitherow-Great Ayton and St Mary's-Crathorne Churches.
Parish Priest Mgr. G. Robinson.
From the late 18th century, Saint Mary’s Chapel was nothing more than a converted Cowhouse. Parishioners would gather to celebrate Mass in this small, extremely cold and damp barn. A new Chapel was desperately needed. In 1816 Father George Corless, the resident priest, began his mission to provide such a chapel.
Father Corless was aware that back in 1742 Ralph Crathorne, Lord of the Manor, had bequeathed £271 to pay £30 per annum for the salary of a Parish Priest for Crathorne. In those seventy four years, for reasons unknown, his wish was never fulfilled. Subsequently all the money was still held in a fund by the Northern District, (Diocese).
Father Corless together with the new Lord of The Manor, a Mr George Crathorne, approached Northern District asking that the fund be released to build a new Chapel. As an incentive, Mr Crathorne promised the land, the new Chapel and adjoining house, ( Chapel House), to Northern District. They agreed to this and also released other money which was held in that fund.
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In 1821 the Chapel was completed. A document dated 16th December 1821 shows the transfer of land and property from George Crathorne to the Northern District Trusties.
Sadly over time the congregation dwindled and the 1865 Census recorded only 6 Catholics lived in Crathorne.
In 1945, the Trust had to sell Chapel House due to insufficient finance to upgrade the drainage and sewage disposal
The lack of parishioners had an impact on the condition of the Chapel. Mass was only being celebrated fortnightly and together with no heating, the Chapel was neglected and fell into decline. As time passed, it looked as if the Chapel would follow the same fate as the Chapel House.
In 1963 Peter Storey became the Priest in charge of the Stokesley Mission which served our three churches. Together with the determination of devoted parishioners, consisting mainly of only 3 families, fund raising began for the restoration of the Chapel. In the early1970’s the restoration was completed with the addition of a porch to the entrance.
Almost fifty years later the chapel embarked upon its second restoration, now under the guidance of Father William Charlton. In 2019 a Fundraising and Restoration Group was set up, hoping that the restoration would be completed for the Chapel’s Bi-Centenary in 2021. It was a major task, firstly because the Chapel is a Grade II listed building and so strict building regulations had to be adhered to. Secondly, due to the age of the Chapel, only when the work began did it become apparent how poor a state the Chapel was in; rectifying one problem, would unmask another.
Unfortunately due to the Covid Pandemic, the restoration was not completed until August 2022.
On 8th September 2022 a Celebratory Mass of Thanksgiving was lead by Bishop Terence Drainey, with Monsignor Canon David Hogan, Father Aldo Tapparo and Father William Charlton.
It is not known how the Chapel came to be called St Mary’s Chapel.