St Catherines Church was designed by Ignatius Bonomi (1787-1870) IGNATIOUS BONOMI (1787-1870) Ignatius Richard Frederick Nemesius Bonomi was born on 31st October 1787 at 76 Great Titchfield Street, London and was the son of an Italian Architect and Draughtsman, Joseph Bonomi (17391808) and his wife Rosa Florini (1755-1812) Ignatious was Surveyor of Bridges in County Durham and his works included one of the first Railway Bridges in Britain, over the River Skerne, near Darlington, for the Stockton and Darlington Railway, in 1824. (This Bridge was featured on the old ÂŁ5.00 notes featuring George Stephenson). For this reason he is sometimes referred to as the first Railway Architect. He was responsible for a number of church buildings including commissions at Durham Cathedral. Other works in Neoclassical or Gothic styles included Durham Castle, Lambton Castle, Durham Prison, Elvet Hill House (1820), Burn Hall and Eggleston Hall, all in County Durham. In 1831 Bonomi took on 14 year old John Loughborough Pearson as an apprentice, who would become a renowned Gothic Revival Architect mostly in religious buildings, and most likely greatly inspired by Bonomi. He died on 2nd January 1870 at his home in Wimbledon and was buried with his wife in Paddington Cemetery. ST. CATHERINES CHURCH Generally the Church of England people of Crook were of the Parish of Brancepeth with St Brandons Church being the main church. A meeting house was established on the Market place in 1820, built by the local farmers. The foundation stone of the present St Catherines Church was laid on 10 th June 1840 by George Hutton Wilkinson of Harperley Hall. St Catherine of Alexandria or St Catherine of the Wheel being the chosen patron saint of the Church, who was condemned to death on a spiked breaking wheel. At her touch however the wheel shattered and so she was beheaded. This saint is therefore often remembered through the Catherine Wheels on Bonfire Night. It is interesting that another Crook exists in Westmoreland, which had an earlier church, (only the tower remains today) also named St Catherines which is in the Parish of Kendal. The first Curate, William Sandford was born in that parish. The building was designed by Ignatius Bonomi (1787-1870) and was classed as one of his cheap churches because it was funded mostly by the Incorporated Church Building Society who were mostly concerned with allowing people a place to sit for free, rather than the appearance of the building. The church was built in an Early English Style. The height of the building was slightly lower and consisted only of the present nave area, an apse at the east end containing the altar and an external porch. The official number of sittings was recorded as 305.
The first baptism took place on 15th October 1843, officiated by Rev. Rovert Thompson, curate of Brancepeth. John Smith, son of John and Mary Smith, shoemakers of Crook being the baptised. The first burial took place in the adjacent burial ground on 28 th January 1844. The funeral being that of Mary Lindsay of Boldon Close (now known as Bowden Close). Mary was 32 years of age and the Rev. John Duncombe Shafto, Rector of Brancepeth officiated. The first marriage took place on 17th November 1845 between William Raine, sawyer, son of John Raine and Ann Fenwick, daughter of John Fenwick. This was officiated by Rev. William Sandford who was the curate at the time. William probably resided at the Rectory was orgininally where the Dentists is on the corner of Mill Street and Bridge Street. Rev. Sandford died suddenly in 1872 and a handsome stained glass window, “The Good Shepherd,” was erected to his memory. The Rev. John King, M.A. took over as Rector following a curacy at St. James’ Church, Gateshead. Mr King was born in 1843 in Edinburgh. A new Rectory had now been built in West Road. Due to a population explosion in Crook during the 1850s and 1860s the church was considered too small and so in 1877-78 an extra aisle was added on the south side to cater for an additional 137 “sittings”. The Entrance was moved to where it is today and the font was moved from the main nave to a position near to where it stands today. Also the Roof of the original Nave was raised 3 feet. In 1884 the apse was replaced by the present chancel, and an organ chamber and vestry added. This was completed on 21st January 1885 and opened by Bishop Lightfoot who preached a sermon in the afternoon. That evening Canon Falconer preached. Canon Watkins preached the following Sunday. The organ was not installed until 1891 with a Mr. F. Tovey the organist from Holy Trinity Church, Darlington being the first to play it. In 1907 The Rev. King received a gift from the parishioners of one hundred guineas, and Mrs King was the recipient of a silver tea service. It was Mr King who had been chiefly responsible for the erection of the Church Institute now referred to as St Catherines Community Centre and the construction of the Sunday Schools. The buildings cost £1650 and the opening ceremony was held in 1903. In 1913 The Rev. John King after 41 years in the parish died. This was a huge blow to the people of Crook. He had been active with all important operations in Crook and it was estimated had raised a total of £15,000 on behalf of local church work during his time here. A Stained glass window was installed in his memory. Another window at the same time was installed by Mrs. H. Lister as a memorial to her parents (Mr. And Mrs. Farrar Morson). In October 1913, Rev. Jacob Ridley Barker, M.A. of Sunderland became Rector of the Parish.