The Parish Church of St. Mary and St. Lawrence is situated in the centre of the village of Cauldon and of its widespread parish which includes Cauldon Lowe and part of Waterhouses.
There has been a church on the site since the 12th Century, although the present building dates from 1786 whilst incorporating some earlier remains.
The church is a Grade II listed building, constructed of local stone from the quarry at Cauldon Low. The church consists of a nave, chancel and north aisle with square piers (rebuilt in 1926) incorporating a Lady Chapel. There is a vestry adjoining the tower to the north and a porch was added in 1885.
The tower is described by Historic England as follows;
"West tower: 2 stages with chamfered parapet band and low parapet with corner pinnacles; circular window to ground floor south with moulded surround, single-light belfry openings with semi-circular heads." Source: (
visit link)
The tower has a ring of three bells, all cast by Thomas II Mears and listed as unringable on the Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers site. (
visit link)
There are no valid peals listed for this tower. (
visit link)
A report written in the BBC Domesday Reloaded in 1986, describes the church as follows;
"The Church serves Cauldon and Cauldon Lowe and is dedicated to St. Mary and St. Lawrence. There has been a church here since the twelfth century but, after a fire in the 1700's, it was rebuilt in the 1780's. There are three bells which were cast in the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London and the bells are rung when there is a service. Today the beautiful old church is faced with a large restoration programme as the roof needs repairing and the whole church needs re-wiring. The church is surrounded by many old gravestones but there is now a new graveyard as the old one is full. There is one priest who is responsible for Cauldon along with Calton, Grindon and Waterfall. He is in charge of all the parishes and arranges the services for all four churches." (
visit link)
The Church is described in Kelly's Directory of Staffordshire (1896) as follows;
"The church of St. Mary and St. Lawrence is a small building of stone, consisting of chancel, nave, south porch and a western tower with four pinnacles, containing 3 bells: in the church are monuments to the families of Cropper, 1814; Wilmot, 1843; Marshall, 1800 and Whieldon, 1807: the chancel was partly rebuilt in 1784 by Sampson Whieldon esq. the lay rector, and the nave and tower a few years previously: in 1886 a new south porch was erected by Ralph Wooliscroft esq. of Leek, in memory of his father and mother, new pulpit, font and lectern introduced, the flooring relaid and the church reseated, at a cost of about £250; a choir vestry was built in 1890: there are sittings for 120 persons. The register dates from the year 1580, but is defective. The living is a vicarage, average tithe rent-charge £66, net yearly value £148, including 54 ½ acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of Granville Henniker esq. and held since 1888 by the Rev. Cecil Booth Tyrwhitt M.A. of Christ Church, Oxford, who is also vicar of Waterfall. A vicarage house was built in 1887 on a site presented by Mr. Charles Bell." Source: (
visit link)
A photograph of the church in 1920 can be seen at the following link. (
visit link)