ST Thomas church, Stanhope, the 12th Century Anglican church situated in the Market Place, has received support from the town’s Masonic Lodge and Durham Freemason Charity.
Stanhope Lodge of Freemasons, founded in 1911, has donated £100 to the church’s appeal for a new stone floor, with the donation matched by Durham Freemasons Charity with both monies being used to purchase two of the stone slabs. Each stone can be purchased by anyone, perhaps in memory of a family member or in their own names – a book will be printed with the names and dedications and be on display inside the church.
The appeal began after dry rot was found to be in the timber floor of the church and the decision was made to replace it with stone. Each slab is available to dedicate for a minimum of £100 each. The work to ‘re-order’ the church is taking place presently to create a community space for everyone to enjoy.
The Freemasons donations were presented by Chris Rowell, Bill Hobson and Edwin Craggs to the Friends of St Thomas Church who launched the appeal last year. If you would like to sponsor a stone, please contact the Friends Secretary Anne Hodgson at
The Stanhope Lodge is always seeking new members and anyone interested in joining is advised to contact the Lodge via email at
