Church of St. Botolph – the Early Years
There appears to be very little information on the early history of the church at Carlton in Cleveland, although according to legend there has been a Church on the present site in Carlton since 675 and in the Churchyard there is a Saxon preaching stone which bears this out. It is again mentioned in 1483, when Christopher Conyers, rector of Rudby, made a legacy of 13s.4d. to the 'chapel of Carlton'. There is no evidence to support the view that it was appropriated to Whithy Abbey before the Dissolution. It is suggested that the original patron was the rector of Rudby. However, in 1611 the tithes of Carlton were excepted from those 'rights and members of the rectory and church of Rudby which were in the hands of John Ingleby. The tithes and advowson came into the possession of Henry Jenkins, and have followed the descent of the manor ever since.
The old church which stood on the site of the present building was described by Graves, writing about 1808 as 'a small and modern built structure', while Ord, 40 years later calls it a 'singular and extraordinary' building 'the steeple like a Norman tower, the nave and chancel little better than a shepherd's hut'. An illustration dating prior to 1879 clearly shows the church as a plain rectangular structure with a south porch and a bell turret a pantile roof and simple windows with barred wooden
sashes.
