The villages of Cleasby and Stapleton lie just a few miles to the south west of Darlington and are pleasantly situated on the southern side of the River Tees which folds itself around them both. The twin villages are small and picturesque with spacious village greens. Cleasby was essentially a farming community, named in the Domesday Book and with much of the land owned, until the early 19^th Century, by the Earls of Devonshire. Cleasby can boast two other claims to fame. Firstly Bishop John Robinson, born in 1650, was brought up in a labourer’s cottage in the village. John Robinson became Bishop of London among many other positions of high office including leading negotiations to secure Gibraltar for the crown. He never forgot his roots in Cleasby and it was from his generosity that money was provided to build a church, and to pay for a perpetual curate, (what would nowadays be a vicar or team rector in modern parlance). Without him, not only would Britain probably not have Gibraltar, but Cleasby would not have a church. Secondly Comet, a famous shorthorn bull bought for 1000 guineas in 1810 was kept in the village in a specially built shed just off the Green. The shed, that can still be seen today, became known as Comet House and the adjoining paddock Comet’s Garth. Comet is buried in the Garth with a Chestnut tree planted on the grave. Stapleton like Cleasby is based on agriculture with the claim to fame of being on the route of the early A1. In 1927 the Great North Road became the A1 and ran through Barton, Stapleton and the centre of Darlington until the 1960’s when Darlington was bypassed and Stapleton was returned to being a quiet village community.  Stapleton also boasts the site of a medieval manor. The depression in the ground in the field to the south of Cleasby Lane on the edge of Stapleton is said to be the remains of the moat of this manor house. Sunday Services 1st Sunday of the Month: 0930 Morning Prayer 2nd Sunday of the Month 0930 Parish Communion 3rd Sunday of the Month: 1830 Parish Communion 4th Sunday of the Month: 1100 Evening Prayer Contacts: Revd David Lewis The Rectory, Great Smeaton 01609 881205 davidlewis648@btinternet.com The church of St Peter’s draws an active community from both villages and the surrounding area. One of the key objectives of church members is to take the church into the community and each year a range of events are held providing opportunities for a wider engagement of church and villages. These include outdoor services on the village greens and the annual inter village ‘It’s a Knock Out’.