About St Matthew’s Church

Vicar: Revd Mike Fitzsimmons
Church Wardens: June Sherratt

Parish Administrator: Felicity Oates

Meerbrook Church adds a distinctively rural dimension to the life of the Team. Church and community are closely integrated.

The Village of Meerbrook

by Mary Breeze

Meerbrook is a very small village – a hamlet really – situated in the Staffordshire Moorlands in the Parish of Leekfrith. On one side rises Gun Hill and on the other, the Roaches, a two mile length of millstone grit rising 1,500 feet above sea level.

There is a chapel, a pub, a Youth Hostel (once the village school), a few houses, St Matthew’s Church and a large reservoir.

Although it is quiet and peaceful, being located a couple of miles from the main road from Leek to Buxton, there is an excellent community spirit, the village hall being utilised almost every night of the week.

There was a small church here before the dissolution of the monasteries in1538, belonging to Dieu-le-Cres Abbey, a mile away on the banks of the River Churnet, and several of the scattered farms were Granges for the lay brothers.

In June is held the Church Fete, in July a Flower Festival and in November, a Christmas Fair.

In the 1950’s, the reservoir was built necessitating the destruction of several houses, a pub, a water mill and a couple of farms. But the stretch of water is very beautiful with a five mile walk, a children’s play area, a visitor centre, fishing lodge and two bird hides.

This is a sheep and cattle farming area.