In the 8th century, Eagwulfincham, was one of four royal villages, given to the St Cuthbert’s community on Lindisfarne by the Northumbrian King Ceolwulf after he joined them to became a monk. When Holy Island was abandoned in the 9th century, the monastic land and church at Eglingham was briefly held by Durham, but then granted to the new priory of Tynemouth, which was a cell of the Abbey at St Albans. After the dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th century, the church at Eglingham reverted again to Durham.
An earlier simply constructed building, was replaced by a stone church in the 12th century, with the tower added in the mid-13th century. First sacked by raiding Scots in 1596/7, the church was virtually destroyed in 1640, during Cromwell’s time, at the hands of General Sir Alexander Leslie’s army of the Covenanters who supported the Presbyterian church of Scotland. The imposing tower was the only part of the building which survived intact. The damage was repaired and the church reconstructed later in the 17th century.
Victorians made further changes, lowering the nave roof, adding a porch and steeple as well as replacing the windows. John Green, a Newcastle architect whose firm designed the Theatre Royal, was criticised for turning St Maurice’s, ‘a valuable post-medieval building into a sham one’. More sensitive alterations were made in later Victorian times by F.R.Wilson of Alnwick, who had previously worked on the Houses of Parliament.
From 1842 to 1980, eleven Vicars of Eglingham were also Archdeacons of Lindisfarne. There is more to discover in the Lindisfarne Legacy exhibition in St Maurice’s Ogle Chapel.
St Maurice
Maurice was a Christian officer in the Roman army. Of North African origin, he was martyred in the 3rd century for refusing to kill other Christians. Mostly remembered as the patron saint of soldiers, St Maurice is a popular church dedication in Europe and America, but rare in England. There is no image of St Maurice in Eglingham, but at the church at nearby Ellingham, which is also dedicated to this saint, there is a memorial window showing him, as he is traditionally depicted, in full amour. His feast day is 22 September.
GOD’S ACRE
There has been a Christian burial place in Eglingham for more than a thousand years. The surviving gravestones are historical treasures which reveal much about the cultural heritage of this community, and their inscriptions can provide a fascinating insight into past lives. On the south side of the tower, the table top memorial belonging to the Storey family of Beanley records many generations and over 100 years of their family’s history. Other gravestones tell tragic tales of infant mortality, but also positive stories of longevity and faithful service in the parish.
In the Medieval times, the churchyard was used for bustling fairs and noisy markets which were an important source of income for the priest. Those in the parish with power and influence had the privilege of being buried under the church floor and in family vaults. Medieval stone grave slabs were often repurposed for later building work, and some may have been used as foundationstones for St Maurice’s mid-13th century tower. In contrast, the poor were buried in unmarked graves covered in a simple shroud with no coffin, and it was common for graves to be reused. In a practice which continues today, bodies were laid on their back with the head facing east. The exception was for priests who were buried facing west so they would rise in front of their congregation at the second coming of Christ.
It was only in the 18th century that rows of grave markers as we know them today became commonplace. However, in this rural community, it was still only those with some wealth who could afford a permanent reminder of their affluence. Of the 1,000 burials in the 18th century at St Maurice’s, only 40 remain marked with a gravestone. These burials were all on the southside of the church as people believed the northside was associated with darkness and the devil. Carved locally in sandstone, each one is a creative original. The earliest, dated 1717, is a small, simply carved, stone in memory of James Young.Amongst these old stones are some fine examples of “Memento Mori” symbolism – stark reminders of the transience of life and the inevitability of death.
By the 19th century, local carvers had given way to monumental masons.There are more than 50 headstones from Alnwick masons, Daniel McMillan. Victorian fashion also demanded larger stones in architectural revival styles. Chosen from classical pattern books, there are fine examples in the western section of the churchyard erected by the families of theArchdeacons of Lindisfarne, and the principal landowners: the Collingwoods and Carr-Ellisons.
Since the 20th century, additional diocesan rules mean that more recent mass-produced stones (mostly in the 1927 eastern extension) are smaller and tend to give little away about the people who lie beneath. However, there are a few exceptions of stones collected from the moors or specially designed by the family, which reflect more individual stories.Now,there are fewer burials as nationally 80% of bodies are cremated. St Maurice’s Remembrance Garden was created in the 1980s.
For more information go to www.eglingham.info/introduction-Community History Project
Carolyn Brewster 2024
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Search the Headstone Transcriptions of Other Kirk/Church Yards directory:
The burying place of JOHN STOREY esqr of Beanley. MARY, wife of the above JOHN STOREY died April 6th 1756. aged 33 years. SUSANNAH daughter of the said JOHN and MARY STOREY died Nov 7th 1780 aged 29 years. ARTHUR infant son of ARTHUR and MARY STOREY of Beanley died Nov 24th 1792 ISABELLA daughter of ARTHUR and MARY STOREY. died Oct 6th 1799 aged 3 years. JOHN STOREY Esqr of Beanley died Decr 20th 1808 aged 84 years. MARY wife of ARTHUR STOREY Esqr. of Beanley died May 22nd 1825 aged 61 years JOHN STOREY of Bolton Wood Hall son of ARTHUR STOREY Esqr of Beanley and MARY his wife died May 2nd 1830 aged 46 years. ARTHUR STOREY Esqr of Beanley died July 15th 1833, aged 79 years. RALPH STOREY Esqr of Beanley died Novr 20th 1859, aged 62 years.
[Very difficult to read because of thick coat of lichen.]
Erected by ANDREW KER MOFFAT of Beanley and MARY his wife in memory of JOHN their son who died Septr 1st 1821 aged 2 months. of MARY ANN their daughter who died Decr 23rd 1837. aged 15 years. This monument is also in memory of the above named MARY MOFFAT who died Jany 1st 1849 aged 57 years. of the above named ANDREW KER MOFFAT who died June 26 1850 aged 54 years. of JOHN STOREY their son who died August 31st 1889 Aged 57 years. of ANDREW KER DAVIDSON MOFFAT their son who died March 20th 1891 Aged 62 years.
[Inscription difficult to read because badly weathered and coated in lichen.]
ERECTED in memory of MARY wife of JAMES BALMBRO of Wooperton who died September 7th 1838, Aged 51 years. Also ROBERT their son who died may 4th 1827, Aged 22 years. ISABELLA their daughter died may 26th 1827, Aged 13 years. Also two children who died in Infancy the above JAMES BALMBRO, died May 9th 1843, Aged 66 years.
[On top edge of headstone, a crossbones on left slope, and an hourglass on right slope. In top centre of headstone, a skull.]
Here Lieth the Body of John Story who was buried Decem 22 1731 aged 72. Here Lie Mary And Jane Daughters Of John Story Of Beanley Mary Who Departed This Life Oct The 16th, Jane Who Depart This Life Octr 29th 1750
[Inscription as it appears on front of headstone. Difficult to read because of bad weathering.]
ELEANOR wife of JOHN STORY of Beanly who was bvried September 14 1723 ??????? Who Was ???? And When ???
[First part very difficult to read. Last part unreadable because of weathering and lichen.]
SACRED to the memory of WILLIAM SCOTT who died at Ingram on the 16th of April 1838, aged 23 years. Also JAMES SCOTT, father of the above who died at Dunston Square June 19th 1839 aged 74 years. Also ANN daughter of the above who died at Glanton June 19th 1840 aged 43 years. Also ELIZABETH wife of the above who died at Dunston Square May 2nd 1845 aged 67 years.
Sacred to the memory of MARY wife of JOHN CRISP of Eglingham who died July 6th 1803 aged 46 years. Also ANN daughter of the above died July 10th 1812 aged 25 years. JAMES son of the above died Octr 17th 1813 aged 33 years. WILLIAM son of the above died Jany 15th 1827 aged 36 years. ADAM grandson of the above died in infancy. JOHN husband of the above MARY CRISP died Jany 17th 1830 aged 82 years. HENRY son of JOHN and MARY CRISP of Egglingham and grandson of the above JOHN and MARY died April 23rd 1837 aged 4 years. And also the said JOHN CRISP (son of the first above named JOHN & MARY CRISP) who died May 23rd 1860 aged 79 years and MARY his wife who died Feby 17th 1864 aged 79 years.
[Misspelling “eggligham” appears on headstone. Badly weathered, with coating of lichen]
Here∙Lyes∙The Body∙Of∙William Humble Who deParted ∙This Lif The∙29 Of∙APril 1749 Aged 55 Years. Also His 5 childe?[Inscription as it appears on headstone. Difficult to read because of lichen.]
Headstone listed by Historic England, 1987 ref 19/173. On of back of headstone, there are two female figures standing either side of the headstone, holding open a pair of curtains, to reveal blacksmith’s anvil, hammer and a horseshoe.]
Erected in memory of ELIZABETH MOLE wife of JAMES MOLE of Eglingham, who died Nov. 11. 1839, aged 61 years. JAMES son of the above who died Oct 25. 1832, aged 19 years. THOMAS grandson of the above who died March 6. 1840, aged 11 months. JAMES MOLE husband of the above ELIZABETH, who died March 12. 1843, aged 67 years.
D mcMillan & Co. [Mason’s name on left panel of plinth]
Sacred to the Memory of WILLIAM SHELL who died March 24th 1798 aged 84 Years. He filled the Office of Church Warden for more than 50 Years in this Parish. JOHN His Son died August 10th 1784 aged 32 Years. JANE, Wife of WILLIAM, died November 11th1792 aged 73 Years. CUTHBERT Son of WILLIAM died June 15th 1793 Aged 35 Years Also MARY Daughter of WILLIAM died March 13th 1805 aged 49 years.
[Weathering and lichen make last line difficult to read. Inscription as it appears on headstone.]
[Previous survey described this as “gravestone lying face down”. However, this is probably the next stone in this row]
Here∙Lieth The:Body∙of Oswald∙Selby Beanley :Depart This Life April The 25 day 1740 Aged ??
[Headstone with lowest part buried in ground, facing north. On top front of headstone there is a winged skull. On the back, there are a skull, a crossbones and an hourglass. Inscription as it appears on visible part of headstone.]
In memory of WILLIAM TODD of Eglingham, who died Octr 7th 1798 aged 66 years. MARY, his wife, died Octr 12th 1821 aged 74 years. WILLIAM, their son died Jany 7th 1775 aged 4 years. WILLIAM, their son died Jany 21st 1786 aged 3 years. CAMILLA, their daughter died Nov 25th 1826 aged 37 years. MARY, their daughter died May 26th 1827 aged 46 years. ELISABETH HEWITT, their daughter died August the 2nd 1851 aged 76 years. ANN, their daughter died May 24 1857 aged 80 years.
In memory of JOSEPH HALL, who died June 2nd 1847, aged 93 years. ISABELLA, wife of the above who died Augst 12th 1816, aged 65 years. Also of FRANCES their daughter who died Augst 3rd 1869, aged 79 years.
I Am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.
[Small cross, comprising cylindrical elements of roughened stone mounted on roughly dressed stone pedestal]
In Memory of ESTHER THOMPSON widow of ROBERT THOMPSON who died at East Bolton, 15 Jan. 1896, aged 88. for 64 years the faithful and devoted friend and servant of the late WILLIAM GRAY, of East Bolton and his family, by whom, in loving memory and regret, this stone is erected.
[Headstone fallen face down, bottom resting on its plinth and top resting on ground. Previously hidden by thicket of brambles and large fallen tree.]
In memory of ALEXANDER WEIGHTMEN [sic], who died Augst 2nd 1850, aged 65 years. ELIZABETH, wife of the above who died June 20th 1857, aged 73 years. ISABELLA daughter of the above who died Feby 20th 1826. aged 19 years also of ROBERT son of ROBERT & HESTER THOMPSON and grandson of the above who died at East Bolton Jany 9th 1852 aged 7 years
[Inscription on front of headstone, compiled from series of photographs taken with mobile camera. Church burial records give name as “Weightman”.]
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