Eglingham Churchyard

THE CHURCH

 

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

First World War

There are no Boer War entries for this memorial.

Second World War

There are no Boer War entries for this memorial.

Boer War

There are no Boer War entries for this memorial.

Miscellaneous

There are no Boer War entries for this memorial.

Eglingham Churchyard Section-B-Row-X2[12]-1 Gibson/Williamson

In Loving Memory of ANN the beloved wife of THOMAS GIBSON, who died at Eglingham April 24. 1885 aged 55 years. Also of the above THOMAS GIBSON, who died April 9. 1917, aged 83 years. Also of THOMAS GIBSON son of the above died April 2. 1934, aged 72 years. also of MARY GIBSON who died April 26. 1950, aged 89 years. Also of THOMAS GIBSON WILLIAMSON son of the late GEORGE and ANN WILLIAMSON and nephew of the late MARY GIBSON who died Nov. 19. 1965, aged 67 years.

DMc millan & Co [Mason’s name on left panel of plinth]

Eglingham Churchyard Section-B-Row-X2[12]-3-Landers/Wilson

In Memory of JANE the beloved wife of JOHN LANDERS, of Moor Laws. who died February 27th 1867. aged 57 years. also of JAMES, their son who died August 11th 1836. aged 3 years & 6 months. Also of WILLIAM, their son who died December 9th 1847. aged 4 years & 9 months. Also of JANE, their daughter who died February 9th 1848, aged 7 years. Also of STEPHEN, their son who died April 5th 1866, aged 19 years & 6 months. and of MARY WILSON, Aunt of the above JOHN LANDERS, who died September 28th 1834, aged 76 years. They were lovely in their lives and in their deaths they were not divided.” Also of BARBARA, wife of JOHN LANDERS, who died August 15th 1886, aged 68 years. Also the above JOHN LANDERS, who died Jany 23rd 1889, aged 81 years.

DMc milan, sc.[Mason’s misspelled name on left panel of plinth]

Eglingham Churchyard Section-B-Row-X2[12]-5-Anderson

Here Lies Interred the Children of John Anderson of  Shipley. Jasper Dyd Ianuary 2. 1765 Agd 7  Richard ditto 19th aged 2Anne October 5. 1768.

[Inscription as it appears on headstone. The word “January” does have an initial “I”. Weathering makes reading difficult.]

Eglingham Churchyard Section-B-Row-X2[12]-6-Coxan

Erected in memory of ISABELLA wife of THOMAS COXON, of Eglingham who died Feby 21st 1831 aged 41 years. FRANCES their daughter who died, March 17th 1810 aged 15 months. THOMAS their son who died July 16th 1826 aged 13 months. BARBARA their daughter who died, Sept 13th 1844 aged 23 years. The above THOMAS COXON. died 9th May 1855 aged 74 years. THOMAS COXON, died at Eglingham. Decr 26th 1893, aged 65 years. JANE COXON his wife died at Eglingham. Decr 16th 1892, aged 64 years.

Eglingham Churchyard Section-B-Row-X2[12]-7-Clay

On top edge, crossbones on left side, hourglass in middle and skull on right side.

This Stone erected by WILLIAM CLAY  of Shiply in memorandum of Mar y his wife and Ann his Daughter ???? died Feb 1730 ??

[Inscription as it appears on the headstone. Extremely difficult to read because badly weathered and lower part is buried.]

Eglingham Churchyard Section-B-Row-X2[12]-8-

In memory of GEORGE LANDERS who died at Glanton west field, Novr 7th 1835.aged 54 years. Also of ISABELLA, wife of the above who died Feby 16th 1857, aged 71 years. Also of ISABELLA, their daughter who died April 18th 1856, aged 27 years. Also of CHARLES, their son who died Novr 3rd1867, aged 41 years. And of MARY daughter of CHARLES and ANNABELL LANDERS who died Feby 3rd 1868, aged 3 years.

Eglingham Churchyard Section-B-Row-X2[12]-9-Taylor

[On front, top centre of headstone, a crossbones. On back a single flower.]

Here Lyes the Body of WILLIAM TAYLOR  of Northfield and departed this life July 1769 ???

[Inscription as it appears on headstone. Rest of inscription unreadable because of weathering and white lichen.]

1 7 8 9
Scroll to Top