Eglingham Church of St Maurice (The Gatehouse Record)

In the civil parish of Eglingham.
In the historic county of Northumberland.
Modern Authority of Northumberland.
1974 county of Northumberland.
Medieval County of Northumberland.

OS Map Grid Reference: NU106194
Latitude 55.46890° Longitude -1.83387°

Eglingham Church of St Maurice has been described as a probable Pele Tower, and also as a Fortified Ecclesiastical site although is doubtful that it was such.

There are major building remains.

This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law*.

Description

Parish church. Fabric of uncertain medieval date in nave, north chapel and chancel; west tower later C13; nave and chancel partly rebuilt c.1650; south wall of nave rebuilt again late C18; vestry dated 1826 on lintel; south transept added, east end rebuilt, and north chapel partly rebuilt c.1837 by J. Green; porch 1865; designed by Archdeacon Coxe; tower parapet and spire rebuilt 1870; east window replaced early C20. Medieval and C17 parts rubble except for tower of large squared stone; C18/19 parts squared stone; Welsh slate roofs and spire. Aisleless nave with west tower, north-west porch, north chapel (Ogle Pew) and south transept; chancel with north vestry.
Nave has two 2-light windows on south, C18 altered c.1837; two C18 lancets and C19 stepped buttress on north. 2 small blocked lancets on west, flanking tower with tall chamfered plinth and set-back below belfry; stepped stair projection on north. West lancet with square-headed window over, high-set lancet on south above blocked loop, paired lancet belfry openings. Parapet and octagonal spire with slate-hung lucarnes and wrought-iron finial cross. Porch has plinth, moulded sill string and linked hoodmoulds. 2-light window on north and boarded door on west under gables. North chapel has C19 2-light window on north and moulded doorway on west; south transept has chamfered plinth, angle buttresses, 4-light south window and 2-light east and west windows. Chancel has priests' door flanked by windows of 3 round-headed lights, all under hoodmoulds; 3-light east window. Vestry has blocked doorway on east and 3-light window on north. Coped gables on moulded kneelers; ring-cross finials.
Interior plastered except for east wall of nave. Chamfered round chancel arch on chamfered imposts is probably a C17 re-use of older material. C19 arches elsewhere. Nave, chapel and transept have collar-beam roofs on moulded corbels; chancel has early C20 boarded barrel ceiling with moulded wall plate on carved corbels. Inside tower, rebated arched cupboard on 1st floor. Blocked lancet on east may be early C13 west window of nave prior to addition of tower.
Old box pews in south transept, 2 with brass nameplates. Pulpit, reading desk and lectern of 1905; carved panels with linenfold and tracery. Carved and moulded octagonal font dated 1663. Cross slab of c.1530 with arms of Henry Ogle, in floor of north chapel. 1808 wall tablet to Rev. Jas. Somerville '24 Years Minister of the Dissenting Congregation of Branton', in south transept; some old ledger stones in chancel, and C19 wall tablets in nave. East window Transfiguration, dated 1908. 2 medieval bells in tower: C13 or early C14 trebf inscribed 'AIRAM EVA', tenor (from Old Bewick) inscribed '+ Antonises minen name ic ben gemacet int iaer MCCCCLXXXIX' (not seen). In porch C12 font bowl from Branton, head of C15 cross slab and C18 headstone. (Listed Building Report)

Comments

Brooke writes the tower is strongly built and suggests it accommodation for a sexton or priest or a retreat for villagers.

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*The listed building may not be the actual medieval building, but a building on the site of, or incorporating fragments of, the described site.

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