STOCKTON WARD 



ELWICK HALL 



survived, but it was probably an addition in the 14th 

 or 15th century. Between 1660 and 1670 the 

 church was restored, perhaps under the direction of 

 Bishop Cosin, who had been rector from 1624 to 

 1660. The chancel was then reconstructed with the 

 old materials, and the chantry demolished, the wall 

 of the north aisle being rebuilt with its masonry. 

 In 1 81 3 the tower was rebuilt of the old material, 

 the old lead roof of the nave and aisles removed, 

 a new slated roof and plaster ceiling were erected, 

 and a window was inserted at the west end. During 

 the incumbency of the Rev. J. Park (1828-71) the 

 uppermost st.ige of the tower was added (about i860), 

 the chancel arch was rebuilt and new windows were 

 inserted in the aisles,-^ and in 1887 the chancel roof 

 was renewed and the nave reseated. The church 

 underwent a complete restoration in 1895, when 

 a new roof was erected over the nave and aisles. 



The chancel is built of squared gritstone blocks 

 and preserves several original features. Along the 

 south side are three portions of a double-chamfered 

 string-course and there is another piece at the east 

 end of the north wall. In the middle of the south 

 wall are the sill and lower part of the jambs of 

 a built-up lancet, but the east window, of three lights 

 with mullions crossing in the head, is modern. 

 On the south side are two 1 7th-century square- 

 headed windows of three rounded lights, the sills of 

 v.'hich are high up in the wall above the remains of 

 the string. The heads are about 5 ft. below the line 

 of the eaves and it is probable the wall has been raised. 

 Below the westernmost of these windows is a built- 

 up opening, possibly a low side window. The 

 north wall is blank except for a doorway to the 

 vestry. The pointed chancel arch, which is said 

 to be a copy of the destroyed arch, is of 

 two chamfered orders springing from half-round 

 responds. The chancel floor is level with that of 

 the nave and all the w.ills are plastered internally. 

 The altar stone formerly in the chancel floor has 

 now been put to its original use. 



The walls of the nave are of rubble masonry with 

 a chamfered plinth and heavy buttresses at the 

 corners of the south aisle. The roof is covered 

 with green slates and is continued at a flatter pitch 

 over the aisles with overhanging eaves. To the east 

 of the tower is a built-up lancet in the south aisle 

 wall and west of the tower are two other lancets, one 

 built-up and the other glazed. The latter is slightly 

 chamfered all round, but has no hood mould. All 

 the other windows are modern and of two lights, 

 except the easternmost in the south wall, which is of 

 three lights. At the west end there are two single- 

 stage buttresses at the ends of the nave walls. 



The north arcade is slightly earlier in date than 

 the other, and consists of four pointed arches of two 

 chamfered orders springing from circular piers and half- 

 round responds, all with moulded capitals and bases. 

 The capitals are circular in the neck and octagonal 

 in the abacus, and are quite plain except in the case 

 of the responds, both of which are carved with 

 incipient foliage. The capital of the west respond 



has also a pellet ornament in the top member. The 

 south arcade consists of four similar arches springing 

 from circular piers and half-round responds, all with 

 moulded capitals and square bases. The piers, being 

 slightly taller and of less diameter than those on the 

 north side,^^ produce necessarily a much lighter effect. 

 Their capitals are all circular except that of the first 

 pier from the west, which is octagonal. A sculptured 

 stone crucifix, formerly over the lancet window to 

 the west of the tower outside, is now preserved inside 

 the church at the west end. 



The tower is of three stages built of rubble masonry. 

 The stages are marked by square string-courses, and 

 the walls terminate in an embattled rubble parapet 

 with stone slates laid on top. The outer doorway 

 has a semicircular arch, above which is a pointed 

 window. In the second stage there are windows on 

 the south, west, and east. A stone over the door- 

 way is inscribed with the names of the rector and 

 churchwardens of 1 8 1 3. 



In the chancel are two sets of 17th-century 

 carved bench ends, eight in all, of similar type to 

 those at Brancepeth, Egglescliffe and other places in 

 the county, but all the other fittings in both chancel 

 and nave are modern. 



The font, of late date with octagonal stone bowl 

 on a tall stem, stands on three octagonal steps. 



The tower contains two bells, one cast by Samuel 

 Smith of York in 1664, inscribed ' Soli Deo Gloria,' 

 and the other by Christopher Hodgson, inscribed 

 'Deo Gloria Christopher Hodgson made 1694 

 S-A-H.' 



The plate consists of a cup and cover paten 

 without d.ite letters, but with the marks of Thomas 

 Mangy of York, inscribed, ' The blood of Jesus 

 Christ cleanseth us from all sin,' and round the 

 bottom 'for elwicke, 1667'; a fl.igon inscribed 

 ' The gift of the Rev"* D"' Richardson to his Church 

 of Elwick Hall,' the marks of which are indistinct ; 

 a cup of 1754 with the maker's mark P-G- above 

 a rose, inscribed, ' Presented to the Altar of Ehvick 

 Hall, Durham, by the Honorable Mr. Justice Park, 

 1829 ' ; and an almsdish and paten of 1785 with the 

 same inscription, but with the maker's mark JA.^* 



The registers begin in 1592. 



The churchyard is entered on the south side 

 through a lych-gate erected in memory of the 

 Rev. J. A. Boddy, rector, 1871-81. 



The advowson belonged down to 

 ADFOJVSON 1859 to the Bishops of Durham. 

 Bishop Lewis Beaumont intended to 

 give the church to the monastery of Durham, but 

 died in 1333 before accomplishing his purpose.-* 

 In 1859 the advowson was transferred to the Bishop 

 of Manchester,-" whose successor now presents. 



Walter de Cumba in 1327 gave by charter all his 

 land in Elwick to Robert Gernet and Anastasia his 

 wife charged with a payment of 6 marks annually 

 to the church of St. Peter of Elwick to maintain a 

 chaplain there to sing for the souls of Walter and 

 other benefactors.-* This chantry is never men- 

 tioned again, unless there is a reference to it in the 



*' A printed statement exhibited in the 

 church says, this was done about i860. 

 Fordyce, however, writing shortly before 

 1857, says tlie windows were introduced 

 • about twelve years ago * (op. cit. ii, 316). 



'* North side 21 in. diam., south side 

 iSJin. 



■' Free. Soc, Antij. Neifcanle, lii,285-7. 

 The York cup is figured on p. 286. 



241 



'• Raine, Hiit. Dunelm, Scrifii. Trit 

 (Surt. Soc), 119. 



" Lond. Caz. 5 Aug. 1859, p. 2998. 

 '^ Surtecs, op. cit. iii, 89. 



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