The Church and Churchyard of Chirnside. 185 



chral monument for some distinguished hero or leader of ancient 

 times. Now, at the period when the name was imposed on this 

 locality, the cairn just alluded to was probably the most conspi- 

 cuous object in the district; andvvhat more natural to suppose than 

 that the first Saxon settlers indicated their village and church as 

 the place by the cairn, and for brevity's sake soon learned to name 

 it Chairn, or Chirnside ? 



We have no means of ascertaining when Chirnside was first 

 settled by our Saxon ancestors, or whether there existed pre- 

 viously in the locality any station, or temple, or place of worship 

 belonging to the aboriginal inhabitants. It is certain that a 

 church and place of defence were erected here at a very early 

 period. The first lords or proprietors of the manor of Chirnside 

 of whom we have any record were the redoubted Earls of Dun- 

 bar. The church and its pertinents were granted by the Scottish 

 king, Edgar, to the Monks of Coldingham. There was then, at 

 that time, a church here ; and probably the western doorway, 

 which still exists, and which we shall have occasion subse- 

 quently to mention, is part of the original structure. The con- 

 stant tradition of the village is, that this portion of the church 

 is as old as the Saxon Heptarchy. 



In ancient times the Earls of Dunbar possessed here a strong- 

 hold, which was situated a few hundred yards south-west of the 

 church. The spot on which this castrum stood is still called 

 "Harbour or Herber Knowes" ; and a fine spring of water, a 

 little to the north, is pointed out as being the source whence 

 was derived a supply to fill the deep fosse, ditch, or moat which 

 surrounded the walls. The demolition of this " old strength " 

 was not so long ago, says the Old Statistical Account/written in 

 1794, " nor so entire, but that the late beadle of Chirnside, and 

 other old people, had seen its ruins, and its grooved stones carried 

 off by the masons." 



The manor of Chirnside was held by the above earls during 

 the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. When Earl Patrick, the 

 eighth of Dunbar, deserted the English interest, Edward III. 

 granted a charter of the manors of Chirnside and Dunse, with 

 the advowson of their churches, to his faithful adherent and 

 soldier Thomas de Bradestan, in reward for his many efficient 

 services. This deed is dated at Perth, and was confirmed at 

 Berwick, October 5, 1336, three years after the disastrous battle 

 of Halidon Hill. It is not known for how long Bradestan and 

 his heirs possessed the manor of Chirnside*. Bradestan was 



* It is probable that the Earls of Dunbar enjoyed again for some time 

 the lands of Chirnside, with their other possessions, before their forfeiture 

 in UdA. 



