Rev. S. A. Fyler on the Village of Cornhill. 345 



re-erected, after the early English style, in 1840, by the pre- 

 sent incumbent, at the cost of nearly £600, entirely collected 

 by voluntary subscriptions. 



A suitable chancel was added in 1866, which, with other 

 improvements, cost rather more than £500. It was first 

 opened on the 23rd December of that year, when the Arch- 

 deacon of Lindisfarne (Hamilton), preached. On which 

 occasion also, a handsome new font was presented to the 

 church by the Countess of Home, and beautiful kneeling 

 cushions for the entire length of the communion rails, the 

 north and south end of the altar table, and round the font, 

 were worked by different ladies of the congregation. 



The names of the several clergymen who have officiated 

 here since 1241 are on record; and amongst these, about the 

 middle of the seventeenth century, was the Rev. Henry Er- 

 skine, (a scion of the Mar family,) whose sons were the 

 founders of the Scottish Secession Church. He is said to 

 have received no stipend, and went to London to plead his 

 cause before Charles II., but without success. He left 

 at the passing of the Act of Uniformity in 1662. A monu- 

 ment is erected to his memory at Dryburgh, his native place, 

 near to the burial-place of Sir Walter Scott, Bart. 



A good school-room was erected in 1837, and a master's 

 house in 1860. 



This living was constituted a vicarage by the Ecclesiastical 

 Commissioners, April 26th, 1866. 



Cornhill was anciently held in 'demesne" under the 

 castle of Norham, and was let for £12 a year. 



Bishop Pudsey soon afterwards gave it in exchange for 

 Horncliffe, to the ancestors of William de Cornhall, to which 

 latter person it was confirmed in 1233. 



The descendants of the families of Heron and Swinhoe, 

 possessed it in 1631. 



In 1670, the principal proprietors were John Foster and 

 Wm. Armorer, of the family of Armorer of Belford. The 

 estate of the Fosters afterwards passed, by intermarriage, into 

 the family of Collingwood, while that of the Armorers fell 

 into the hands of the Blakes of Twizel. 



There was a tower or castle at Cornhill from a very early 

 date, for the protection, probably, of the ford, as wellas vil- 

 lage and neighbourhood. It was taken and destroyed in 

 1335, by the Earl of Fife, but rebuilt by the Swinhoes ; and is 

 described in 1542, (Border survey,) as "newe and embattled, 

 covered, and put into good reparicion, by one Gilbert 



