Anniversary Address. 125 



antiquarian piu'snits, give him great interest in this once extensive 

 ecclesiastical foundation. The paper by Dr. Hood on Coldingham 

 Priory, which was read in 1856, must be familiar to most of you. 

 I shall, therefore, content myself by condensing a few remarks 

 upon the Priory from the pen of one, who, alas ! can no longer 

 instruct or amuse us, by his varied stores of information — the late 

 Eev. Dr. Eaine. 



The Priory was founded in 1098 by king Edgar, and dedicated 

 to S.S. Cuthbert, Mary, and Ebba. Its large possessions gave 

 the name of Coldinghamshire to a considerable part of Berwick- 

 shire. Its records commence at an earlier period than those of 

 any other monastery in Scotland of which the charters have been 

 preserved, and supply much new and vakiable information with 

 respect to that kingdom. From the locality of the Priory of 

 Coldingham, and its connection with England, its history is of 

 more importance than that of any other Border monastery. Al- 

 though locally situated within the territory of Scotland, it waa 

 subordinate to an English Church — that of Durham ; which ex- 

 ercised over it an absolute control, and appropriated to its own 

 use a considerable portion of its revenues. The church of Colding- 

 ham was therefore not unnaturally a source of jealousy to Scotland 

 in times of peace, and an object of open attack in time of war. 

 Often did the monks find it necessary to conciliate the protection 

 of their powerful neighbours, the Earls of J)unbar, the Douglases, 

 and the Homes, by beneficial leases, or places of emolument ; and 

 in time of war, were not unfrequently driven from their Priory 

 to await at Holy Island, or Durham, the truce which might send 

 them home to empty garners and a desecrated church. 



In 1485 an Act of the Scottish Parliament annexed the Priory of 

 Coldingham to the Eoyal Chapel of Stirling. In 1544, the 

 Priory was partially burnt and destroyed, in the reign of Henry 

 VIII., on the retreat of the Earl of Hertford, afterwards Duke of 

 Somerset. Its demolition was completed by CromAveU on his iu'- 

 vasion of Scotland in 1648. The inhabitants of the district, who 

 were for the most part Churchmen and Eoyalists, oifered some 

 opposition to the Protector, and defended themselves in a massive 

 square tower, which stood at the north-west corner of the Priory. 

 The tower was shattered by his artillery, and the south wall of the 

 chiu-ch at the same time was blown down with gunpowder. Of 

 the present remains of the Priory of Coldingham, a few words, 

 may be said : they are but a small part of the former edifice. The- 



