94 REPORT OF MEETINGS FOR 1901 



Appendix. 



Notes upon Eckford Church, etc. By the 

 Rev. C. L. McLaren. 



Church. 



There has been a church on or near the present site since 

 the beginning of the thirteenth century at least. 



In the middle of the sixteenth century the church was burned 

 by a party of English raiders, who carried off the bell and 

 hung it in the tower of Carham Church. A variation of 

 this tradition gives Norham Church as the place to which 

 the bell was carried. 



The present building was erected between 1665 and 1668. 

 It has undergone various alterations from time to time, the 

 most recent being in 1898. When the walls were stripped, on 

 the inside a number of rudely sculptured stones were seen, 

 which had evidently been taken from an older building. 



The Marlefield aisle, on the north side of the church, was 

 built by Sir William Bennet, of Marlefield, in the year 1722. 

 It contains, underneath, a vault, and above this a private 

 gallery opening into the church, also two retiring rooms. It 

 has been said that the vault contains the body of Sir William 

 Bennet ; but, when tlie vault was opened three years ago, 

 no traces of interment were found. The larger of the two 

 rooms was used as a luncheon or retiring room between the 

 services. On its walls are a number of texts, Latin quotations, 

 etc. There is a tradition to the effect that Sir William had 

 a secretary, part of whose duty it was to take notes of the 

 sermon and to extend these afterwards in this room. It is 

 said that he painted these texts upon the walls. 



The inscription upon the board outside, which covers the 

 entrance to the vault, is as follows : — 



"Hoc MONUMENTUM SIBI ET SUIS, BENE MERENTIBUS, PONENDUM 



CURAVIT, DOMINUS GuLIELMUS BeNNET EQUE8 AURATU8, 



ANNO 8ALUT1S, 1724." 



