The Pre- Reformation Churches of Beriulckshire. 93 



lower portion of the N. wall of the church is also ancient, and 

 near the W. end may be seen traces of a blocked semicircular 

 headed doorway. This, according to the writer of the New 

 Statistical Account, communicated with the domestic buildings 

 which stood to the north of the church, between it and the 

 river Whitadder.*' 



In the interior is a recumbent full-length effigy of a prioress, 

 placed within a modern recess in the E. wall. It had been 

 built into the wall of the church, and was discovered and removed 

 to its present position, when some alterations were made on the 

 building a number of years ago. A piscina, with a leaden pipe 

 attached to the basin, is spoken of in the Old Statistical Account 

 as being then in situ, but it has long since disappeared. There 

 is a spring, formerly a holy well, dedicated to St. Bathan, a 

 short distance to the east of the church. 



At Stkafontain (Trefontanis, Trois Fontaines, Three Foun- 

 tains) about a mile to the west of the priory, there was another 

 nunnery and chapel, also a cell of Berwick. It was founded by 

 David I. in 1118. It seems to have been suppressed in the 

 beginning of the 15th century, and in 1450 the lands were given 

 to the Collegiate Church of Dunglass, to which the church, with 

 a hospital attached to it, was annexed as a prebend. f The 

 remains of the church and burying-ground were visible at the 

 close of last century, but had been removed before 1840. 

 Portions of the foundations are, however, still turned up by 

 the plough. 



AY TON. 

 A few yards to the east of the beautiful modern parish church 

 of Ay ton, erected in 1865, stand the ivy-covered remains of its 

 ancient Norman predecessor. By two charters granted between 

 1098 and 1107, for the foundation and endowment of the priory 

 of Coldingham, two '^ mansiones" bearing the name of "Eitun," 

 in the earlier deed, and of "Ay ton" in the later one, were con- 

 ferred, with a number of other possessions in the county, upon the 

 monks of Durham, by Edgar, King of Scots. The precise date 

 of the erection of the church, which was a cell or chapel attached 



* Amou^ the traditions of the district, there is a romantic love story- 

 connected with this doorway, with an elopement and assassination as its 

 denouewertt, but it is outside our subject, 

 t Registrum Mag. Sig. No. 520, anno. 1451. lletours, Berwickshire,No. 16. 



