The Pre- Reformation Churches of Berwickshire. 99 



hardly have been a consecration cross, these being usually 

 incised, or cut in low-relief. Whatever may have been its 

 original significance or use, it has, no doubt, been placed in its 

 present position at the time of the construction of the doorway 

 just referred to. 



CHANNELKIRK. 



(Childeschirche, Childenchirch, Childenkirk) was one of the 

 churches held by the Abbey of Dryburgh.* It was dedicated 

 to St. Cuthbert, who, if the Irish Life of the Saint may be 

 believed, was left here when a buy "under the care of a 

 certain religious man," while his mother went on a pilgrimage 

 to Home. The story seems to be not altogether destitute of 

 foundation, for in the anonymous Life of St. Cuthbert we are 

 informed that " he was watching over the flocks of his master 

 near the river Leder," when he had a vision which led him 

 to devote himself to a religious life ; and he forthwith became 

 a monk in the monastery of Melrose. The notices of his early 

 life which we find in Bede are also consistent with the statement. 



All we know of the ancient building is that it was a cruciform 

 structure ; that in 1627 its choir was roofless and threatening to 

 fall into ruin ;f that it underwent some alterations in 17U2 ; and 

 that it was finally taken down in 1817 to make room for the 

 present church. About a quarter of a mile to the west is a 

 copious spring called the Well of the Holy Water Cleugh, but 

 no local tradition seems to be attached to it. At Eestlaw, on the 

 western borders of the pai'ish, there were visible, not many years 

 ago, the remains of an old building said to have been used as a 

 resting place by pilgrims on their way to Melrose ; and also a 

 road called the Girth Gate, described in the Old Statistical 

 Account as "a broad green path on which the surrounding 

 heather never grows," which appears to have been one of the 

 main lines of communication between Melrose and Edinburgh. 



Chapels subordinate to the church of Channelkirk existed at 

 Carfrae and Glengelt,:}: but no traces of them are left. Both 

 appear to have been domestic chapels. 



* Liber de Dryburgh, Nos. 6, 8, 40, 41, &c. 



t Account of the State of Certain Parishes in Scotland, published by the 

 Maitland Club. 



I Liber de Dryburgh, Nos. 186, 191. 



