102 Tiic Pre- Reformation Churches of Berwickshire. 



tained whether the hospital, with the chapel and its burying 

 ground, was located in the village, or, as seems more probable, at 

 some distance from it.* 



The parish church of Cockburnspath is a structure unusually 

 narrow for its leugth, the internal dimensions being 80 feet by 

 I H feet 3 inches. There are remains of a base course of early 

 character near the east end ; a buttress with a rude pedimental 

 head, is placed diagonally against each angle of the church ;f 

 and the head of a window of second pointed date has been 

 preserved and embedded in the south wall. This window has 

 been of two foliated round-headed lights, with a quatre-f oiled 

 circle above, and over the whole is a pointed label terminating 

 on each side in a kind of notch head. (Fig. 4.) 



The cui'ious circular tower or belfry, attached to the western 

 end of the church, is apparently of recent — at all events of 

 post-Eeformation— date. It is about 30 feet in height; the 

 internal diameter is 6 feet ; and the walls are 15 inches thick. 

 It contains a uewel stair, and displays in the upper stage a 

 series of apertures of peculiar form, recalling, in some slight 

 degree, the cruciform loop-holes of a much earlier period, and 

 suggestive of its having been intended for, or used as, a 

 watch tower. 



The manor of Aldoambus, now comprised in Cockburnspath 

 parish, was given by King Edgar to the Monks of Durham in 

 1098, and the ancient church of St Helens cannot be much 

 more recent. It has consisted of a chancel, 15^ feet long by 



* The seal of Robert, chaplain of Colbranspeth, is appended to a 

 charter of the gift by Patrick, son of Colnian, of his lands at Aldecambns 

 to St. Mary, St. Cuthbert, and the monks at Coldingham, dated at Ayton, 

 A.D. 125-5. — Raine's N. Durham, App. p. 45, No. 190. The Chapelry and 

 Hospital are mentioned in the Berwickshire Retours, No. 145, Oct. 7, 

 1625, as being in possession of Master James Nicolsone de Cokbrandispeth, 

 and specified as "the Kirklands (still so named) of Auldhamstokis lying 

 in the Maynes and within the vill of Cokbrandispeth, called lie HospiteU," 

 with the corn tiends : value £4 and 20d. Also Nos. 405, 425. The patron- 

 age of the Kirk of Auldhamstokes and of the Chapelry of Cockbnrnspeth 

 jind the Hospital of the same, belonged, Feb. 27, 1634, to Francis Earl of 

 Buccleuch ; and in August 28, 1685, to George Earl of Wintoun. — 

 Retours, Haddington, Nos. 144, 281. J.H. 



t The buttresses at the W. end of the church are of three stages, those 

 at the E. end of two. A curious old sun-dial has been placed on the 

 summit of the S.W. one. 



