The Pre- Reformation Churches 0/ Beriuickshire. 12o 



mansion house, and the font is preserved in the garden. The 

 latter is a plain circular bowl, 3oJ inches in external diameter, 

 and 10 inches deep, and is perforated at the bottom. 



It is unnecessar}' to do more than mention the ancient Ckoss 

 at Crosshall, in Eccles parish, and refer to the interesting and 

 elaborate account of it contributed by Dr Hardy to the Club's 

 Proceedings for 1883 (pp. 366, 372.) 



EUROM. 



This parish, in early times, appears to have been both populous 

 and well cultivated. Its church, bestowed upon the monks of 

 Coldingham about the beginning of the 12th century by Cos- 

 patrick, Earl of Dunbar, whose gift was subsequently confirmed 

 by Alexander I. and David I., was rated in the ancient taxatio at 

 100 merks, an unusually high assessment for a country church 

 at that period. Subordinate to it were three chapels within the 

 parish, — Kimmerghame, Blackadder and East Nisbet — aud the 

 distant chapel of Ercheldon (Earlston.)"^' The old name Ederham 

 — the hamlet or village on the Eder or Adder — may be still 

 clearly traced in the local pronunciation of its modern equivalent. 



Of the ancient Norman church nothing is left except the fine 

 doorway, now built into a detached burial vault a few yards to 

 the west of the modern edifice. This has evidently formed the 

 main entrance to the earlier structure ; and it is most fortunate 

 that it has been preserved, as it is an extremely rich and 

 beautiful example, exhibiting-, even in its present decayed 

 condition, some of the most striking and characteristic mouldings 

 of the later Norman style. It is composed of three orders; the 

 intermediate one rising from scolloped imposts, whose abaci are 

 continued a short distance along the wall at each side and sup- 

 port the outer order ; and the inner resting on two cylindrical 

 engaged shafts with enriched capitals, which are surmounted by 

 square abaci, chamfered below.f The face and sofiit of the 

 outer order are embellished with a double embattled moulding, 

 round the outside of which is a narrow band of delicately carved 



* Coldingham Charters, Nos. 42, 43, 111, 114, 116, 135, 449, 450, 457, 

 459, 460, 461, 469, 472, 492, 643, Appendix to Raine's North Durham. 



t It may perhaps admit of doubt whether the shafts and capitals on 

 which the arch now rests originally belonged to it. They may have 

 formed part of the ancient chancel arch of the church, of which no other 

 portions hare survived. 



