The Pre- Reformation Churches of Berwickshire. 165 



the breast. At the back of this recess, above the figure, are 

 rudely sculptured representations of a boar, with three smaller 

 animals of the same species, and the inscription — 



HIC • lACET • ALANVS • SVINTONVS • MILES • DE • EODEM.* 



A vaulted underground coll, immediately in front of the 

 monument, was discovered and opened a number of years ago, 

 and was found to contain some human remains — amongst them 

 a skull of unusual size, whicli was conjectuied to be that of 

 Sir Alan. 



An exhaustive historical account of the parish of Simpkin 

 was contributed by Dr Hardy to the Club's Proceedings for 

 1877. The Church belonged to the Abbey of Kelso ;t but 

 there is reason to believe that the priories of Coldingham and 

 Coldstream also held lands within the boundaries of the parish. 

 After the Reformation the Crown was patron. Thomas Boston, 

 author of " The Fourfold State " and other books of divinity, 

 which were once widely read in Scotland, was minister of 

 Simprin between 1699 and 1707. In 1761 the parish was 

 annexed to Swinton, and the church was thereafter allowed to 

 fall into ruin. It has been a very small building, and has 

 consisted of a nave and chancel of the following dimensions 

 internally : 



Chancel: 22 feet long by 13 feet wide. 

 Nave: 23 feet long by 15 feet 9 inches wide. 



The east gable is still almost entire ; the N. wall of the 

 chancel remains, to the height of about 6 feet ; but all the other 

 portions are nearly level with the ground. The only window 

 now visible is a small round-headed one, in the centre of the east 

 gable, measuring 2 feet 9 inches, by 1 foot 3 inches, bevelled 

 outside, and widely splayed laterally, but flat-headed, within. 

 There seem to have been two doorways, opening into the nave and 

 chancel respectively, through the S. wall ; and one of the stones 

 of the east jamb of the chancel doorway, broadly chamfered on 

 the outer edge, may still be seen. With such vague and 

 imperfect details, it is impossible to pronounce with confidence 

 upon the age of the building, but it can hardly be later than the 

 13th century. The date of the dedication of the church by 

 Bishop Bernham was 25th June 1247. 



* See the description and illustration in " The Swintons of that Ilk." 

 t Liber de Calchou, Nos. 273, 424. 



