St Mary’s Church
Origins
Many people have played a part in establishing a church on this ancient site of Kirkhill. There was an unknown evangelising monk, companion of Aidan or Cuthbert. Ranulf was the grandson of William de Merlay, one of William the Conqueror’s officers, whose reward for quelling the rebellious Northumbrians was the Barony and lands of Morpeth. There was a group of monks from Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire where Ranulf had sought shelter in his travels, who at his invitation came north to build Newminster after the Conquest. The stone masons in the employ of the Baron may also have played their part in founding the church. Despite the devastation wrought by Scandinavian, Scottish and Cromwellian vandals and thanks to the faithful restorers of the 14th, 17th and 19th centuries, the present church, dedicated to St Mary the Virgin, stands witness to the gospel which has been proclaimed here for almost 900 years. However recent study has suggested that there may have been Anglo Saxon activity on the same site.
The Exterior
TOWER: Some of the oldest architecture of the church. A buttress of the east end of the south aisle rises to its full height without any stages, then dies away into the wall in a very long setoff; this is a sign of the Transitional Period 1160 – 1190. The north side contains the stairway to the tower. The masonry is probably of two periods, the lower late 12th c., the upper 14th c
PORCH: This was added to the main building probably between 1500 – 1600. On the east wall is a list of Rectors from 1129. There are numerous graffiti monks from ancient days.
A small niche, which may have held a lamp, can be seen in the wall.
PRIESTS DOORWAY: South side of the chancel, a beautiful Early English door of fine workmanship 1200 1272. The deeply undercut string course of the wall runs over the doorway as a hood moulding, giving deep shadows. The fittings, shown here, are of excellent quality.
LYCHGATE This was erected by the Fenwick family of Netherton in 1861.
A line of Yew trees stretches from the Iychgate to the entrance of the church on the south side . They were traditionally thought of as an emblem of immortality. Most ancient burials ore found on the south side of the church because people disliked the shadow of the church on the graves.
The Interior
NAVE The main arcades with pointed arches are late 12th century. The pillars of the south arcade are shorter than the north arcade and there are tracings of mediaeval painting in red and black on some. In the north joint of the chancel arch is a squint or hagioscope, probable for the priest to see the High Altar and coincide with the mass.
NAVE (West) View to the tower area, which is the oldest part of the church in the Transitional Early English style, 1160-1190, with a fine vaulted roof (see picture below). Several masons’ marks are to be found in the church giving a positive link with the builders of Newminster Abbey in 1188.
NAVE VAULTING, looking east, toward the Chancel
TOWER ROOF The exceptionally fine stone vaulting in the tower roof, with Decorated groining.
WOODMAN WINDOWS The south aisle east window has the oldest most important early 14th century glass in the tracery lights, (the upper part of the window). The lower part of the window is a memorial dedicated to his wife by Mr W Woodman in 1870. There is also a fine tomb niche visible in the south wall.
S AISLE E. WINDOW (detail)
Christ in Majesty is holding an orb in his left hand depicting three continents, all that was known to the medieval world. The lower figure inscribed on the left is St Denys of France, protector of cattle, and St Blosius, protector of sheep, is on the right. The Woodman window was restored in December 2000.
JESSE WINDOW
The east window of the chancel is the chief glory of the church, depicting Jesse’s dream. The heodstops supporting the hood moulding of the east window may represent Edward Ill and Queen Philippa, so the dating would be before 1377
JESSE WINDOW (detail)
CHANCEL SEDILIA
To the right of the east window, the sedilia may be 14th and 15th century and show some evidence of Cromwellian vandalism. To the east of the sedilla ore a piscina and the remains of a credence.
CHANCEL STONE CARVINGS
One of the finest carvings in the church, this carved angel, playing a stringed instrument is one of the head stops on the south side of the Chancel.
Detail of one of the stone figures decorating the arches of the sedilia in the Chancel.
Two further figures on the sedilia arches. Note the evidence here of possible damage during the Cromwellian period.
