St Mary the Virgin, Whickham

Transcription

1 St Mary the Virgin, Whickham Whickham parish church stands on the summit of an east-west ridge at the centre of the old village, now on the fringe of the Tyneside conurbation; to the south is the main street whilst to the north the valley side falls steadily towards the Tyne. The church consists of a four-bay aisled nave with an additional outer north aisle, west tower, south porch, and a chancel (which deflects markedly to the south) that has an organ chamber and vestry to the north. Architectural Description The Exterior The square West Tower is constructed of large squared sandstone blocks, and rises unbroken above a double chamfered plinth. There are diagonal buttresses at the eastern angles, and additional buttresses midway along north and south walls, all extending to about one third of the overall height; these buttresses are only intermittently keyed in with the fabric behind, and may be secondary. In addition there is a further buttress-like projection in the re-entrant angle between tower and south aisle, constructed of smaller squared stone (its upper parts renewed in the 19th century); this probably represent the south-west angle of the original aisleless nave; above it, just above the coping of the west end of the south aisle, is a large partly cut-back block that looks to be part of the coping of an early west gable of the nave, pre-dating the construction of the tower. The mid-19th century west window has a two-centred arched head, and three trefoil-headed lights with three quatrefoils above, under a hoodmould with turned-back ends, and an outer relieving arch of roughly-squared blocks. At the level of the Ringing Chamber there is a clock face on the south, in a 19th-century ashlar surround; below it the lower part of a small blocked loop is visible. On the west is a squareheaded loop with a chamfered surround, but all its dressings are 19th century; on the north is a similar window that seems genuinely medieval. Access to the tower is by a mid-19th century stair turret set in the angle of tower and north aisle, with a canted angle to the north-west; it rises only to the Ringing Chamber. Entry is by a shoulder-arched doorway, with a set-back above, and a square-headed loop above that; at the top of the turret are three trefoil lights, below the pent stone roof. The belfry has an opening in each wall of two shoulder-headed lights; that on the east is set a little higher than the others, to clear the ridge of the nave roof. There is a projecting block, apparently a drain spout, below and to the left of the southern belfry opening. The embattled parapet is carried on a chamfered oversailing course, broken by projecting stone spouts on west (two) and north; the upper parts of the parapet are of closer-jointed stone than the wall below, indicating a later rebuild. The only external walling of the Nave is at clerestory level, and this all looks to be of mid-19th century date; the walling is of squared sandstone blocks. There are four clerestory windows, each of two round-headed lights, with a narrow chamfer; above them is a string course that looks to be of cement, and a moulded coping. The east gable is capped by a wheel-cross finial. 1

2 The west wall of the South Aisle is largely of coursed roughly-squared stone, although there is smaller more rubbly stonework in the lower parts of the northern half of the wall, probably indicating the remains of the west wall of the first aisle before a later medieval widening; there is no plinth. The two-light west window is of two trefoil-headed lights with a large quatrefoil over; otherwise its detail is similar to that of the tower west window; directly below the window an area of disturbed masonry extends down to ground level, possibly indicating the infill of a former door position. The parapet steps down from north to south, concealing the gabled roof of the aisle behind; it is partly old, and has a chamfered oversailing course at its base, and a more recent moulded coping. The south wall of the aisle is of four bays with the porch projecting from the second. The stonework is all well-squared blocks, with none of the smaller fabric seen in parts of the end walls; there is no plinth. The parapet is largely old, and has an oversailing chamfered course at its base, and a moulded coping. The three windows are of the usual mid-19th century character; that in the easternmost bay is of four lights, with tracery including three large quatrefoiled circles, whilst the other two are of two-lights with a quatrefoil over. The dressings of the jambs of the window in the westernmost bay differ from those of the others in including larger blocks with a different type of tooling. The only evidences of earlier fenestration ae seen in the western bay, where on the west side of the present 19th-century window there appear to be remains of the east jamb, and one corner of the sill, of a smaller predecessor; there is also a second L-shaped stone which may represent one corner of a square head, but this is slightly out of line with the jamb below (although it might have been displaced). This may be the low-side window referred to by Hodgson (1902, ) as being in the south aisle. In the same bay, 0.34 m west of the porch, is a partial straight joint, and one roughly projecting block of stone, which appear to indicate the cut-back return of the west wall of an earlier porch. There are old stepped buttresses set diagonally at the angles of the aisle, and between the eastern bays. The east wall of the aisle has a window of four trefoiled lights with tracery including three large quatrefoiled circles. There is a disturbance in the stonework below the window, with to the north of it some more of the smaller and rubblier stonework seen at the west end of the aisle, and similar to that forming the south wall of the chancel. The parapet, in part old, steps down from north to south. In the angle between aisle and chancel is a buttress-like projection (as at the west end of the aisle); its visible stonework seems all restoration, except for the narrow chamfered plinth at its foot. The South Porch is built of coursed roughly-squared stone with tooled-and-margined dressings; there is a chamfered plinth. The outer archway is pointed and of two orders, a moulded inner and a chamfered outer; the coped gable has shaped kneelers, and a cross finial; in the gable is a sundial dated 1654'. There is a small shoulder-arched window in the west wall. The external walls of the two North Aisles look entirely 19th century except for a little older masonry low down in the west end of the inner aisle, along with a couple of the blocks of its chamfered plinth. Otherwise the fabric is of snecked stone, roughly tooled, with tooled ashlar dressings. In the west end of the inner aisle is a window of three stepped trefoil-headed lights with two small pierced circles and a trefoil above; there is a moulded coping stepping down from south to north, then a stepped buttress between inner and outer aisles. The outer aisle has the external appearance of a series of transverse chapels (and is perhaps modelled on medieval examples such as the outer south aisle at Scarborough), with four adjacent gables facing north. In 2

3 its west wall is a window of two trefoil-headed lights; on the north each gable contains a window of two trefoil-headed lights with a quatrefoil over; the gables over have shaped kneelers, with very large gargoyles (now superseded as drain spouts) draining the valleys between them. The south wall of the Chancel is of small rough-coursed stone, with a few courses of large bettersquared stone low down (possibly re-used?). There is a chamfered plinth that looks as if it might be a 19th-century insertion. Near the centre of the wall is a round-arched priest s door, with a chamfer, stopped on the bottom stone of each jamb, and a hoodmould chamfered above and below. Its blocks do not fit in well with the walling, which would tally with Bourn's statement (1893, 3) that it was moved in 1862 from the north wall of the chancel, where it had served as vestry door. To the west of the door are two 19th-century round-headed lights; an obvious patch in the walling below suggests that they are set within the blocking of an older opening; there is also a possible disturbed area (although hardly the 'evident traces' cited by Bourn, 4) low down at the west end of the wall which might point to the former existence of a low-side window (although it should be noted that Hodgson (1902, ) stated that, prior to the restoration, the church had a low side window towards the west end of the south aisle). To the east of the priests' door are signs of another blocked window, with a third round-headed light set within its blocking. At the head of the wall is a corbel table, Romanesque in style, but apparently entirely of mid-19th century date. The eastern angles of the chancel have clasping buttresses, and there is a short pilaster buttress in the centre of the east wall; these all look 19th-century in their present form, although the fabric of the lower part of the east wall itself (of rather larger and better-squared stones than the south wall) may be old. All the features of the upper part of the wall look to be of mid-19th century date; there is a string-course chamfered above and below, and above this three round-arched lights of equal height, with shafted jambs and moulded arches, with a wheel window in the gable; the gable has shaped kneelers, a coping and a wheel-cross finial. Only a short section of the north wall of the chancel is exposed externally, to the east of the Organ Chamber; this has another round-headed light like the three in the south wall, and a corbel table of the same type. The Organ Chamber and Vestry on the north of the chancel form in effect inner and outer aisles, both roofed parallel to the main body of the church. On the north of the vestry is a pointed doorway of a single wave-moulded doorway, with to its east a stair descending to the boiler room, and then a shallow projection, a truncated chimney stack. The vestry has an eastern gable with a window of three trefoil-arched lights with a circle over, and in the adjacent and taller gable of the Organ Chamber a window of three stepped trefoil-headed lights with trefoiled piercings over the outer lights. A low flat-topped extension of 1981, built out in front of the east end of the Organ Chamber and overlapping the Vestry, contains toilets; it has a chamfered plinth and a moulded parapet; in the north wall is a small window with a slightly-segmental arched head, and a chamfered surround (possibly re-used?), and in the centre of the east wall, a broken quatrefoil panel, in white marble, with a foliate cross; this is almost certainly part of a 19th-century headstone. The Interior 3

4 The interior of the church is plastered and whitewashed, except for exposed dressings. The Tower opens to the nave by a pointed arch, with a continuous chamfer, which is simply the front face of the plain vault, of squared roughly-tooled stone, which roofs its lower stage; there is no internal access to the stair turret. The rear arch of the west window is formed by the vault, but its internal jambs stand clear of the side walls; they may be older than its internal sill, which is clearly 19th-century work. Above the tower arch, but off-set slightly to the south, is a shoulderheaded doorway. The upper stages of the tower are reached by the mid-19th century external stair on the north; this opens to the ringing chamber by a doorway with flattened triangular head, with a continuous chamfer. The north window of the ruining chamber has a slightly splayed splay; that of the west window (renewed externally) is rather different, the loop itself being set at the back of a wider recess of shoulder-headed section; the rear arch of the high-level doorway in the opposite wall is of the same shape. A series of heavy corbels carry the renewed timbers of the belfry floor; there are three on the north, one in the centre of both east and west walls, and at least two on the south (where a central corbel may be concealed by the clock housing). A modern ladder gives access to the belfry; the belfry openings have shouldered rear arches. The roof timbers of the belfry appear relatively recent. The Nave arcades are of four bays, with semicircular arches having a single narrow chamfer, and circular piers. The south arcade is late-12th century work; the chamfer has broach stops just above the capitals. The piers have moulded capitals with stylised leaves projecting at each corner, below a shallow square abacus, and a hollow-chamfered section to the bell; the central one has a line of nail-head moulding. The simply-moulded bases stand on raised square plinths. The responds are simply blocks of wall with slightly chamfered angles; that at the east end has a line of nail-head in the impost. The north arcade looks like a 19th-century copy of the south; the columns are made up of large cylindrical blocks, of tooled ashlar; the capitals are based on those of the south, although the leaves at the corners are more elaborate, and the responds are halfcolumns. The bases are simply double-chamfered rather than moulded; it is not clear how variations like this reflect their predecessors? The clerestory windows are more elaborate inside than out; the lights are enclosed beneath moulded semicircular arches, the individual lights having moulded arches, with a column with a cushion capital between. Shaped and moulded corbels carry the trusses of the four-bay roof, which has arch-braced trusses. In the south aisle, the south doorway has a pointed arch of two quite narrow chamfered orders under a chamfered hood that has its terminals broken away. The rear arch of the doorway is of shallow segmental-pointed form, with a chamfered head. The rear arches of the five windows in the aisle (and those in the north aisles) all show variants on the same form, with chamfers to the head but not the jambs; all their stonework looks 19th-century (or at least, heavily re-tooled at this period). The aisle its own pitched roof, with arch-braced trusses (of a shallower pitch to that of the nave), again resting on shaped and moulded corbels. The inner north aisle currently has a flat roof, but retains the corbels that supported its 19thcentury trusses. The window at its west end has a segmental-pointed rear arch. The arcade between the two north aisles is of four bays, with circular piers, quite large and overhanging 4

5 square capitals, and pointed arches of two chamfered orders; the responds are half-piers of the same type. The bases resemble those of the inner north arcade. At the east end of the inner aisle is the arch to the Organ Chamber, again of two-centred form and of two chamfered orders, the outer continuous to the ground, the other carried on shafted corbels with foliage at their bases. The east wall of the outer aisle has a pair of windows, each of two trefoil-arched lights with a shaft between, and a quatrefoil over, opening into a north-south passage between aisle and vestry; to the south of the windows is a doorway with a wave-moulded surround, and an inner moulded order to the head. The passage beyond has a doorway into the Organ Chamber, and on its east a simple two-centred doorway with a continuous chamfer, giving access to the vestry. The transverse roofs of the outer aisle are supported on a series of plates, carried by wall-posts rising from shaped and moulded corbels, with shaped and carved braces between posts and plate; each individual roof has scissor-braced rafters, which against the end walls are additionally supported by ashlar pieces. The Chancel opens to the nave by a round-headed chancel arch, of two orders, almost square but with very narrow chamfers to the angle. The responds each have semicircular shafts with scalloped capitals; the northern is the more elaborate with a 'demi-rosette decoration' (Pevsner & Williamson 1983, 501) or 'sort of polypetallous flower' (Longstaffe 1863, 64). Both have been considerably repaired, having been cut about to take a screen. The bases look 19th century; that on the north resembles those of the north arcade; the southern base is rather different, but is now incorporated into the pulpit. The individual voussoirs of the arch are of interest; some appear to be cut to a curve of rather smaller radius than the present arch, whilst others conform to it. On the north of the chancel is a mid-19th century two-bay Romanesque arcade opening to the Organ Chamber; this has semicircular arches of two orders, with roll mouldings to their angles, a circular pier with a large overhanging scalloped capital, and responds of similar form. The singlelight windows (three on the south and one on the north) have roll-moulded rear arches; the priests door has a slightly segmental head with a continuous chamfer, whitewashed over. The east windows, above the reredos, have roll-moulded rear arches. There is an aumbry, apparently an old feature but with a 20th-century wood lining, beneath the window at the east end of the north wall. The chancel roof is of common rafter form; each pair of rafters has a collar, with short struts beneath. The north wall of the Organ Chamber has a doorway at its west end (into the passage already mentioned) which has a shallow segmental-pointed head, with a continuous chamfer, and further east a much broader arch of the same form, opening to the vestry but now closed by a boarded partition. Inside the vestry cupboards on the north wall hide any evidence of the fireplace suggested by the external stack. The east window has a segmental-pointed rear arch of the usual type, but for once the chamfer is continued down the jambs. The roof has common rafters with collars set low, and ashlar pieces. Fittings and Furnishings The Font stands in the base of the tower, and is of Frosterley Marble ; it has a plain circular 5

6 bowl and a broad circular shaft standing on an octagonal base with a chamfered upper angle. The octagonal step on which it stands looks to be 19th century, but the font itself is probably of later 12th or 13th century date. The majority of the Furnishings and Fittings of the church are of later 19th-century date, including the elaborate reredos by Westmacott. The sanctuary steps and the elaborate Gothic altar rails are of coloured marble. There has been some 20th-century re-ordering including the introduction of an altar at the east end of the nave. The Romanesque stone pulpit was installed to commemorate Charles Edward Little, rector At the west end of the inner north aisle are various brass wall plates; one commemorates the restoration, stating that the works cost a total of 2875 and that the church was re-opened on December 12th 1862; the names of the restoration committee are given, and of Anthony Salvin, the architect. An adjacent plate commemorates the 1985 restoration of the belfry. The Stained Glass is all of 19th and 20th century dates; of c.1862 two windows by H.M.Barnett and one by Wailes; the second window from the west in the outer north aisle is of 1936, by Morris & Co. (Pevsner & Williamson, 502) The Bells were recently (1985) re-cast ands re-hung in a new steel frame, with the exception of one old one, dated '1775', now hung on a beam against the west wall. One truss of the old Bell Frames has been preserved and set against the east wall of the belfry; it would appear to have been a long-headed frame with end posts and pairs of intersecting curved braces between the upper parts of the posts and the sill. A letter dated from Ranald W M Clouston to Ian Curry (architect) suggests that this frame was of c 1500 (DAC records).. Sepulchral Monuments The only medieval monuments in the church are two broken cross slab grave covers set into the internal face of the west wall of the south porch (Ryder 1985, 118 & pl.53); both are of early-mid 13th century date, and one has fragmentary remains of an inscription. The only floor slab noted was one in the centre of the chancel, presumably covering a vault; it bears an inscription commemorating Henry Grainger of Sunnyside (d.1720) and later members of the same family; the style of the lettering suggesting a 19th-century date for the slab. There are several wall monuments of 18th and 19th century dates. The oldest is a marble tablet on the north wall of the chancel to the former rector Robert Tomlinson, d.1747; on the opposite wall are tablets to John Carr of Dunstan Hill d.1817, and to late 18th and early 19th century members of the Williamson family. In the south aisle are tablets to John Taylor, d.1822 (east end), Jacob and Martha Clavering of Axwell (late 18th century; tablet signed by Joplin) and Hannah eldest daughter of Henry Ellison d.1816 (south wall) and various late 19th and 20th century members of the Carr-Ellison family (west wall). Carved Stones Rather unusually for a medieval church, St Mary's does not appear to possess any collection of lapidary material whatsoever (other than the two cross slabs in the porch); one would expect a church which underwent a partial rebuilding to have produced some material. A large, and 6

7 currently rather vegetated, rockery in the Rectory garden ought to be investigated; there are at least a few architectural fragments here The first recorded rector, Alan. Historical Notes c 1220 The earliest reference to a church at 'Quickham' 1703 The south porch was destroyed in the Great Storm The earliest antiquarian account of the church, by the Durham historian Hutchinson (Vol.11, 1823 edition, 565); The church of Wickham shews much antiquity in its architecture, and very little beauty: There are two side ailes, separated from the center by three short round pillars, the capitals of the columns square, with a rose or knot at the corners; the whole nave ill lighted, and the west end crowded with galleries, thrown into four angles; the pulpit is in the center, and faces the south. The chancel is divided from the nave by stalls, has lately been repaired and sashed Surtees account (1820, 240) adds a little additional information; the roof of the chancel was covered by a plain ceiling, there was a small north door under a pointed arch, the lights of the south aisle were pointed,. and in the north aisle were two modern pointed windows under old square labels. Some grotesque heads could be traced on the old stone spouts Mackenzie and Ross (1834, 163) virtually repeat Surtees description, but note that the stone spouts were formerly ornamented with grotesque heads On November 14 there was a serious fire that 'nearly destroyed' the church; resulting from over-heating of the stove flues; about 80 pews were destroyed. (Bourn 1893, 6) The major restoration; Longstaffe (1863, ) gives a reasonable description of the church just prior to these works (see Structural History section). One discovery during these works is recorded, in a frustratingly terse manner, simply as the tower revealed a cavity containing small bones (Proc.Soc.Ants. Newcastle II, , 187) Faculties and other records of Structural Work Only faculties pertaining to works which affect the structure of the building are included; those relating to features such as stained glass windows and portable furnishings are not listed. Faculty/date Works 7

8 1711 Erection of gallery (Longstaffe 1863, 65) 1712 Dr Tomlinson 'wainscoted and ornamented the chancel' (Bourn, 1893, 3) 1819 Restoration of the church by John Dobson, the Newcastle architect (Pevsner & Williamson 1983, 501) Enlargement and restoration of church. (the faculty papers are in poor condition and could not be consulted, although the associated drawings (on linen) were seen Placing new clock and 3 new bells in tower. 389/ To move reading desk and pulpit, and reconstruct chancel seats. 425/ New organ, and alter seating accommodation Introduction of stone pulpit Recasting of bells Extension of heating system Lining of aumbry with oak Repair of organ Renewal of electric, internal decoration and repairs Installation of oil-fired central heating Restoration of the fabric and renewal of roof gullies Repairs to bells and bell frame Alterations and improvements Laying of paving stones and installation of heating General repairs and redecoration, etc Repairs to stonework Toilet extension to east of Organ Chamber, by Community Industry labour, using stone from St Mary's Church, Tyne Dock. 8

9 Additional bells, alterations, relaying of churchyard path etc. These works included the installation of a new steel bell frame by Community Industry of Hebburn (1990 QQ) Installation of safe etc Removal of trees and planting of replacements Restoration of pews and choir stalls Re-lighting the church Removal of pews and screen from area west of organ Harry Clasper monument in churchyard restored; columns and baldacchino dismantled and repaired. The Norman Church, c.1150 The Structural History of the Church There is no direct evidence for a Pre-Conquest church at Whickham, although the possibility cannot be ruled out; the majority of the parish churches in the county were established before The oldest fabric in the present church appears to be, as often, at the angles of the nave, and may be dated by the chancel arch (the earliest surviving architectural feature) to the mid- 12th century; its rather distorted shape presumably led Pevsner & Williamson (1983, 501) to the suggestion that it had been rebuilt. Projecting buttress-like features in the re-entrant angles at each end of the south aisle probably represents the southern corners of the original nave; the eastern has been largely refaced but retains a narrow plinth that would tally with a mid-12th century date; the western has no plinth, but quite small well-squared masonry which could again be of the same period. The thickness of the wall (measured at the arcade responds) is c 0.72 m, which is a little thin for typical Norman work, but it is not clear whether this is the full thickness of the wall, or simply of a rebuilt section containing the arcade; the external faces of the projections which are here taken as representing the angles of the early nave are set somewhat outside the line of the arcade, and may indicate clasping buttresses rather than the line of the south wall itself. c 1200: Addition of Aisles and Rebuilding of Chancel Four-bay aisles were added to the nave towards the end of the 12th century, in the style often termed the Transitional (ie between Romanesque and Gothic). Only the south arcade survives, the northern having been completely rebuilt in ; Longstaffe (1863, 64) describes it as similar to the south, although its capitals were 'plainer and without the corner ornaments'; they had been much mutilated. The original aisles would appear to have only been about half the 9

10 width of their successors, to judge from the apparently earlier masonry visible in the end walls of the south aisle. The early fabric in the south aisle is very similar to that of the chancel, the general proportions of which, together with the clasping buttresses at the east end (if correctly restored) would suggest a date around 1200 (cf Aycliffe). Further evidence of the chancel having been rebuilt is seen in the chancel arch; whilst the details of its jambs appear c 1150, its arch would appear to have been reconstructed and widened (to judge from the varying curves of its voussoirs) implying that the jambs have been re-set. One would have expected a mid-12th century church to have a shorter and narrower chancel than at present; the arch as it stands now spans the full width of the present chancel. The chancel plinth (if its form can be trusted; it is now largely 19th-century restoration ) is of markedly different section to the narrower plinth seen on the buttress-like feature which is here interpreted as the south-east angle (or angle buttress) of the original nave. The only c1200 architectural feature to survive in the chancel is the priests door, which is recorded as having been moved from the north to south walls. The faculty plan shows the only doorway on the north as giving access to the vestry, and having its rebate on the south face of the wall (ie as a doorway from chancel to vestry, rather than a utilisation of a formerly external doorway ). Unless the doorway had been turned round, this implies that the c1200 chancel had a sacristy or vestry in this position.. The 13th Century; Addition of West Tower The west tower is generally taken as an addition of the 13th century date, on the strength of the form of its belfry openings (and high-level doorway), all of which have simple straight-headed shouldered arches, with simple shouldered straight-headed lights. The Early 14th Century: Alterations to the Tower Although usually ascribed to the 13th century, Hamilton Thompson (1922, 284) thought that the tower might be of 14th or 15th century date, on the strength of the form of its vault. Whilst this is a possibility (the shoulder-arched openings can occur in later contexts) it would seem more likely that the vault is an insertion. This is suggested by the fact that the tower buttresses all seem secondary (probably necessitated to counter the thrust of the vault), the slight but obvious discrepancy in alignment between the high-level doorway and the arch of the vault beneath, and perhaps also the rather clumsy way in which the vault seems to truncate the rear arch of the west window. It is not inconceivable that the insertion of the vault may have been prompted by considerations of defensibility; after its insertion, the only access to the upper floors of the tower would seem to have been by a long ladder from the nave, via the high-level doorway. The historical context within which such considerations would seem to have been most likely is the earlier 14th century, when there were several Scottish incursions into this area. The Later 14th/15th Centuries; Enlargement of the Aisles. As in the case of many local churches, the original aisles were very narrow. The need for increased accommodation later in the medieval period, and in particular the practise of founding 10

11 chantry chapels, resulted in their being rebuilt at almost double their original width. This clearly happened at Whickham, although little evidence survives of exactly when this happened. In the south aisle the change to larger squared stone (south wall and south ends of both east and west walls) is very clear, but the only surviving architectural feature, and then one not very closely dateable, is the south door. The larger windows in the eastern bay, although totally 19th-century in their present form, may well reflect the form of the medieval openings which, at one or two removes, they replace, and may have lit a chantry or Lady Chapel. Little is known of the north aisle, but Surtees comment (1820, 240) that there were old square labels above its windows, and Longstaffe s note (1865, 63) that the north wall was remodelled or rebuilt in the Perpendicular period suggests that reconstruction took place in the later 14th or 15th century. The plan accompanying the faculty shows that, as on the south, the east window and easternmost window in the side wall are wider than the others. It is difficult to say much about the fragment of medieval walling that seems to survive at the west end of the aisle, except that, unlike the south aisle, it has a plinth, possibly pointing to the aisles having been rebuilt at different dates. The Post-Medieval Centuries Although little evidence of any later or post-medieval work survives in the present fabric, it is clear that Whickham church underwent the types of change typical of the period. Interiors became cluttered with box pews, and, in the 18th and early 19th centuries, accommodation was increased by the insertion of galleries; as tracery decayed it was cut out, and windows converted into sashes. As often, the only direct evidence surviving of such features is in antiquarian accounts and the at present. At Whickham there were sash windows of varying forms; in windows where pointed arches were retained these had intersecting glazing bars in their heads, although in the south wall of the chancel there was a plain square-headed sash of domestic character; the windows in the west walls of the tower and aisles are shown as having relieving arches over (as they still do). This is not a common medieval feature, and may point to earlier 19th-century works, possibly by Dobson during his 1819 works. Galleries had been inserted in the nave, with access by stairs at the west end of each aisle, and beneath the tower. A pre-restoration photograph (kept in the church) shows the south side of the clerestory as having only two windows, with odd almost triangular heads; they were probably post-medieval, and may simply have been constructed to light the inserted galleries. Prior to the works there was a substantial vestry on the north side of the chancel, standing clear of the east end of the north aisle. There was a diagonally-set fireplace in its north-west corner, and a large sash window in both north and east walls. Nothing is known of its date; it may well have been a post-medieval remodelling of the smaller medieval vestry or sacristy. The Restoration Salvin's restoration was fairly drastic, even by the usual Victorian standards. The building was returned, by fairly ruthless means, to a rather idealised medieval form. Whilst two principal building periods (Romanesque and Gothic) were acknowledged by the new works, improvement and aggrandisement were the rule; the c 1200 north arcade was reproduced in general form, but ended up as more elaborate than its genuine counterpart on the south, whereas the original had been plained. The general external impression is of a thoroughly-victorianised building, with heavy Geometrical-style tracery, typical of the 1860s, introduced in most of the windows. 11

12 Although it has been stated (Pevsner & Williamson, 502) that Salvin re-erected two 13th-century two-light windows at the east end of the outer north aisle, there is nothing about the two windows currently in this position to suggest anything other than mid-victorian work. The Churchyard The older part of the churchyard is rectangular in plan, and elongate north-south, with the church set towards its south end; the northern part of this section, up to c 36 m north of the church, is an extension of 1787; further extensions were made in 1812 and 1855 when the 'New Ground', probably the wider far northern section, was consecrated by the Bishop of Manchester (Bourn 1893, 18). The oldest part of the graveyard, to the south of the church, is still thickly packed, with many 18th-century headstones and table tombs, some partly collapsed; some recumbent slabs of 17thcentury date survive, including one of 1628, now eroding, set as a bridge over the perimeter drain, in front of the priest's door. Two further 17th century slabs re-used in the paving on the north of the tower, dated 1667 and 1669, commemorate George and Abia Hodgson, Quakers, who were originally buried in a field at the west end of the village, and removed to the churchyard in 1784., C17. To the north of the church the ground falls away quite steeply, and there is no open drain; about 3 m from the church is a short steep scarp, of uncertain significance. There are further 18thcentury headstones and table tombs to the north-east of the church; further away the monuments are mainly of 19th century date, including the well-known memorial to Henry (Harry) Clasper, oarsman and boat builder of Derwenthaugh, d. 1870; it has a carving of a standing figure beneath baldachino with crocketed arches and spire. North of the Clasper monument an east-west tarmac divides the older churchyard from a wider northern section which has 19th and 20th century monuments, many now vandalised. Archaeological Assessment The floors of the church are entirely of 19th and 20th century dates, and there are abundant evidences of an underfloor heating system. This means that internal archaeological deposits will have been considerably disturbed, both by the extensive 19th-century works, and by earlier burials; there are clearly a number of family vaults beneath chancel and south aisle. However, this does not mean that all stratigraphy and earlier structural remains will have been destroyed, and it might be expected that some sub-floor evidences survive of the side walls of the early nave, and of the first narrow aisle (or aisles), as well as of the putative mid-12th century chancel. Any works which disturb sub-floor deposits merit an archaeological watching brief. Turning to the standing fabric, the present plaster certainly conceals features of structural interest in the surviving medieval walls; whether pre-19th century plaster layers survive is less clear - with the extent of the 19th-century works (and in particular the serious fire in 1841) these may well have been destroyed. Longstaffe (1863, 64) refers to indications of 'rude marbled colouring' on the pillars of the former north arcade. However, any large-scale removal of plaster in these parts of the church should only be carried out under archaeological supervision, and should be 12

13 preceded by the investigation of a small trial area; if substantial areas of medieval fabric are exposed these should be properly recorded before replastering. Outside the building, a perimeter drain on the south, which in places (notably around the tower) exposes rough footings, clearly cuts down below the original ground level. This will have destroyed stratigraphy adjacent to the church wall; on the north, around the 19th-century extensions, the natural slope of the ground obviates the need for such a channel. The graveyard monuments pose something of a problem; this is a relatively undisturbed churchyard, with monuments dating back to the early 17th century, and itself provides a valuable historical resource. Some recording has already been carried out; the extent and nature of this should be assessed. It may be appropriate to record stones of especial interest which might be adjudged to be under some threat (such as that which forms the 'bridge' to the chancel door) by means of measured drawings, and photography using oblique lighting. Proposed Extensions The proposed remodelling and extension of the vestry area will involve some sub-floor disturbance of the site of the pre-1862 vestry, which may have been partly medieval; an archaeological watching brief will be essential here, to record any structural remains of the structure and its predecessors. Outside the church, it appears that the propsoed extsnsion will only affect one monument, which stands immediately to the east of the vestry. This is an early 19th century headstone, somewhat unusually inscribed on both faces. It is quite badly weathered. It is intended to re-locate this headstone nearby; although it is of no especial importance, it merits being properly recorded by being photographed (using oblique lighting), prior to removal. Peter F Ryder June 1997 Sources Bourn, William (1893) Whickham Parish: its History, Antiquities and Industries. Wordsworth Press, Carlisle. Boyle, J.R. (1892) Comprehensive Guide to the County of Durham, Fordyce, W (1857) The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham. II, 689 Hamilton Thompson, A. (1922). Whickham Church in Proc.Soc.Ant. Newcastle 3rd 13

14 series X, Hodgkin, J.,E. (1913) Hodgson, J.F. (1902) Durham (Little Guide Series). London, Methuen & Co., 265 (this makes the unusual mistake of describing the church twice, as above and under Swalwell on p.253!) On Low Side Windows. Archaeologia Aeliana XXIII Hutchinson, W (1823) History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham II, 565 Longstaffe, W.H.D. (1865) Whickham Church, Archaeologia Aeliana, 2nd series, VI, Mackenzie & Ross (1834) History of the County of Durham, vol.i, 163 Pevsner, N & Williamson E, (1983) County Durham (Buildings of England series, Penguin), 84 Ryder, P.F.(1985) The Medieval Cross Slab Grave Cover in County Durham. Architect. & Archaeol. Soc. of Durham & Northumberland Research report no.1. Surtees, H.C. (1820) History of Durham Vol.II, 240 Durham Diocesan Records (D.D.R), faculty papers

15 St Mary the Virgin, Whickham Archaeological Assessment June 1997 Contents Architectural Description Exterior 1-3 Interior 4-5 Fittings & Furnishings 5 Sepulchral Monuments 6 Carved Stones 6 Historical Notes 7 Faculties and other records of Structural Work 8-9 The Structural History of the Church 9-12 The Churchyard 12 Archaeological Assessment Sources 14 Provisional Phased Plan (based on survey by HLB Architects) at end Peter F Ryder 1 Ford Terrace Broomhauigh RIDING MILL Northumberland NE44 6EJ 15

16 St Mary the Virgin, Whickham Archaeological Assessment June 1997 Peter F Ryder Historic Buildings Consultant 16

17 1. The tower from the SW 2. W end of S aisle 3. General S view 4.SE view 5. S side of chancel 6. E end of chancel, lookng SW 7. Toilet block to E of vestry, N wall chancel beyond 8. General NE view, vestry & N aisle 9. N wall of N aisle 10. W end N aisle and N side tower 11. Interior looking E 12. Chancel looking NE 13. Nave, looking N from S aisle. 14. Nave, looking W 15. Outer N aisle, looking E. 16. Capital of central pier of S arcade 17. S door 18. Belfry, E wall with re-set section of old bell frame. 19. Font. 20. Medieval cross slabs in W wall S porch. 21. C18 headstone and C17 ledger in churchyard 22. C17 Quaker ledger stones on N of tower 23. Distant S view 24. Pre-1861 photograph of S view. 17