Norham Church of St Cuthbert

In the civil parish of Norham.
In the historic county of Durham; North (Modern Authority of Northumberland, 1974 county of Northumberland).

Church at other end of village from castle. Suggested by Brookes as possible fortified but has been heavily restored. The present church at Norham was begun in 1165 at the same time as Norham Castle, and was probably designed by the same architect. The earliest parts of the building are the chancel, arches and the wall above the south side of the nave. In 1320 the church was occupied and fortified by Robert the Bruce during a siege of the castle. The east end of the church was damaged at this time and replaced in 1340. The church was restored in 1619 after possibly being roofless for 100 years. The aisle walls were demolished and new aisles built in mid C19. The tower was built in 1837. However, the presence of a large number of Anglo-Saxon carved stones show that an earlier, C9 church stood here. Many of these remains were found when the church was being restored in the 19th century. The stones were probably part of carved stone crosses, though some may have been grave markers. It is probable that this earlier church stood beneath the current one, but a slight platform recorded nearby in the graveyard, may also have been its location.

This site has been described as a;
Fortified Ecclesiastical site.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Possible.
Masonry ruins/remnants remains.

listed building

Images of England

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NT89684740

Web site links

http://www.keystothepast.info/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=N919

Books

Brooke, C.J., 2000, Safe Sanctuaries (Edinburgh; John Donald) p60-1
Pevsner, N., 1957, The Buildings of England: Northumberland (London, Penguin) p266
Tomlinson, W.W., 1888, Comprehensive Guide to Northumberland (Newcastle) p523-4, 551

Journal Articles

1856-62, History of the Berwickshire Naturalist Club p121-2

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*The listed building may not be the actual medieval building, but a building on the site of, or incorporating fragments of, the described site.

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Norham Church of St Cuthbert

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NT89684740

Sources of information, references and further reading