Church of All Saints (Rothbury)
Interior of All Saints Church, Rothbury. Photo Northumberland County Council, 1958.
Church of All Saints, Rothbury. Photo Northumberland County Council, 1958.
All Saints Church. NU 05770166. Rebuilt in 1850 with remains of 13th century chancel. (1)
Church of All Saints. Grade II*. Parish church on important pre-Conquest site. Chancel and east walls of transepts 13th century, chancel north arcade late 14th century; remainder 1849-50 by G Pickering, except for chancel vestries of 1887 and west window of 1900. Medieval parts squared stone; 19th century tooled and margined with ashlar dressings. 19th century parts in 13th/early 14th century style.
Previous west tower demolished 1850, appears to have been of pre-Conquest date, linking two early churches. The foundations of the western church, extending beneath and beyond Church Street, were traceable in 18th century. (2)
Original dedication possibly St Matthew. The plan of the church seems to have resembled Jarrow: it had eastern and western naves separated by a central tower on arches; the tower was narrower from east to west than from north to south; the tower had north and south arches opening into projecting transepts or 'porches'. This work no longer exists but is represented on old views of the church and observations by Wallis. The western nave had disappeared before the 17th century. (3)
The present church is thought to stand on the site of a double Saxon church, linked in before the Conquest by a tower which became the west tower of one of the churches after demolition of the other. (4)
The church was allowed to fall into a ruinous state in the post-medieval period, prior to the 19th century reconstruction. (5)
The form of the Saxon church is suggested by a dowsing survey in 1988. It is suggests that the main pre-13th century church lay to the west of the present building and was of ambitious plan - a large monastic church which was altered at least once before the 13th century. (6)
The chancel pavement is tiled in red, buff and black dust-pressed Godwin tiles. The designs date to around 1860. (7)
A watching brief at the church in 2005 revealed a possible medievak stone-built conduit immediately to the west of the church. To the north of this conduit a construction trench and fills associated with the Victorian church and tower were found along with the truncated remains of a human skeleton. A second inhumation and two large sandstone flags capping another conduit were also recovered here. To the north-west of the church a medieval lime kiln was discovered. To the north of this kiln a third inhumation was revealed. A fragment of pre-conquest cross was also discovered in the kiln, presumably re-used in the kiln walls.
The service trench crossed the area subject to a dowsing survey in 1988. No evidence of pre-conquest structural remains or robber trenches was found. (8)(9)(10)
Church includes a series of war memorials as:
* a chapel of remembrance with oak panelling and altar.
* book of remembrance within a frame inscribed "THIS CASE IS THE GIFT OF LT. COL. R. ARMSTRONG O.B.E., CHAIRMAN AND G.CARR, SECRETARY,/ ROTHBURY BRITISH LEGION; AND OF MRS R. ARMSTRONG AND MRS G. CARR/ CHAIRMAN AND HON. SECRETARY RESPECTIVELY OF THE WOMEN'S SECTION, 1947" and within the book itself "THE BOOK OF/ REMEMBRANCE/ OF THE MEN OF/ ROTHBURY/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE SERVICE OF/ THEIR COUNTRY DURING THE WARS OF/ 1914-1919 & 1939-1945".
* oak panelling in "LORD OF MERCY AND OF LOVE/ WE REMEMBER BEFORE THEE/ THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT CRUSADE/ 1914-1919/ (NAMES)" and "THEY SHALL GROW NOT OLD AS/ WE THAT ARE LEFT GROW OLD,/ AGE SHALL NOT WEARY THEM NOR/ THE YEARS CONDEMN./ AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN/ AND IN THE MORNING/ WE WILL REMEMBER THEM".
* series of four oak panels with gilt lettering "THEY LEFT ALL THAT WAS DEAR TO THEM, ENDURED HARDSHIP, FACED DANGER AND FINALLY PASSED OUT OF THE SITE OF MEN. LET THOSE WHO COME AFTER SEE TO IT THAT THEIR NAMES ARE NOT FORGOTTEN/ (NAMES)".
* stained glass window inscribed "IN LOVING MEMORY OF WILLIAM JOHN R. SOULSBY, SGT. A/G R.A.F./ WHO GAVE HIS LIFE IN ACTION OVER GERMANY 1ST SEPT. 1943/ AND IS BURIED IN HORLZDORF-ELSTER. THIS WINDOW IS ERECTED BY/ HIS PARENTS JOHN RIDDLE AND ANNIE BURMUND SOULSBY."
* series of four riddle posts inscribed "(NO INSCRIPTION. MEMORIAL TO MEMBER OF GREEN HOWARDS WHO WAS KILLED IN PALESTINE)".
* stained glass window "IN LOVING MEMORY/ OF JONATHON MACKAY, TELEGRAPHIST, R.N./ WHO GAVE HIS LIFE IN THE BATTLE OF CRETE 22ND MAY 1941 WHILE SERVING/ IN H.M.S. WARSPITE. THIS WINDOW IS ERECTED BY HIS PARENTS/ WILLIAM GEORGE AND JANE ANNE MACKAY".
* stained glasss window with inscription "THIS WINDOW IS ERECTED AS A THANK OFFERING BY THEIR COMRADES-IN-/ARMS OF THE NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS, SOMETIME PRISONERS-OF/ WAR IN THE FAR EAST. IN MEMORY OF (NAME)/ KILLED IN FRANCE; AND OF (NAMES)/ WHO DIED WHILE PRISONERS-OF-WAR IN THE HANDS OF THE JAPANESE."
* oak panel with inscription "IN LOVING MEMORY/ OF/ ROBERT FERGUSON THOMPSON/ SERGT. R.A.F./ BURIED AT ROZENDAAL, HOLLAND/ 11 NOVEMBER 1941/ THESE PANELS ARE ERECTED BY HIS PARENTS/ AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN/ AND IN THE MORNING WE WILL REMEMBER".
* oak panel with inscription "IN LOVING MEMORY/ OF OUR SON/ JOHN KIDD THOMPSON M.C./ CAPTAIN, THE ROYAL ARTILLERY/ AIRBOURNE ANTI-TANK REGIMENT/ WHO GAVE HIS LIFE SERVING/ WITH THE/ UNITED NATIONS IN KOREA/ 23RD JUNE 1952".
* stained glass window with inscription "IN LOVING MEMORY OF CHARLES MILBURN, SGT: R.A.F. WHO GAVE/ HIS LIFE IN ACTION OVER GERMANY 24TH DECEMBER 1943. THIS WINDOW/ IS ERECTED BY HIS PARENTS, CHARLES AND JESSIE MILBURN.". (11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(117)(18)(19)(20)(21)
Built into the church porch are a pair of two unspecified slabs of 800 to 849 AD date. These are located in the west wall of the porch. (22)(23b)
Parish Church, on important Pre-Conquest site. Chancel and east walls of transepts C13, chancel north arcade late C14; remainder 1849-50 by G. Pickering, except for chancel vestries of 1887 and west window of 1900. Medieval parts squared stone; C19 work tooled-and-margined stone with ashlar dressings; graduated Lakeland slate roofs. 4-bay aisled nave with west ower flanked by vestries, south-west porch, transepts with 2-bay western aisles and chancel with north vestries. C19 parts in C13/early C14 style.
Font: shaft is bottom part of important cross of c.800 with Ascension and inhabited vine scrolls; bowl dated 1664 with knotwork and interlace; cover of 1914, (See NU00SE36). The previous west tower, demolished in 1850, appears to have been of Pre-Conquest, like that of Jarrow,linking two early churches; the foundations of the western church, extending beneath and beyond Church Street
were traceable in the C18. (23a)
Church of All Saints. Grade II*. Parish church on important pre-Conquest site. Chancel and east walls of transepts 13th century, chancel north arcade late 14th century; remainder 1849-50 by G Pickering, except for chancel vestries of 1887 and west window of 1900. Medieval parts squared stone; 19th century tooled and margined with ashlar dressings. 19th century parts in 13th/early 14th century style.
Previous west tower demolished 1850, appears to have been of pre-Conquest date, linking two early churches. The foundations of the western church, extending beneath and beyond Church Street, were traceable in 18th century. (2)
Original dedication possibly St Matthew. The plan of the church seems to have resembled Jarrow: it had eastern and western naves separated by a central tower on arches; the tower was narrower from east to west than from north to south; the tower had north and south arches opening into projecting transepts or 'porches'. This work no longer exists but is represented on old views of the church and observations by Wallis. The western nave had disappeared before the 17th century. (3)
The present church is thought to stand on the site of a double Saxon church, linked in before the Conquest by a tower which became the west tower of one of the churches after demolition of the other. (4)
The church was allowed to fall into a ruinous state in the post-medieval period, prior to the 19th century reconstruction. (5)
The form of the Saxon church is suggested by a dowsing survey in 1988. It is suggests that the main pre-13th century church lay to the west of the present building and was of ambitious plan - a large monastic church which was altered at least once before the 13th century. (6)
The chancel pavement is tiled in red, buff and black dust-pressed Godwin tiles. The designs date to around 1860. (7)
A watching brief at the church in 2005 revealed a possible medievak stone-built conduit immediately to the west of the church. To the north of this conduit a construction trench and fills associated with the Victorian church and tower were found along with the truncated remains of a human skeleton. A second inhumation and two large sandstone flags capping another conduit were also recovered here. To the north-west of the church a medieval lime kiln was discovered. To the north of this kiln a third inhumation was revealed. A fragment of pre-conquest cross was also discovered in the kiln, presumably re-used in the kiln walls.
The service trench crossed the area subject to a dowsing survey in 1988. No evidence of pre-conquest structural remains or robber trenches was found. (8)(9)(10)
Church includes a series of war memorials as:
* a chapel of remembrance with oak panelling and altar.
* book of remembrance within a frame inscribed "THIS CASE IS THE GIFT OF LT. COL. R. ARMSTRONG O.B.E., CHAIRMAN AND G.CARR, SECRETARY,/ ROTHBURY BRITISH LEGION; AND OF MRS R. ARMSTRONG AND MRS G. CARR/ CHAIRMAN AND HON. SECRETARY RESPECTIVELY OF THE WOMEN'S SECTION, 1947" and within the book itself "THE BOOK OF/ REMEMBRANCE/ OF THE MEN OF/ ROTHBURY/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE SERVICE OF/ THEIR COUNTRY DURING THE WARS OF/ 1914-1919 & 1939-1945".
* oak panelling in "LORD OF MERCY AND OF LOVE/ WE REMEMBER BEFORE THEE/ THE MEN OF THIS PARISH/ WHO FELL IN THE GREAT CRUSADE/ 1914-1919/ (NAMES)" and "THEY SHALL GROW NOT OLD AS/ WE THAT ARE LEFT GROW OLD,/ AGE SHALL NOT WEARY THEM NOR/ THE YEARS CONDEMN./ AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN/ AND IN THE MORNING/ WE WILL REMEMBER THEM".
* series of four oak panels with gilt lettering "THEY LEFT ALL THAT WAS DEAR TO THEM, ENDURED HARDSHIP, FACED DANGER AND FINALLY PASSED OUT OF THE SITE OF MEN. LET THOSE WHO COME AFTER SEE TO IT THAT THEIR NAMES ARE NOT FORGOTTEN/ (NAMES)".
* stained glass window inscribed "IN LOVING MEMORY OF WILLIAM JOHN R. SOULSBY, SGT. A/G R.A.F./ WHO GAVE HIS LIFE IN ACTION OVER GERMANY 1ST SEPT. 1943/ AND IS BURIED IN HORLZDORF-ELSTER. THIS WINDOW IS ERECTED BY/ HIS PARENTS JOHN RIDDLE AND ANNIE BURMUND SOULSBY."
* series of four riddle posts inscribed "(NO INSCRIPTION. MEMORIAL TO MEMBER OF GREEN HOWARDS WHO WAS KILLED IN PALESTINE)".
* stained glass window "IN LOVING MEMORY/ OF JONATHON MACKAY, TELEGRAPHIST, R.N./ WHO GAVE HIS LIFE IN THE BATTLE OF CRETE 22ND MAY 1941 WHILE SERVING/ IN H.M.S. WARSPITE. THIS WINDOW IS ERECTED BY HIS PARENTS/ WILLIAM GEORGE AND JANE ANNE MACKAY".
* stained glasss window with inscription "THIS WINDOW IS ERECTED AS A THANK OFFERING BY THEIR COMRADES-IN-/ARMS OF THE NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS, SOMETIME PRISONERS-OF/ WAR IN THE FAR EAST. IN MEMORY OF (NAME)/ KILLED IN FRANCE; AND OF (NAMES)/ WHO DIED WHILE PRISONERS-OF-WAR IN THE HANDS OF THE JAPANESE."
* oak panel with inscription "IN LOVING MEMORY/ OF/ ROBERT FERGUSON THOMPSON/ SERGT. R.A.F./ BURIED AT ROZENDAAL, HOLLAND/ 11 NOVEMBER 1941/ THESE PANELS ARE ERECTED BY HIS PARENTS/ AT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN/ AND IN THE MORNING WE WILL REMEMBER".
* oak panel with inscription "IN LOVING MEMORY/ OF OUR SON/ JOHN KIDD THOMPSON M.C./ CAPTAIN, THE ROYAL ARTILLERY/ AIRBOURNE ANTI-TANK REGIMENT/ WHO GAVE HIS LIFE SERVING/ WITH THE/ UNITED NATIONS IN KOREA/ 23RD JUNE 1952".
* stained glass window with inscription "IN LOVING MEMORY OF CHARLES MILBURN, SGT: R.A.F. WHO GAVE/ HIS LIFE IN ACTION OVER GERMANY 24TH DECEMBER 1943. THIS WINDOW/ IS ERECTED BY HIS PARENTS, CHARLES AND JESSIE MILBURN.". (11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(117)(18)(19)(20)(21)
Built into the church porch are a pair of two unspecified slabs of 800 to 849 AD date. These are located in the west wall of the porch. (22)(23b)
Parish Church, on important Pre-Conquest site. Chancel and east walls of transepts C13, chancel north arcade late C14; remainder 1849-50 by G. Pickering, except for chancel vestries of 1887 and west window of 1900. Medieval parts squared stone; C19 work tooled-and-margined stone with ashlar dressings; graduated Lakeland slate roofs. 4-bay aisled nave with west ower flanked by vestries, south-west porch, transepts with 2-bay western aisles and chancel with north vestries. C19 parts in C13/early C14 style.
Font: shaft is bottom part of important cross of c.800 with Ascension and inhabited vine scrolls; bowl dated 1664 with knotwork and interlace; cover of 1914, (See NU00SE36). The previous west tower, demolished in 1850, appears to have been of Pre-Conquest, like that of Jarrow,linking two early churches; the foundations of the western church, extending beneath and beyond Church Street
were traceable in the C18. (23a)
N2961
Early Medieval (410 to 1066)
Victorian (1837 to 1901)
20th Century (1901 to 2000)
Medieval (1066 to 1540)
Victorian (1837 to 1901)
20th Century (1901 to 2000)
Medieval (1066 to 1540)
WATCHING BRIEF, All Saints Parish Church, Rothbury 2005; Ian Farmer Associates
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Please note that this information has been compiled from a number of different sources. Durham County Council and Northumberland County Council can accept no responsibility for any inaccuracy contained therein. If you wish to use/copy any of the images, please ensure that you read the Copyright information provided.