St Eligius Chapel, Spindlestone Heugh (Easington (Northumberland))
[NU 15343396] Chapel (Remains of). (1)
The chapel of St Eligius (or Eloy) 'situate in Spindlestone Heughe' is mentioned in 1590. It probably belonged to the Hospital or Priory of St John of Jerusalem, Clerkenwell, which in 1293 claimed fines for breaches of Assizes of Ale etc in Spindlestone. (2)
Supposed foundations of the chapel measuring 27ft by 12-1/2ft internally lie about 50yds north of the Spindle Stone. Excavation c1912 yielded four graves, and two unspecified coins to the north east of the building. (3)
Remains consist of turf-covered foundations 1m wide and 0.3m high. (4)
Excavation in June 2018 revealed four walls of a building. The walls measured between 0.65m and 0.82m wide and stood up to 0.6m high, made of whinstone. Flagstones at the east end of the south wall suggest a possible doorway was located here; and another doorway may be indicated by the poor survival of the central part of the west wall. No burial cuts were discovered either inside the building or outside its eastern end. Beneath the west end of the south wall an earlier wall was discovered on a slightly different east-west alignment. Finds suggest there were two phases of building on the site, starting in the 18th century. However, a few blocks of eroded dressed sandstone and sandstone roof tile suggest a possible earlier building which may be the chapel noted in historic documents. (5)
Additional Reference (6)
The chapel of St Eligius (or Eloy) 'situate in Spindlestone Heughe' is mentioned in 1590. It probably belonged to the Hospital or Priory of St John of Jerusalem, Clerkenwell, which in 1293 claimed fines for breaches of Assizes of Ale etc in Spindlestone. (2)
Supposed foundations of the chapel measuring 27ft by 12-1/2ft internally lie about 50yds north of the Spindle Stone. Excavation c1912 yielded four graves, and two unspecified coins to the north east of the building. (3)
Remains consist of turf-covered foundations 1m wide and 0.3m high. (4)
Excavation in June 2018 revealed four walls of a building. The walls measured between 0.65m and 0.82m wide and stood up to 0.6m high, made of whinstone. Flagstones at the east end of the south wall suggest a possible doorway was located here; and another doorway may be indicated by the poor survival of the central part of the west wall. No burial cuts were discovered either inside the building or outside its eastern end. Beneath the west end of the south wall an earlier wall was discovered on a slightly different east-west alignment. Finds suggest there were two phases of building on the site, starting in the 18th century. However, a few blocks of eroded dressed sandstone and sandstone roof tile suggest a possible earlier building which may be the chapel noted in historic documents. (5)
Additional Reference (6)
N5241
EXCAVATION, Excavation at St Eligius Chapel 1912; ANON
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1968; D Smith
EXCAVATION, Spindlestone Heugh chapel 2018; The Archaeological Practice Ltd
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1968; D Smith
EXCAVATION, Spindlestone Heugh chapel 2018; The Archaeological Practice Ltd
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