Cross marking the site of St Waleric's Chapel, Alnmouth. Photo by Glasgow University.

(NU 24591009) St Waleric's Chapel (site of). (1)

The chapel of St Waleric probably marked the site of a large pre-Conquest church. It was perhaps rebuilt in 1147 when it was given to Alnwick Abbey by Eustace FitzJohn. In recent times it has usually been referred to as 'Woden's Chapel'. It is mentioned in 1305 and in a survey of 1567 it is stated that the chapel was at one time served by three priests and a clerk, whence it is evident that it was of large size and that it was covered with lead.
From views of the chapel made in 1771(a), 1775(b) and 1804(c) we learn that 'the chapel was roofless at these times and much ruined. It consisted of a nave with aisles at least three bays in length; a transept of considerable projection, but without aisles, of equal height with the nave; a long aisleless chancel and a small porch added possibly in the 17th century at the south end of the transept. The nave and transept had each a clerestory. There was no tower. The chapel was built probably between 1170 and 1190 and the chancel appears to have been extended towards the east in the 13th century.'
In a visitation in 1734 'the church is quite ruined, there having been no service for many years.'
The last fragments were blown down on December 25th 1806, but a few grave stones may still be seen on the hill where the chapel stood. (2)

NU 24581006. The position of the site of this chapel as shown on OS 6 inch is on the side of a hill which has an incline of 1 in 2. As the chapel is alleged to be a large building it seems very unlikely that it would have been built on such a steep slope when a near level portion of land occurs only 30 metres to the south. There are no remains of the chapel to be seen in the position shown on OS 6 inch, but at the highest point of the hill at NU 24581006 there is a single course of masonry running north-south. It measures 2m high and 0.2m wide and there is fair amount of rubble and mortar in close proximity to it. This wall may be part of the chapel, but only excavation would prove this; it is in a much superior situation to that at NU 24591009. This probable site of the chapel is somewhat confirmed by the presence of dressed and shaped
stones at the foot of the steep slopes of the hill at NU 24541005 and NU 24621008. These stones would fall immediately down the slopes by the most direct route and infer the chapel to have been in the new site as stated previously. A modern octagonal base for either a searchlight or gun has been built 3m to the east of the wall of masonry.
Reference the few grave stones noted: only two grave stones were seen and one of them bears the date 1726. The perimeter wall of the churchyard can be traced on all sides except the east from NU 24630998 to NU 24611009. It measures 0.5m in height in south east corner and has been strengthened on the north and west sides to counter any sea erosion. The building at NU 2450997 is a modern chapel with pseudo-Norman doorway and windows - it is no longer in use as a chapel. With reference to the alleged site of a pre-Conquest church here. The only recorded information, which infers that a pre-Conquest church existed on this site, is the discovery of a probable 10th century memorial cross in 1789 near the then ruins of the late 12th century chapel. The exact site of this alleged pre-Conquest church was not discovered during field investigation. For description of the probable 10th century cross, see NU 21 SW 15. (3)

Agreed. (4)

The site is sand covered and the hill is being eroded on three sides and slumping on the west. See photographs C29, D29-30, slides X18-19, X21. (5)

The site of the Old Church at Alnmouth is not securely located, with different editions of the Ordnance Survey 1:2500 map (1895, 1921 and 1959) each marking it in a different position.
Documentary evidence suggests the ecclesiastical establishment at Alnmouth was of some importance. Alnmouth itself has been associated with Twyford, which Bede mentions as the venue for the Synod where Cuthbert was elected bishop. In 1147 a plot of ground was described by Eustace Fitz-John as being 'in Alnmue, where the chief house of the canons is situated'. In 1567 it is recorded the chapel had been served by three priests and a clerk. It has also been suggested that the church may have been a minster church.
The visible remains consist of a short length of wall, c.2m long, aligned almost north-south and two gravestones. One of the gravestones lies face down, the other bears the date 1741. (6)

General association with HER 5705. (7)