Ruins of medieval chapel at Tughall. Photo by Harry Rowland, 1971.

(NU 21322654) Chapel (Remains of). (1)

The chapel of Tughall, of which scarcely a vestige now remains, was no doubt built immediately on the spot where the body of St Cuthbert rested on the night of 13 December 1069 during its removal from Durham to Lindisfarne.
It constituted a chapel of ease to Bamburgh, and was last presented in 1630, but continued to be used as a burial place for some time after.
The architecture was early Norman and the building consisted of a simple nave, a square chancel, and a semi-circular apse with a hemispherical vault. It is possible that the eastern part of the chancel was of earlier date and that a western enlargement was made subsequently. (Complete architectural description). (2)

Tughall was in the possession of Nostell Priory although in 1147 two thirds of the tithes were given to Alnwick Abbey. The cemetery was consecrated c.1217. (List of chaplains (incomplete) from c.1147-1630).
The portion of the building still standing is apparently part of the covered apse, but the outline of the other walls can still be traced. The base of an ancient cross remains in its socket, and beneath it lies a stone slab engraved with a floriated cross and sword, which it is proposed to move to the church at Bamburgh. (3)

The remains of this chapel are in a poor state of preservation and consist of a mound 22m east-west by 10m north-south containing stone foundations. At the east end there is a portion measuring 4m x 3m, being 2.8m high at the northern end and 0.3m at the southern, which is probably part of the apse as described; it is built of rough wall set on dressed stonework and has recently collapsed. The remains are surrounded by a bank, 0.2m to 1m high on inner side and from 1m to 2.5m on outer side, being c.2m wide. This bank is presumably the demarcation of the chapel yard, traces of walling being visible in it. On the south side the bank is substituted by a ditch 2m-3m wide and 0.6m deep. The stone cross is situated 10m to the south of the chapel and consists of a socket stone 0.7m square and 0.1m high, sunk in the ground, containing the remains of a cross shaft 0.25m x 0.3m in plan and 0.2m high. There is no trace of the stone slab referred to as being below the cross.
See photographs. (4)

The masonry has collapsed further, otherwise as described by F1. Resurveyed at 1/2500. (5)

Scheduled. (6)

NU 213 266. Tughall Chapel. Scheduled No ND/83. (7a)

Deserted Medieval village and chapel at Tughall. The chapel is visible as a rectangular mound and measures 22m north east to south west by 10m north west to south east, stands 0.5m high and contains stone foundations. At the east end there is a standing section of apse. The chapel is surrounded by a bank 2m wide which stands 1m high internally and 2.5m externally. This demarcates a graveyard measuring 57m east-west by 40m north-south. A Medieval socket stone containing part of a cross shaft is located to the south of the chapel; scheduled. (7b)