St Helen's Church (Remains of). (1)

The earliest reference to the Chapel of St Helen is c.1300, when a deed mentions a St Helen's Street. Cartington's rental of 1500 refers to land lying next to St Helen's Chapel and a St Helen's garth is mentioned in 1586. Warburton writing c.1710 found the chapel in ruins.
In 1802, a gable, with window fronting the east, was pulled down. The lower part of the east wall of the chancel, with an Early English chamfered course was still visible c.1880, but even this is now (1914) gone.
There is no reason why the town should have a chapel in such close proximity to the parish church, neither is there any evidence of a burial ground attached to it. It therefore seems probable that it was the private chapel of the manorial hall of Robert Fitz Roger (NY 96 SE 35).
(Plan reproduced of Corbridge in the 14th century (based on a plan of 1778) is annotated 'Site of St Helens Chapel' in a position corresponding with that in Authority 1). (2)(3)

A small fragment of old wall, 3m by 2m high, is incorporated in a modern stone dyke at NY 98946457. (4)

The wall fragment is still extant, but its association with St Helen's Church appears to be purely conjectural. (5)

Boundary walls to north and north-west of Parish Hall, grade II listed building (see NY 96 SE 130). (6)

Two surveys of the area of St Helen's Church were carried out using remote sensing techniques: a resistivity survey by GeoQuest Associates and ground radar survey by B Donnelly of Northumbrian Surveys Ltd. Surveys carried out ahead of application for Scout and Guide building on the site. The results of the surveys were anomalous; the radar survey appeared to indicate features and disturbances extending to a considerable depth. A series of machine trenches were cut to check the features recorded during geophysical surveys. A north-south trench was cut 7.5m from the east boundary of the enclosure, with two eastward branches. The trenches were sited both to cover the area on which construction of the new building was planned and to investigate some of the radar anomalies.
A watching brief was undertaken in December 1993/January 1994 whilst foundation trenches were dug. The trenches enclosed an area 15m by 8.5m and were 0.9m to 1.1m deep. Seven sections of walling were intersected by the trenches and are presumed to be medieval in date. No occupation debris or finds were made. Throughout the whole site little sign of any stratigraphy was seen; the yellow sand and gravel taken to be the natural substrate was overlain by a layer of mixed sandm gravel and rubble; in some cases 20th century disturbed ground was apparaent in the section, but in others relatively recent debris was present at some depth. No pre-19th century artefacts were noted in the section or in the spoil removed.
The multiplicity of walls intersected by the trenches show that remains of a complex of medieval buildings underlie the area, although insufficient was seen to make any suggestion as to their function. The lack of occupation debris and medieval artefacts may be partly explicable by the site being in use for only a few years, or partly by the remains uncovered being part fo the church (or chapel) rather than domestic buildings of the manor house.
It is unfortunate that the unplanned deepening of the foundation trenches (from 0.6m) resulted in some destruction of the medieval structural remains, and that circumstances were such that these could only be examined and revorded very briefly. (7)

Summary note. (8)

The possible base of the west end of the chapel may be incorporated in the boundary wall west of the Parish Hall. No features of the chapel survive. (9)