St Cuthbert's Church, Elsdon (Copyright © Don Brownlow)

Church of St Cuthbert, grade I listed building. 12th, 14th and 16th/early 17th century; restored in 1837 and 1877 by F R Wilson. (1)

St Cuthbert's Church has a complex history and was once larger than it is now. The original building seems to be 12th century and the first rebuilding occurred in the 14th century when the arcades were built. Additions and alterations were made throughout the medieval and post-medieval periods. The aisles are described as 'something of a mystery and perhaps the most remarkable thing about Elsdon'. The aisles are very narrow with thick outside walls and quadrant vaults. They were probably built in the 16th or 17th century, most likely for defence. The bellcote was added in the 18th century and two restorations took place in the 19th century. (2)

An excellent church with quite a complex history. It was once larger than it is. The buttress in the south-west corner is almost certainly the cut-back wall of a demolished tower. The evidence for this is clearer inside where there is a blocked tower arch of most odd profile. It may well be a 12th century arch reset later as a pointed arch.
The west responds of the arcades are also 12th century and the earliest surviving part of the church. The two west windows of the aisles are early 13th century and part therefore of the earlier wider aisles. The first rebuilding must have occurred in the 14th century when the arcades with their octagonal piers, moulded capitals and pointed arches were built. The second pier on the south side has 14th century foliage carving in the capital.
The transept piers are square with unusual chamfered edges, the stops to the chamfers carved with figures or tracery. The transepts originally had no aisles as can be seen from the 14th century angle buttress now embedded in the north wall. The aisles, indeed, are something of a mystery. They are very narrow with thick outer walls (the windows are 19th century) and strange quadrant or lean-to tunnel vaults. The most likely date for such a feature is the 16th or early 17th century and the most likely reason is defence.
The chancel is 14th century. The south wall is especially picturesque with a priest's door and three 14th century windows each of different pattern. The north wall is blank and the east end a 19th century rebuild.
The 18th century, or about 1720 to be more precise, added the splendidly wild and rustic bellcote with its two tiers of ball finials and stone spirelet.
The church was restored twice in the 19th century; once in 1837 and again in 1877 by F R Wilson of Alnwick. Wilson installed the chancel roof and more impressively the exquisite clear glass and leaded glazing of the most elaborate patterns.
Fittings: 14th century sedilia in the chancel. Trefoiled piscina in the south transept. Roman tombstone in north aisle. Several medieval grave covers: one in chancel south window, two in south transept, one used as the lintel of the south aisle west window and four in the north transept.
The graveyard is one of the finest in the country with an excellent collection of 18th and 19th century headstones, several of them with high relief carvings. (3)

Church includes a series of war memorials including:
* a white marble tablet moved from the Presbyterian church at Otterburn inscribed "IN / LOVING MEMORY OF / THOMAS / DEARLY LOVED ONLY SON OF / JOSEPH AND MARGARET SNAITH / OF RED HALL ELSDON, / WHO FELL IN ACTION IN FRANCE / 21ST MARCH 1918 / AGED 29 YEARS / INTERRED IN LEBUCQUIERE NEAR BAPAUME".
* a marble white tablet inscribed "FOR GOD, KING AND COUNTRY/ PRO PATRIA/ THIS/ TABLET IS/ ERECTED BY/ SUBSCRIPTION IN HONOUR/ OF THOSE THAT HAVE FALLEN/ DURING THE EUROPEAN WAR/ 1914-1918/ (NAMES)/ "WE HAVE ARRIVED AT/ VICTORY AND TODAY/ THEY HAVE THEIR/ REWARD".
* a wall-mounted roll of honour "ELSDON/ ROLL OF HONOUR/ OF THOSE WHO SERVED THEIR KING/ AND COUNTRY DURING THE WORLD WAR/ 1939-1945/ (NAMES)/ LEST WE FORGET".
* a stained glass window "TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN AFFECTIONATE REMEMBRANCE/ OF HENRY HALL, CAPTAIN 1/1ST AYRSHIRE ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY/ ATTACHED ANZAC MOUNTED DIVISION E.E.F. YOUNGEST SON OF/ THE LATE WILLIAM THOMPSON HALL & HANNAH THOMPSON HALL/ OF TROUGHEND, NORTHUMBERLAND WHO WAS BORN ON/ MARCH 30TH 1891, WAS KILLED ON ACTIVE SERVICE IN PALESTINE/ ON SEPTEMBER 25TH 1918 AND LIES NEAR JERUSALEM./ INSERTED BY HIS AFFLICTED MOTHER. HIS LIFE WAS LOVELY/ AND PLEASANT AND HE MADE ALL AROUND HIM HAPPY".
* a brass plaque inscribed "HIS SAINT HAS HIS UNSPOTTED HEART/ PAX ET SPES/ IN MEMORY OF CUTHBERT PEASE BELOVED YOUNGER SON OF HOWARD AND MARIA PEASE OF OTTERBURN TOWER, CAPTAIN 1ST BATTALION IRISH GUARDS DIED 18 SEPT 1916 AT BRAISE IN FRANCE OF WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION BESIDE GINEHY FOUGHT 15 SEPT 1916 AGED 24 YEARS/ HE LOST HIS LIFE LEADING HIS COMPANY IN ONE OF THE FINEST ADVANCES UNDER HEAVY FIRE THAT HAS BEEN MADE IN WAR". (4)(5)(6)(7)(8)

(NY 93649328) St. Cuthbert's Church (C of E) (NAT). (9a)

Assessment and structural history. Additional reference. (10)