Archaeology Notes

Event ID 721261

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/721261

NT77SE 16.00 77445 71053

NT77SE 16.01 NT 77445 71028 Churchyard

(NT 7745 7105) Cockburnspath parish church is a simple oblong on plan, measuring some 80ft by 18ft 3 ins over walls averaging 3ft in thickness, and having a diagonal buttress at each angle. The details indicate that a church existed on the present site in the 14th and 15th centuries; this probably succeeded a still earlier building. A round tower, some 9ft internal diameter, is situated in the centre of the 14th century W gable; it was added in the late 16th or early 17th century. A small tomb-house, roofed with a pointed barrel vault, abuts against the E wall of the church, and is now used as a heating chamber. It is dated 1614. Before the Reformation, Cockburnspath was a chapelry of Oldhamstocks. The chaplain of 'Colbrundspath' is mentioned in 1255, but whether his chapel occupied the present site is not known.

RCAHMS 1915; D MacGibbon and T Ross 1897; H Scott (Fasti Eccles) 1915; G Hay 1957

As described and illustrated by the previous authorities. The church is still in use for public worship.

Visited by OS (WDJ), 5 April 1966.

The church was extensively restored in the 19th century and its original date of construction is uncertain; the building is unlikely to be later in date than the 16th century.

RCAHMS 1980, visited 1979.