Archaeology Notes

Event ID 724900

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/724900

NT87SW 1.00 80378 70676

(NT 80378 70676) St Helen's Church (NR) (remains of)

OS 1:10,000 map, (1976).

NT87SW 1.01 80368 70654 Churchyard (Hogback Stones)

The surviving remains of this 12th century church show that it was extensively rebuilt in the late 14th or 15th century. It consisted of a nave and chancel as shown on D MacGibbon and T Ross plan (qv), both were originally roofed with a barrel-vault, of which only a few indications now remain. The E and S walls of the chancel have been almost completely removed, but the N wall still stands 8 to 10ft high. Parts of the N

and S walls of the nave remain to a considerable height. At the W end of the N and S walls there is a rough opening which may indicate the position of two entrance doorways. The upper part of the N wall is said to have been rebuilt; the W gable was also rebuilt, and is in a better state of repair, consisting of a plain wall with a buttress at each angle.

This church, which was dedicated to St Helen, was the church of the former parish of Aldcambus and probably fell into ruin when that parish was united with the parish of Cockburnspath before 1750.

RCAHMS 1915, visited 1908; D MacGibbon and T Ross 1896; A Reid 1914; T S Muir 1862; RCAHMS 1980, visited 1979; A A Carr 1836; I B Cowan 1967.

The fragmentary remains now comprise the W wall, which is almost intact, and portions of the N and S walls.

Visited by OS (JLD) 28 October 1954.

No change.

Revised at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (NKB) 21 December 1965.

St Helens Church. The original 12th century church was extensively rebuilt in the late 14th or 15th century. It probably went into disuse when the parish of Aldcambus was united with Cockburnspath before 1750. The remains were described in 1954 as being fragmentary, comprising the W wall and portions of the N and S walls. The church is as described. The church is in an exposed location but well away from the sea and so is not affected immediately by coastal erosion.

Site recorded by GUARD during the Coastal Assessment Survey for Historic Scotland, 'The Firth of Forth from Dunbar to the Coast of Fife' 25th February 1996.