St Boswells, Old Parish Church

NT63SW 23 60637 30533.

Old Parish Church. The old parish church of St Boswells was unroofed in 1952 and its interior was gutted. The shell, though it may have originated in 1652, the date recorded on a tablet inserted in the S wall, is of no interest as the church was practically rebuilt towards the close of the 18th century. However, it evidently occupies the site of a Romanesque church, a few relics from which have been built into the later masonry. These include four Romanesque beast-head corbels; a rather later corbel of "mask" type ; a fragment of Romanesque carving showing a bird-headed beast with a long tail which passes over the left shoulder to be held in the left paw; and a fragment of a Romanesque impost enriched with interlacing ornament. (RCAHMS 1956, figs. 85-7).

A tombstone, measuring 5ft 8in in length and tapering in width from 1ft 7 1/2in to 1ft 2in, is attached to the S wall of the church. It bears a slightly incised, equal-limbed cross within a circle.

The following memorials were noted in the churchyard:

(1) A small headstone set in the S side of the church commemorating JAMES PRINGLE / SONN TO / GEORGE PRING(LE) / IN SAINT (B)OSE(LS). The last word, which is mutilated and is followed by three illegible lines, no doubt represents "Saint Bosel's", though the exact spelling is uncertain. The date is 1672 or 1679.

(2) A very small headstone, dated 1699 but otherwise lacking any legible inscription.

(3) A large slab, now recumbent, but identified as a headstone by the fact that one of its ends is pointed for insertion in the ground. It shows no inscription beyond the initials D S, in late 16th-century lettering, each in relief in a small sunk panel near the head of the stone.

(4) Another fallen headstone, similar to the last, and like it bearing two small sunk panels near its head. The dexter one is blank and the sinister one contains a relief S in the same style as that just described.

(5) Another fallen headstone. The central space, which is defined by a groove, is inscribed (HE)IR LYES / (ROB)ERT / COAT VH/O DECE/IST IN / AN(N)O 1640, the letters being large and roughly executed.

(6) A slab, now recumbent, but probably intended to stand upright in a socketed base, and generally resembling the stone last described. The inscription, which was enclosed within a frame of grooves, is illegible but for AN(N)O (16)45.

(7) A large recumbent slab bevelled on its upper arrises. The inscription, though largely overgrown, shows that it commemorates DAVID VNIS, minister of St. Boswells, who died in 1618,a The lettering resembles that of the last two stones. (Fasti Eccles Scot {H Scott ed.}) (8) A recumbent slab, shaped like the cross-slab set in the church wall. The upper arrises are bevelled, but no decoration is visible apart from a pair of grooves incised along the sides and ends.

(9) Part of a red sandstone slab, perhaps originally the top of a table-tomb but now leaning against the churchyard wall by the small gate leading into the manse garden. The lower end of the slab is missing, as it has been shaped to a blunt point for insertion in the ground, and part of the surface has also been damaged by hacking. What survives of the inscription reads MR IOHANNES SO/MERVALIVS EVAN/GELII AD FANVM/ BOSVELII PRAECO / FIDISSIMVS HIC (?IACET IN) / EX/(P)ECTATIO(NE RESVRRE)/CTION(IS ?OBIIT . . . DIE) / MARTII (?) ("Mr John Somerville, the most faithful preacher of the Gospel at the church of St Boswells, lies here in hope of the Resurrection. He died on the (?) day of March, 1674.)" The words IACET IN and OBIIT . . . DIE are required by the sense, but if they actually occurred they must presumably have been contracted to some extent, as there is hardly room for them in full on the stone. The date has been supplied from record ; the Rev J Somerville is stated to have been minister in 1662 and to have died after 7 February 1674. (Fasti Eccles Scot {H Scott ed.}).

The grave-digger reported that there were many more recumbent slabs, or fallen headstones, invisible under the sod, of which the bulk probably dated from the 17th century or earlier. Some small headstones, now illegible, may be more or less contemporary with the first two described above.

The church of St. Mary at "Lessedewyn" was in existence before 1153, in which year Thomas de Loudonia founded and endowed an altarage in honour of St. Margaret the Virgin. (Liber de Dryburgh). At that date the church was the property of Dryburgh Abbey.

RCAHMS 1956, visited 14 June 1933, 18 October 1944, 14 March 1952.

According to the minister of St Boswells parish church, the remains of the old parish church to which the RCAHMS refer, are situated at NT 6063 3053. From the memorials listed above, it was confirmed, during field investigation, that this is correct.

The present parish church (NT 5941 3102) is in use, and is about 100 years old. It was restored in 1959 and during the course of restoration the Romanesque corbel (fig.85 in RCAHMS) was set into the exterior face of the south side of this church. The minister stated that the corbel and carved stone (figs.86, 87) lie in the yard of Mr R Grieve, Building Contractor, Maxton.

Visited by OS (EGC) 20 February 1961.

The walls of the old church (NT 6063 3053) have now been reduced to a height of 0.3m. The congregation of this church united with St Modan's Church, St Boswells, and the restored St Modan's, now known as St Boswells Parish Church, was re-opened in 1959. At least two of the three carvings illustrated by RCAHMS are built into the walls of the restored church (Information from Mr J Melrose, Registrar, St Boswells).

Visited by OS (WDJ) 14 September 1962.