Byrness History: A medieval chapel in Byrness

Byrness burial ground c1895

Byrness in Redesdale Northumberland lies on the A68 road just five miles from the border with Scotland at Carter Bar. At the heart of Byrness is the Church of St. Francis of Assisi built in the late 18th century. The burial ground it sits on is much older, the earliest gravestone is dated 1687. The burial ground is described often as ancient, and the first known written reference is in the 1580s. The burial ground gave the village it's name and in the 1500s the burial ground was known as "The Berrynes". Since the 19th century historians have debated as to the existence of an ancient chapel in the burial ground before the time of St Francis. Below is all the evidence, including eye witness accounts, indicating that Saint Francis church was almost certainly not the first place of worship on the burial ground and it's connection to the burial place of the Marshall family, which existed long before the Marshall family were granted permission to use it, and a look at the early 18th century graves, the earliest ones just two feet from the south side of it and others actually touching it.

Eye witness accounts

John Warburton

In 1715 the historian and cartographer John Warburton visited Byrness while researching and surveying the whole of Northumberland for his reference book Notices of Ruined Towers to produce a detailed map of Northumberland. He said that at Byrness there was a chapel of ease in ruins and now only used for burying. He produced his map in 1716 and included the ruined chapel at "Berrenes". As a cartographer it is safe to assume that accuracy was a vital part of his trade. Below is the extract from the book and his map showing Byrness (Berrenes):

John Warburton 1715

'Berrenes' with the cross denoting a chapel in ruins

Warburton's key to map symbols "chapels in ruins"

John Warburton 1682-1759

John Wallis (1714-1793)

John Wallis visited Byrness during his research for his book The Natural History and Antiquities of Northumberland published in 1769 after two decades of research and he also spoke of a ruined chapel as well as a stone circle. The theory that wherever you find a stone circle there will be a Christian church close by held firm for John Wallis on his visit to Byrness. There can be little doubt he came to Byrness as his mention of a stone circle is the only reference to it which was later validated by John Hodgson when he was told by locals of Byrness that the stones were taken to build a sheep still. Below is an extract from John Wallis's book of 1769.

John Wallis 1769

Other accounts

Thomas Randall's "State of the Churches" report 18th c.

State of the Churches Randall

Early 19th century Gazetteer of Britain and Ireland

"had along time laid in ruins"

1825 Gazetteer "the ruins of an old chapel long covered the ground"

Armstrong's map of 1769 showing ruins

Of all these accounts only John Warburton's includes more information other than there being a ruined chapel in Byrness. He states it is now only used for burying.

John Hodgson(1779–1845) Northumbrian historian

John Hodgson

Northumbrian historian John Hodgson came to Byrness sometime between 1810 and 1820 researching for his History of Northumberland (1820). He made an unsuccessful attempt to find the ruined chapel having been inspired to look for it by John Wallis's account. By the time John Hodgson got to Byrness, the ruined chapel mentioned by John Wallis was now refashioned into a burial aisle and being used as such. He entered Byrness churchyard and wrote a brief account of his visit there. He mentions three burial aisles "enclosed in stone with doors on", one for the Hall family one for the Akenhead family and one for the Marshall family He mentions the Hall burial aisle as "much dilapidated" and mentions the Akenhead aisle as being made of unhewn stone .He doesn't mention any connection between the Marshall family aisle and the missing chapel, and perhaps, because of his standing as a respected historian, he sowed some seeds of doubt as to it's existence for the next 200 years. Of the three burial places he witnessed, only the Marshall family place survives today largely due to it's robust build and deep foundations, a sign of it's previous life

John Hodgson's account of Byrness churchyard c1820

"[I]nclosed with stone walls and doors on" is John Hodgson's description of the three burial aisles. Presumably the description includes the Marshall aisle. This shows the extent of the alterations to the structure since the visit of John Hodgson between about 1810 to 1820. Today there are no doors, the back wall is five feet high and 13 feet long and houses the memorial stones, and the side and front walls have been reduced in height to 2 feet. The whole structure has been capped with coping stones to limit water ingress. The foundations appear to be more than three feet deep and the thickness of the walls is 1 foot 9 inches. Back wall to the front measures 19 feet.

The Marshalls and the Chisholms

Neither the Marshall family nor the Chisholm family built their family burial place. It was "appropriated" or granted to them. The Marshalls and the Chisholm's were Presbyterians, John Chisholm a minister of Birdhope Craig and the Marshall family were closely related, borne out by John Chisholm's son George whos last will and testament references the Marshall family as beneficiaries several times. The structure known as the Marshall burial aisle existed before the Marshalls and Chisholm's were granted the use of it. The first recorded burial in there is 1692 Fenwick of Ramshope (a different Fenwick of Ramshope from the one recorded by John Hodgson unless he was mistaken) and John Chisholm buried his daughter Hannah there in 1730, probably the same time he was granted use of it. This seems to confirm that the Marshall burial place was not a purpose built burial aisle but perhaps small private chapel, or part of a chapel, in a ruinous state adapted to be used as a burial aisle. "[P]rivate chapel" is assumed as there is no evidence of a chapel before Saint Francis at Byrness in any of the main dioceses of Newcastle upon Tyne, Hexham, Durham or Lindisfarne. Thomas Newlands, a later minister of Birdhope Craig, wrote in his book Sketch of the Congregation of Birdhope Craig of the Marshall family being appropriated the burial place. This means it was there already and the Marshalls and John Chisholm were given it, or allowed to use it.

The list of the Marshall and Chisholm families interred in the aisle

The only other recorded burial within the aisle is "Reignold Fenwick of Ramshope" in 1692, the oldest recorded burial in the enclosure. Strangely, Fenwick of Ramshope's inscription is on the same stone as the Chisholm family stone above John Chisholm at the top, but is so worn it is very difficult to read. Thirty-eight years would pass before Hannah Chisholm was buried there in 1730.

Elsdon register 1692 Reignold Fenwick

Rev Newlands book "separate burial place appropriated to the Marshalls and him"

Plan of the Byrness burial ground

Another piece of evidence, perhaps the most important of all in proving that this was the chapel seen by John Warburton, is the array of 18th century burials within touching distance of the Marshall burial place. They are positioned mainly to the south of the burial place and just one to the west: none to the north, in keeping with church tradition. The plan below is from 1973 and the following image has the 18th century burials marked in red as they stood 1790.

Byrness burial ground 1973 (Bellingham history group)

Red dots marking 18th century burials and showing cluster around no.37 the Marshall/Chisholm aisle

Burials adjacent to the Marshall aisle

It would seem certain that there was a desire to bury the deceased as close to the Marshall aisle as was possible, even to the point of physically touching it with the gravestone. In Christianity there has always been a desire to be buried next to a church or even in it before the reformation rules banned inside church burials and then began the rush to get as close as possible and paying a premium to be there. In 1720 there was only five gravestones in the whole of the burial ground and yet these burials gravitated to the Marshall aisle. The graves below are the five closest to the Marshall aisle but the trend continued through the eighteenth century of placing graves to the south of the Marshall aisle, and following church tradition no 18th century burials appear to the north of it. At least two of these graves pre-date the Marshalls being granted the use of it.

The grave of James Fletcher 1735. This gravestone physically touches the Marshall aisle

The grave of Francis Hedly 1723. This gravestone also physically touches the Marshall aisle although it has fallen face down

The grave of Susan Hedley and family 1723. This is a table stone and stands four feet from the wall of the Marshall aisle

Below is the grave of John Robson and family 1733. This is another table grave and it stands seven feet from the Marshall aisle

Below is the grave of Ralph Heron and his family. There is no date of death for him but his son died in 1788 at the age of 67 so it's likely to be early 1700s. The gravestone stands only two feet from the Marshall burial aisle

Four of the graves can be seen in an excellent sketch by the Bellingham history group in 1973. Only the James Fletcher grave is not visible as it sits on the west facing wall

1973 sketch by the Bellingham History group

Conclusion

It seems much more likely than not that this structure is the original chapel, or a part of the chapel, which stood in the burial ground in the late medieval period. It could have fell into ruin during the Anglo Scottish wars which lasted 300 years from 1300s to the 1600s when the majority of the population were forced to flee. There would have been no congregation to attend. It also could have suffered damage as a direct result of the war. By the time people returned to Byrness during the 1600s, 300 years had passed. The chapel was in ruin and there wasn't anyone who would have remembered it as it was now many generations on, so apart from the two sightings recorded, there is no information about it available. Byrness from the 1300s to the year c.1600 was only a place for a handful of the bravest souls and it was the domain of the Border reivers and the Anglo Scottish armies. The chapel began it's new life as a burial aisle during the 1600s.

The eye-witness account from John Warburton in 1715 is indisputable. He said there was a chapel in ruins and now only used for burying. Only an eyewitness could have known that burials were taking place in the chapel. In 1715 only Reignold Fenwick was recorded as buried there in the Elsdon register in 1692. There could have been others without memorial stones.

The fact that neither the Marshalls nor the Chisholm's built it but were granted use of it means it existed before their time and it is unlikely to have been a burial aisle originally.

The earliest 18th century graves placed so close to it are an important factor in this study. Why else were they buried next to or even touching the Marshall aisle if it wasn't significant ? And why did they not bury anyone north of it?

The medieval build style of various sized oblong blocks laid with small stones inserted in the gaps is the style present in the Marshall aisle.

Hodgson in 1820 describes the aisle of the Hall family as "once finely ornamented", and the Akenhead aisle as "well-built of hewn free stone", whilst there is nothing special to say for a description of the Marshall aisle then or today. There is no decoration no niches with angels or carvings; the Marshall aisle is unremarkable, and has the appearance of nothing more than the bottom section of a stone built building. A chapel perhaps...

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