The complexities of Religion and politics following the the Scottish reformation left the country in turmoil and there was a huge rise in Presbyterianism started by John Knox. King Charles II was in exile following Oliver Cromwell's rise to "Lord Protector". and after the execution of his father Charles I, Scotland wanted him to become their King. One condition of crowning him king was that he must embrace Presbyterianism in Scotland. He willingly agreed and swore on oath to do this and was crowned king and reigned as King of Scotland 1649 until 1651.
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| Charles ll |
Charles escaped Cromwell's armies in 1651 and fled to France in exile once again. Following the death of Oliver Cromwell and the failure of Cromwell's son Richard to gain Parliamentary support it was Charles that was called upon to become King of Great Britain in 1660, and he was crowned King in 1661. Contrary to the oath he had taken in Scotland regarding Presbyterians one of his first acts was to overturn that oath and so began the persecution of the Presbyterians or "dissenters". Charles II betrayal of the Scottish people was complete and new laws were introduced that would wreak havoc particularly in southern regions of Scotland. In 1685 alone there were some 100 executions of Presbyterian ministers which became known as "the killing time" and they were faced with three choices. They could convert to the Scottish Kirk or continue to preach and face execution, or they could flee Scotland. Many remained in Scotland and became martyrs after their execution and may fled to the safety of England. Some escaped Scotland by way of Redesdale and found in and around Byrness a population some of which were dissenters, some had turned their back on the church since the reformation, a few still clung to the Catholic way and some had accepted the new Church of England perhaps a few of them reluctantly. The Presbyterian ministers began preaching in the outdoors including around Byrness. These Presbyterian gatherings were called Conventicles and there was one at nearby Spithope and Babswood which is now beneath Catcleugh reservoir. The conversion of many of the population in and around Byrness was a success so much so that by 1688 a permanent congregation were attending service at "The Craig of Birdhope" were soon after a meeting house was erected which we know today as Birdhope Craig. It lasted as a Prebyterian meeting house until it's closure in the 1980s. It is now used as holiday accommodation. There are a number of Birdhope Craig's ministers buried in Byrness burial ground. In the mid 1600s there was a decision made to build a chapel of ease at Rochester which was probably taken to stem the Presbyterian rise in the area and give the Residents a place of worship locally who had before had to make the long journey to Elsdon. However this decision didn't come to fruition and it wasn't until 1793 that the church was erected at Byrness burial ground. Rochester eventually had a chapel of ease at nearby Horsley when the Holy Trinity church was built in 1844.
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| Birdhope Craig Presbyterian chapel [source] |
The relationships between the Presbyterians and Church of England in Redesdale seems to have been quite relaxed and the two denominations mixed with each other freely according to former Rector of Elsdon Charles Dodgson who was Rector there from 1732 until 1762. He writes in a letter of his surprise at the tolerance of the two religious factions
"The greater part of the richest farmers are Scotch dissenters, and go to a meeting-house at Birdhope Craig, about ten miles from Elsdon; however, they don’t interfere in ecclesiastical matters, or study polemical divinity. Their religion descends from father to son and is rather a part of the personal estate than the result of reasoning, or the effect of enthusiasm. Those who live near Elsdon come to the church, those at a greater distance towards the west go to the meeting-house at Birdhope Craig; others, both Churchmen and Presbyterians, at a very great distance, go to the nearest church or conventicle in the neighbouring parish. There is a very good understanding between the parties; for they not only intermarry with each other, but frequently do penance together in a white sheet with a white wand, barefoot, in one of the coldest churches in England, and at the coldest seasons of the year"Charles Dodgson (1722 - 1795) [1]
[1] Charles Dodgson was the Grandfather of the author Lewis Carroll.
