David Hewlett is the Vicar of Corbridge, and was a friend of Neil Collings (Dean of St Eds). On Wednesday 22 June he bought me a very nice lunch at The Wellington in Newton – the waitress told us we should be on the stage. We then went to explore Halton church, one of his.
A little church with a long name – St Oswald, St Cuthbert and King Alfwald. It is at grid reference NY998678, next to the Castle which I photoed from the Wall Walk a few weeks ago (did I mention I have walked the Wall?). I had to look Alfwald up. Wikipedia gives him a mere six lines. He was king of Northumbria from 779 to 788, and is thought to have been a son of Oswulf. He was murdered by Sicga on 23 September 788 (probably at Chesters, but it could have been here). He was buried at Hexham Abbey.
It is probable that this is an Anglo Saxon church. The walls are made of re-used Roman stones, we are only a mile or so south of the Wall, and are the same width as those at Escomb in County Durham, a Saxon church I have failed to get to. Saxon walls tend to be higher, so perhaps they were lowered in the middle ages, perhaps when Halton Castle was built next door.
The church was almost ruined by the C16. Cuthbert Carnaby of Halton, whose father had become rich in the service of Henry VIII, gave the church its present windows and South door. The wooden roof was added in 1706, a neat battlemented parapet was built and the bell turret added.
Outside the church we have a Roman altar, and the tomb of William Carnaby who died in 1686.
It also has a topiary pig – do they have a faculty for that? I think they should do a topiary Vicar.
Tracing up some ancestors (Rutter family) when I came across your delightful and informative post.
I’ve really enjoyed it.
Have you come across Max Adams’s books which explore the history of this area in early Christian times in the run-up to Alfred the Great and beyond (and in the context of what happened elsewhere in Britain and Ireland)? The Land of Giants is his travelogue for these books.
Thanks, seems a long time since I wrote that blog. Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, I enjoy Max Adams books, must read them again soon. Currently enjoying Ellis Peters Cadfael series – long time since I read those too. Lockdown has its benefits! Best wishes, Peter
I’ve often thought this might be a Saxon church – for all the reasons mentioned in the article. I wonder if there are any other references regarding this.
I’m afraid it takes more than inclusion of Roman material to make a building Anglo-Saxon – or that would apply to every farmhouse along the line of the Wall! Sad to say that the Wall was considered a common quarry for many centuries before steps were taken to conserve what was left.
The official listing of the chapel states that it is of Norman origin but most of the fabric is 16th century. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1155675?section=official-list-entry