Eccles

 

Parish No 737 Eccles is located within the County of Berwickshire which is now known as the Scottish Borders.  Eccles lies approximately 5 miles south east of Greenlaw.  For a map showing the location of Eccles please click here.

 

Eccles at one time had a Cistercian Nunnery called the Convent Church of St Mary the Virgin which was founded by Gospatrick the Earl of Dunbar.  The Nunnery was destroyed by English Troops in 3 raids which took place in the 1540s.  The convent was located within the village of Eccles of which very little remains.

 

"A parish in the county of Berwick, extending 8 miles in length from E. to W. and nearly 6 in breadth ... The river Tweed is the boundary on the S. and possesses a valuable salmon fishing, the property of the Earl of Home. There was an ancient nunnery, of which nothing remains except 2 vaults, in the neighbourhood of the mansion of Eccles. About a mile to the N.E. of the village of Eccles is a monument erected to one of the Percies, who fell in an engagement with one of the rival family of Douglas, in which the slaughter was so dreadful, that tradition reports that a little streamlet in its neighbourhood ran with blood for 24 hours. Population in 1801, 1682."

 

from Gazetteer of Scotland published 1806, Edinburgh.

 

Church History

 

Eccles Convent

 

It is believed the foundation of the convent dates from between 1145 and 1156, however as far as I am aware nothing has been found to give a more exact date.  The convent was founded by Gospatrick the 3rd Earl of Dunbar.  The convent was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and was known as the Convent Church of St Mary the Virgin.  Eccles Church was given to the Cistercian Convent of Eccles in around 1156. 

 

Eccles Parish Church

 

It is thought that Eccles Parish Church was founded before the Convent.  The Parish of Eccles also had 3 other chapels which were dependent upon Eccles Parish Church.  These chapels were located at Birgham, Leitholm and Mersington.  In around 1156 Eccles Parish Church was given to the Cistercian Convent.  Eccles Parish Church was originally dedicated to St Cuthbert however in 1248 the church was dedicated to St Andrew by Bishop David de Bernham.  It is thought that church may have been re-built in the 1250s.  In 1627 there were between 1200 and 1300 within the congregation receiving communion.

In 1774 the church was demolished as it was said to have been too small for the size of congregation.  A new church was built to the west of the previous church and could seat around 1000 members of the congregation.  The new church had box pews which had the initials of the holders on them.

 

Birgham Chapel

 

Birgham Chapel was dedicated to St Mary Magdalene.  In 1289 the marriage of the English Prince of Wales and Princess Margaret of Scotland was agreed by a Scottish convocation [a convocation is a group of people brought together by summons].  The treaty of Birgham was also signed here in 1289 which affirmed Scotland’s Independence the following year.

 

Leitholm Chapel

 

It is thought that Leitholm Chapel was built prior to 1156.  The Chapel was dedicated to the Virgin Mary.  In 1609 it was said that Leitholm Chapel was regarded as the Parish Church of Eccles.  Leitholm Chapel and graveyard was located at the west end of the village on Chapel Knowe.

 

Mersington Chapel

 

Mersington Chapel was dedicated to St John.  The village of Mersington is now just ruinous.  It is thought that the foundation marks that can be seen at the highest point in the field are of Mersington Tower which was destroyed in 1545 by Hertford’s Army.  In the same field near to the road the burn are foundation marks of approximately 4 terraced cottages.  To the east of the cottages are more foundations, these foundations are thought to have been that of the Chapel.

 

Military Records / Gravestone Inscriptions / Taxations

A number of Parishes within Scotland created lists of men able to fight within the Militia.  These lists were drafts for the Napoleonic Wars.  The Borders Family History Society has published a book called ‘Eccles Monumental Inscriptions’.  This booklet contains information on the inscriptions of gravestones as well as the Militia Lists.  This booklet also contains information on the taxes levied by the government in the 1690s.  Also Hearth Tax Records were kept and have been published within this booklet.

Population

 

Here are some figures showing the parish's population through time:

 

1755

1489

 

1831

1885

 

1871

 

1801

1682

 

1841

1861

 

1881

1551

1811

1820

 

1851

 

 

1891

 

1821

1900

 

1861

 

 

1901

 

 

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