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Hawick, St Mary's Place, St Mary's Church

Cemetery (17th Century), Church (18th Century), War Memorial(S) (20th Century)

Site Name Hawick, St Mary's Place, St Mary's Church

Classification Cemetery (17th Century), Church (18th Century), War Memorial(S) (20th Century)

Alternative Name(s) War Memorial Communion Table And Book Of Remberance

Canmore ID 55336

Site Number NT51SW 10

NGR NT 50183 14345

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/55336

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Scottish Borders, The
  • Parish Hawick
  • Former Region Borders
  • Former District Roxburgh
  • Former County Roxburghshire

Archaeology Notes

NT51SW 10 50178 14352

(Combined with NT51SW 66)

(NT 5018 1434) St.Mary's Church (NAT)

OS 25" map (1938)

St Mary's Church was rebuilt in 1764, but little more than the tower is of this time as the remainder had to be rebuilt once more after a fire which took place in 1880. The tower is built of rubble in five stages and is surmounted, above the wall-head cornice, by an ogival slated roof with a wrought-iron weather vane. In all there are six storeys, of which the two at the top are respectively the clock-chamber and the bell-chamber. The clock dtaes only from 1873.

To the S and the SE of the church there may be seen several massive recumbent slabs of a type fairly commonly used inh the 17th century, but on only one of them has a name survived. This stone, which is itself badly weathered and has lost a corner, commemorates IEAN CHISHOLM, a defective date 16(??) following. Another similar slab shows a richly decorated border, and another the initials T D, which were formerly accompanied by the date 1661. The rest are featureless except, in some cases, for initials, or in one case a horseshoe, which do not seem to be original. Several 14th century capitals from the church are now in the Town Museum, Wilton Lodge.

Visited 28 March 1945, 20 September 1948.

RCAHMS 1956; J H Haining 1936

The earliest notice which has been discovered imports that the church of Hawick was dedicated to St. Mary by Adam, Bishop of Caithness, who was consecrated to that see in 1214 (Chronicles of Melrose). The church was probably Saxon, though the records give no information regarding the architecture or history of the original structure.

J Wilson 1850

St. Mary's Church is still in use. At the time of investigation the graveyard was under deep snow, and the recumbent slabs described by RCAHMS could not be satisfactorily examined.

The capitals in the Museum were not seen.

Visited by OS (RDL) 10 January 1963

No further information. Capitals not seen.

Visited by OS (JP) 18 August 1971

In March 1973, whilst excavation work was being carried out on a new footpath along the south-east wall of the church, a rough stone arch was uncovered approximately six feet six inches from the north-east gable. An exploratory dig by the building contractor extablished that the arch had simply been constructed to avoid disturbing alair which was within the thickness of the Church wall and had no connection whatsoever with the Buccleuch Vault.

Where exposed the arch had a span of 7' 4" and 1' 2" from the springing line to the ketstone. Large boulders served as foundations which were approximately 2' 6" below ground level. Before the excavations were back-filled a measured survey was carried out and a detailed drawing is now on record.

J Thomson 1973

Architecture Notes

NMRS REFERENCE:

Restored 1880 after fire.

Activities

Publication Account (1980)

The church at Hawick was dedicated in 1214 to the Blessed Virgin Mary by Adam Bishop of Caithness (Robson, 1937, 22). In 1763 a new church was built on the site of the old parish church which had fallen into ruin. Much of the material of the old edifice was used in the new erection, although the style was much plainer (Robson, 1937, 22). One nineteenth-century observer noted that the structure stood on a considerable eminence in the town centre and is to be seen from every direction, 'but alas the fabric with the old spire attached to it, is more like a farmer's granary or barn with a huge steam chimney upon, than a temple of devotion. ' (Wilson, 1841, 127).

Information from ‘Historic Hawick: The Archaeological Implications of Development’ (1980).

Project (February 2014 - July 2014)

A data upgrade project to record war memorials.

Sbc Note

Visibility: This is an upstanding building.

Information from Scottish Borders Council.

References

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