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Eccles, St Mary's Convent

Architectural Fragment(S) (Medieval), Font (Medieval), Nunnery (12th Century)

Site Name Eccles, St Mary's Convent

Classification Architectural Fragment(S) (Medieval), Font (Medieval), Nunnery (12th Century)

Alternative Name(s) Eccles House, St Mary's Convent

Canmore ID 58544

Site Number NT74SE 6

NGR NT 76352 41291

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/58544

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

  • Council Scottish Borders, The
  • Parish Eccles
  • Former Region Borders
  • Former District Berwickshire
  • Former County Berwickshire

Accessing Scotland's Past Project

St Mary's Convent, a Cistercian nunnery, was founded in the mid-twelfth century and was evidently situated near the present Eccles House. The remains of the convent consist of part of the barrel-vaulted ground floor and a number of architectural fragments which are incorporated into the modern garden wall.

The two surviving barrel-vaulted chambers are reached through round-arched doorways, and a staircase leads upwards from the right-hand door. Other remains include sections of walling, a font, and fragments of carved columns.

The convent is thought to have covered an area of about 6 acres in extent. A nineteenth-century source recorded that a large gate which marked the entrance faced west. Like many of the religious buildings in this area, the convent was reportedly burned down in 1545, the result of a two-day raid by the Earl of Hertford.

Text prepared by RCAHMS as part of the Accessing Scotland's Past project

Archaeology Notes

NT74SE 6.00 76352 41291

NT74SE 6.01 7637 4114 long cist

NT74SE 6.02 763 411 fish pond

See also NT74SE 9.

(NT 7634 4129) Remains of St Mary's Convent (NR)

(Cistercian Nuns Founded AD 1165)

OS 6"map, (1957).

St Mary's Convent of Cistercian Nuns is said to have been founded, for the second time, in 1156 (D E Easson 1957) (Although the Inventory, RCAHMS 1915, gives the date as 1165 this is not supported by its authorities, both of which agree with Easson).

It was destroyed by the English in 1545, and secularised in 1609.

The remains consist of two barrel-vaulted cells displaying on the north wall a blocked-up round-headed window and a small fragment of a string-course decorated with chevron ornament.

A number of carved stones, including two Transitional-style capitals, lie about and an ancient font stands in the rose-garden of Eccles House.

RCAHMS 1915; J Ferguson 1892; New Statistical Account (NSA) 1845.

The remains are now incorporated in a modern garden-wall, and the cells are covered by a concrete roof.

Visited by OS (JD) 28 January 1955.

As described above. The font is at NT 76346 41271.

Visited by OS (RD) 30 June 1966.

Activities

Field Visit (23 October 1908)

138. St Mary's Convent, Eccles.

The remains of St Mary's Convent, founded in 1165 for Cistercian nuns by, it is supposed, Gospatrick Earl of Dunbar, consist of some ruins at the west side of the churchyard adjoining the parish church of Eccles, and now forming the east wall of the rose-garden of Eccles House, on the site of the former mansion-house. There are two barrel-vaulted cells displaying on the north wall a blocked-up round-headed window and a small fragment of a stringed course enriched with a much-wasted chevron ornament. A number of carved stones, including two capitals of Transitional style, are lying about, also a very shallow bowl of stone with a broad projecting lip, the purpose of which is uncertain.

Font.

An ancient font stands in the garden. It is a plain circular bowl, perforated at the bottom: in external diameter 32 inches, internal 26 inches, and height 15 ½ inches.

See Ber. Nat. Club, 1890-1, p. 123; New Stat. Acct. (Ber.), p. 57.

RCAHMS 1915, visited 23rd October 1908.

OS Map: Ber., xxviii. NW.

Sbc Note

Visibility: Upstanding building, which may not be intact.

Information from Scottish Borders Council

References

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