| The Parish Church of St. John of Beverley, St. John Lee | |
|
| |
| History of the Church | |
|
|
This parish is described
as an ancient parish - established in the 10th century, although the earliest
recorded incumbent is John Del Clay 1311. The church appears to have been
built on the site of the oratory dedicated to St Michael referred to by Bede
[1]. Warden also lays claim to this [2] - but Warden did not belong to Hexham
until the 12th century whereas the ville and oratory to which John of Beverley
resorted during his time at Hexham (692 - 705) were on the lands of the Bishopric
- it was the property of the Priors of Hexham. (Prior Richard 1130 says Earneshow
- or Eagles Mount belonged to Hexham [3]). Warden's claim is based on the dedication of the church there to St Michael, the distance from Hexham, the situation under a hill on a peninsula, by the union of the two rivers North and South Tyne. An old building at the end of Warden Vicarage was said to be John of Beverley's residence. St John Lee's claim is based on the fact that on the north side of the Tyne is the Hermitage, which belonged to Hexham priory. It was called Hameshalg i.e. the hamlet in the haugh, haugh or vale. Hodgson is of the opinion that in the 10th century the monks of Hexham converted the oratory on the hill into a parish church, and instead of it and the manse to which St John was wont to retire, built on the haugh below the Hermitage and Chantry - which continued in their possession until their House was dissolved in 1535. The lands were in the hands of the crown in 1568 and have ever since gone by the name of Hermitage. In 1310 the church is described as Capella bea Johannis de Lega (the chapel of St John in the woods) A document dated 1429 gives the dedication to St John the Baptist. We do not know when the dedication to St John of Beverley was made - what is recorded is that the place was held in such veneration by the monks of Hexham that they visited it annually in high procession [4] - this could have been on Eve of John the Baptist. The name, St John Lee, means St John in the field /clearing in the wood. The area around here was covered with forest - hence the names Acomb (place of the oaks) and Oakwood. The Church has never been a spectacular building - it began, as we know as a small oratory. The present church was built by Dobson in the 19th century with substantial alterations made by the Newcastle architect Hicks in 1886 - at a cost of between £1700 and £1800. The church was widened, the chancel stepped and the spire constructed. [1] Bede A History of the English Church and
People (Penguin Books) reprint 1986 page 271 |
