Warkworth Church mysterious arch ??
 

While doing our survey of St Lawrence's Churchyard for the core material of the Amble and District site, we noticed two arches built into the north section of the churchyard wall, facing out onto the narrow road down to the riverside. (see pic)

maybe it's obvious, so excuse my ignorance, but does anyone know what they were for?? they are, on the churchyard side, completely below ground level.


one arch shown here - the other is just visible joining the springer stone and passing off camera to the left:

http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/images/church_arch.jpg



together they join, off camera, this length of wall.


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/images/church_arch2.jpg

They do look like functional arches, being footed onto quoins rather than decorative arches. I wonder how much higher the modern road is compared to the surface when this wall was built in a.d.? I can,t imagine they,ve ever been high enough for folk to walk through. Perhaps a watercourse, open sewer or similar allowing run off to the river?

Good thinking, yes perhaps the road has built up over the years, and they may have a fair bit more height to them. Behind the wall is the earth of the churchyard though, which is built up to the top of the wall (with two very large trees close to the wall.) very mysterious

Wouldn't mind having a bit dig around to find out. Can't see that happening though. lol

By the way, well done on that piece for St Lawrence you've got on Genuki. I found out a few things i hadn't come across before :)

...and the more we read the more questions we have. it's a bit addictive this local history thing.

Regarding the churchyard, there was a bit of digging going on against the north side of the church a year or two ago, not near the mysterious arches though. Two new buttresses have been installed, during the excavations they uncovered at least one skeleton (unsurprisingly) and I'm sure it was an early one, 12c maybe?

Anyway, I wonder if the north of the churchyard was elevated at some point over older medieval burials so they could fit more in? do they do that sort of thing?
Thinking about the number of burials the place has had to accommodate over 800 or 900 years, plus the alleged 300 killed in the Warkworth Massacre? space must be a little cramped in there.

Here's the north side with the two new buttresses, stick out like sore thumbs don't they? never mind will be totally blended in in 300 years. :D


http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag...ce_butress.jpg

here's that drawing of it a little closer to its original form:

http://www.coquetandcoast.co.uk/imag..._warkworth.jpg

the organic lawnmowers look contented anyway.