North Gosforth Chapel, burial ground

HER Number:
13404

District:
Newcastle

Site Name:
North Gosforth Chapel, burial ground

Place:
North Gosforth

Map Sheet:
NZ27SW

Class:
Religious Ritual and Funerary

Site Type: Broad:
Mixed Cemetery

Site Type: Specific:
Churchyard

General Period:
Medieval

Specific Period:
C12-C18

Form of Evidence:
Structure

Description:
The evidence for burials consisted of coffins, grave covers, plain and decorated, medieval and C17, and 4 skeletons found in the chancel. Burials suggest it was a parochial chapel. Burials possibly into 18th century. The medieval chapel probably fell into ruins in the 17th century but its attached burial ground remained in use. In the 1780s a clergyman read a burial service there. Several medieval grave slabs and later gravestones lie scattered around the ruins in the grass. The most easily read is to William Hedley, yeoman, who died in 1664. He, his wife and their 12 children are buried here. 'IN CHRISTAIN HOPE ONE RESTS HERE, OBSCURE YET TENDER SHED A TEARE, HE WAS A GODLY ZEALOUS YOUTH, NEVER DESERTING FROM THE TRUTH, HUMILITIE LOVE HONESTIE, EACH VERTUE OF HUMANITIE, DID IN HIM FLOURISH, WHILE HERE HE LIVED IN FAITH HOPE AND CHARITIE, ENDING THIS LIFE IN GODLY SORT, YIELDING TO THE WORLD A GOOD REPORT'. His arms and crest appear below the epitaph. A less readable stone to John Robinson is adjacent. A watching brief in 2009 by the County Archaeologist during the installation of an information board recorded human bones.

Easting:
2464

Northing:
7011

Grid Reference:
NZ24647011

Lats/Lons:

Sources:
J. Brand, 1989, History of Newcastle I, pp. 321-2 J. Bell, 1832, An Account of the Remains of a Chapel,…near Low Gosforth House, Archaeologia Aeliana, 1, II, pp. 243-245 G.B. Richardson, 1841, Remains of the Old Chapel of So.(sic) Gosforth 184,1Northumberland Records Office E. Mackenzie, 1825, History of Northumberland Vol. II, p. 470 Rev. R.E. Hooppell, 1882, On the Ruins of an Early Church at North Gosforth, near Newcastle… JBAA, Vol. 38, pp. 117-121 S. Holmes, 1883, Recent Investigations at the Ruined Chapel of North Gosforth, Archaeologia Aeliana, 2, IX, pp. 205-210 R. Welford, (date unknown) A History of the Parish of Gosforth pp. 19-22 J.C. Hodgson,1916, Notices of Ruined Towers, Chapels, etc. in Northumberland circa 1715, Archaeologia Aeliana, 3, XIII, p. 12 M.H. Dodds, 1930, North Gosforth Chapel, Northumberland County History, XIII, pp. 338-9 Photo, Newcastle Planning Dept. City Engineers Reprographics, 1980, North Gosforth Chapel Neg. nos. 7925/1-4 W.W. Tomlinson, 1899, North Gosforth Chapel, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle, 2, VIII (for 1897-98), 227; Archaeological Services Durham University, 2005, North Gosforth Chapel, Kingsley Avenue, Newcastle upon Tyne - geophysical surveys; Alan Morgan, 2004, Beyond the Grave - Exploring Newcastle's Burial Grounds, pages 161-2