The information below has been transcripted from an old book loaned to me by John Kirton. There may seem to be spelling mistakes etc. but this is written as seen. Any information that you may feel incorrect please email and I can look at putting a comment to them.
St Nicholas Church.
In common with other villages in this country, the parish Church forms the focal point of the village and St Nicholas Church at West Boldon is no exception to this custom.
Additions were made to the building shortly after its completion, and before the middle of the 13th century the present aisles were added. The porch was built at the same time, though at some later date the roof of the porch was lowered. This alteration can be seen in the present building. Evidence of the original nave is very marked at the west or tower end of the church. The tower and spire, while forming the most striking feature of the building are of an extremely interesting design. Formally, the south aisle was occupied by a chantry, the alter of which was surmounted by a string of dog tooth mouldings, part of which has been restored.
The belfry contains two bells, one of which is inscribed as follows: D.H.D.R. I.H.S. MARIA S. ANDREAS A.D. MCCCCCXXXVI. CATBERT THOMPSON EDWARD SEHAM MER.MT. IAW.
The chancel has largely been rebuilt and during the restoration, a piscine was removed from the church which had been presented by the late W. Scott of Sunderland and is now in the Castle chapel, but a double piscine remains. The church was closed for nearly 12 months from 1875 to 1876. the whole roof of the church was repaired, the three north windows of the chancel were replaced by stone mullions and plate glass.
The flat plaster ceiling of the chancel was taken down and the old sash windows at the west end of the church were replaced with new windows of a style better suited to the rest of the tower. The total cost of the alterations was £1700.
During the excavations for the boiler house, two stone coffins were found and can be seen at the side of the path leading to the door of the church. The sundial above the porch was made by R.E,Emmerson, the parish clerk, and son of the mathematician Wm. Emmerson of Hurworth.
The inscription on the sundial reads : Hic sciathurieus erectum fuit pro commodo Hujus ecclesiae.
A.D.1992 Lux umbra Dei.
In 1906, a fire occurred in the old church, caused by overheating in the boiler house which was sited under the organ loft. Fortunately the fire was prevented from spreading by the local volunteer Fire Brigade , otherwise the whole church would have been destroyed.
The Parish Register contains a record of parochial affairs dating from 1572. It begins:
The register book of the Parish of Bowedon. Such names as Redhead, Newlands and Lockey occur frequently in the earlier parts, and the size of the parish can be gauged by the fact that one, and occasionally two marriages per year were solemnised. Old spellings of names such as Jennet, Margarye and Allyse appear. The first baptism is: 1572 February 8th. James Hutchinson, son of Robert. God parents, James Chamber and Jennet odge.
The first marriage recorded is : 1573 May 18th John Redhead, Margaret Johnson.
1579 John and Agnes Rokesbye , buried ye one, ye 30, ye other ye 2nd May.
1587 December 8th. Thomas Taylor, Smith of East Bowedon.
1697 ye 4th November.
The said day, Mr Thomas Foster ( ye great ) of Lumley Castle, Steward of the Right Hon. The Earl of Scarborough was married with Miss Anne Fawcett of ( ye little ) , daughter of Mr Christopher Fawcett of Lambton, by virtue of licence. 1707 August 17th. Robert, son of George Lockey, at Watermill.
1750 According to the entries in the records, burials in the church at this time cost tenpence, and burials in the church yard five pence, with a clerks fee of one shilling and fourpence and eightpance respectively.
1766 January 7th. Buried, James Stephenson, schoolboy son of Boldon who was unfortunately shot by an infamous fellow shooting pigeons at Hylton.
1777 September 14th. Baptised, Isabella daughter of Robert Emmersom, schoolmaster and Isabella his wife.
1780 By consent of the Vestry, the additional fee of eight pence was added to the clerks fee so that the sextons part therof may be one shilling, upon condition that he lays an additional quantity of earth on each grave, brought from the waste ground upon account of the shallowness of the soil in the churchyard.
The church clock was according to the records, bought and set up in 1750 at the sole expense of the following.
Sir Richard Hylton, Bart £5 5 Od
John Stephenson £5 5 Od
Mathew Bell £5 5 Od
John Andrew £5 5 Od
Rev. Dr. Tew £5 5 Od
Rev. Nath. Clayton £5 5 Od
Mention of the church brings to mind the Rectors who, over the years have given faithful service to God and to the parishioners who live and lived nearby.
The old Rectory, originally built in the middle of the 18th century has now been demolished and the grounds have been developed into a private housing estate, appropriately named Rectory Green. The present Rector, Rev. Cosserat occupies one of the houses. The rectory as mentioned previously was built in the middle of the 18th century at an unknown date, but an inventory of 1792 tells us that in 1785, the rector, Rev. H. B;acket pulled down part of the house, rebuilt it and repaired and improved the old part.
The inventory reads : there is a pond, railed and hedged around, also a pump, and the rector two years ago sank a well.
The church is kept in repair by the parish, the chancel by the Rector. The clerk has £2 4s per annum paid out of different farms in the parish, and every cottager pays 4s at Easter which amounts to about a guinea. The Sexton has £2 per annum and one shilling for every grave.
At the time, one of the churchwardens was unable to sign his name and gave his approval with a cross. In 1819 the Rev. H.G. Liddel built an additional wing behind the house.
A plaque on the wall inside the church gives a list of the Rectors of Boldon from the time the church was first built. 1220. Wm. Alwerd was the first Rector and held the living until 1311 when John de Insula took office.
The late Rector the Rev. E. Marples died in 1968 and was responsible for raising the sum of £2250 by appeal for very urgent repairs to the church roof. The money was raised in1964 and the repairs have now been carried out.
At the time of writing (1969 ) the tower and spire of the church is surrounded by scaffolding due to repairs being carried out and an appeal for £5000 is out to meet the cost.
Taken in 2008 St. Nicholas West Boldon
The church was built in 1220, although it is believed that the present building was erected on the site of an earlier wooden structure probably of Saxon origin. The original stone building consisted of the present tower, with its spire, a nave without aisles and a chancel. Of this structure nothing now remains except the tower and the chancel arch.
Additions were made to the building shortly after its completion, and before the middle of the 13th century the present aisles were added. The porch was built at the same time, though at some later date the roof of the porch was lowered. This alteration can be seen in the present building. Evidence of the original nave is very marked at the west or tower end of the church. The tower and spire, while forming the most striking feature of the building are of an extremely interesting design. Formally, the south aisle was occupied by a chantry, the alter of which was surmounted by a string of dog tooth mouldings, part of which has been restored.
The belfry contains two bells, one of which is inscribed as follows: D.H.D.R. I.H.S. MARIA S. ANDREAS A.D. MCCCCCXXXVI. CATBERT THOMPSON EDWARD SEHAM MER.MT. IAW.
The houses on the left of the photo have now disappeared
The east wall of the tower is an earlier part and the west wall of an aisles church, in the north and south walls of which were built arcades. Some time afterwards the aisles were extended so as to include the tower part of the church. The spire, of which there are only five others in the country, is built entirely of stone, whereas the usual construction of that period was in timber and lead. It is formed of triangular facets sloping downwards instead of the ordinary pyramid shape.
Looking up from Rectory Bank - The Black Horse on the left.
In the vestry of the church there is a model of the spire in the form of an inkstand.
The chancel has largely been rebuilt and during the restoration, a piscine was removed from the church which had been presented by the late W. Scott of Sunderland and is now in the Castle chapel, but a double piscine remains. The church was closed for nearly 12 months from 1875 to 1876. the whole roof of the church was repaired, the three north windows of the chancel were replaced by stone mullions and plate glass.
The flat plaster ceiling of the chancel was taken down and the old sash windows at the west end of the church were replaced with new windows of a style better suited to the rest of the tower. The total cost of the alterations was £1700.
Taken from the Quarry , now the houses of Rectory Bank
There are two effigies of priests, one is in the chancel and one in the south aisle. There is also a tomb belonging to the Hyltons.
During the excavations for the boiler house, two stone coffins were found and can be seen at the side of the path leading to the door of the church. The sundial above the porch was made by R.E,Emmerson, the parish clerk, and son of the mathematician Wm. Emmerson of Hurworth.
The inscription on the sundial reads : Hic sciathurieus erectum fuit pro commodo Hujus ecclesiae.
A.D.1992 Lux umbra Dei.
Taken early one morning in March 2006
The rose window at the east end of the church was installed in memory of Reverend E.Graham, a former rector. The othe window was installed earlier in 1815.
In 1906, a fire occurred in the old church, caused by overheating in the boiler house which was sited under the organ loft. Fortunately the fire was prevented from spreading by the local volunteer Fire Brigade , otherwise the whole church would have been destroyed.
The Parish Register contains a record of parochial affairs dating from 1572. It begins:
The register book of the Parish of Bowedon. Such names as Redhead, Newlands and Lockey occur frequently in the earlier parts, and the size of the parish can be gauged by the fact that one, and occasionally two marriages per year were solemnised. Old spellings of names such as Jennet, Margarye and Allyse appear. The first baptism is: 1572 February 8th. James Hutchinson, son of Robert. God parents, James Chamber and Jennet odge.
The first marriage recorded is : 1573 May 18th John Redhead, Margaret Johnson.
1579 John and Agnes Rokesbye , buried ye one, ye 30, ye other ye 2nd May.
1587 December 8th. Thomas Taylor, Smith of East Bowedon.
1697 ye 4th November.
The said day, Mr Thomas Foster ( ye great ) of Lumley Castle, Steward of the Right Hon. The Earl of Scarborough was married with Miss Anne Fawcett of ( ye little ) , daughter of Mr Christopher Fawcett of Lambton, by virtue of licence. 1707 August 17th. Robert, son of George Lockey, at Watermill.
1750 According to the entries in the records, burials in the church at this time cost tenpence, and burials in the church yard five pence, with a clerks fee of one shilling and fourpence and eightpance respectively.
1766 January 7th. Buried, James Stephenson, schoolboy son of Boldon who was unfortunately shot by an infamous fellow shooting pigeons at Hylton.
1777 September 14th. Baptised, Isabella daughter of Robert Emmersom, schoolmaster and Isabella his wife.
1780 By consent of the Vestry, the additional fee of eight pence was added to the clerks fee so that the sextons part therof may be one shilling, upon condition that he lays an additional quantity of earth on each grave, brought from the waste ground upon account of the shallowness of the soil in the churchyard.
The church clock was according to the records, bought and set up in 1750 at the sole expense of the following.
Sir Richard Hylton, Bart £5 5 Od
John Stephenson £5 5 Od
Mathew Bell £5 5 Od
John Andrew £5 5 Od
Rev. Dr. Tew £5 5 Od
Rev. Nath. Clayton £5 5 Od
Mention of the church brings to mind the Rectors who, over the years have given faithful service to God and to the parishioners who live and lived nearby.
The old Rectory, originally built in the middle of the 18th century has now been demolished and the grounds have been developed into a private housing estate, appropriately named Rectory Green. The present Rector, Rev. Cosserat occupies one of the houses. The rectory as mentioned previously was built in the middle of the 18th century at an unknown date, but an inventory of 1792 tells us that in 1785, the rector, Rev. H. B;acket pulled down part of the house, rebuilt it and repaired and improved the old part.
The inventory reads : there is a pond, railed and hedged around, also a pump, and the rector two years ago sank a well.
The church is kept in repair by the parish, the chancel by the Rector. The clerk has £2 4s per annum paid out of different farms in the parish, and every cottager pays 4s at Easter which amounts to about a guinea. The Sexton has £2 per annum and one shilling for every grave.
At the time, one of the churchwardens was unable to sign his name and gave his approval with a cross. In 1819 the Rev. H.G. Liddel built an additional wing behind the house.
A plaque on the wall inside the church gives a list of the Rectors of Boldon from the time the church was first built. 1220. Wm. Alwerd was the first Rector and held the living until 1311 when John de Insula took office.
The late Rector the Rev. E. Marples died in 1968 and was responsible for raising the sum of £2250 by appeal for very urgent repairs to the church roof. The money was raised in1964 and the repairs have now been carried out.
At the time of writing (1969 ) the tower and spire of the church is surrounded by scaffolding due to repairs being carried out and an appeal for £5000 is out to meet the cost.
