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Wheel, Liddesdale, Roxburghshire

Location
(55°17′33″N, 2°37′30″W)
Wheel
NT 604 000
pre-1975 traditional (Scotland) Roxburghshire
now Scottish Borders
medieval Glasgow
now n/a
medieval unknown
  • James King

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Feature Sets
Description

The Wheel Kirk was sited beside the Wheel Causeway in Liddesdale. Although the church and village have long disappeared, in 1914 excavations were carried out on the site of the church, when various carved stones and the foundations of the church were unearthed. The excavations showed a two-celled church with a rectangular nave and narrower, rectangular chancel. It is uncertain when the church was abandoned, but it appears to have occurred after the Reformation. In 1600 the 'Quheill' Church in Liddesdale is mentioned as 'waist' and valued at £10. On 9 December 1604, the Wheel Kirk was united to Castleton. The church was still marked on Blaue's map in 1648, but by the mid-19thc nothing survived above ground.

History

The village at 'Le Whele' is mentioned in 1296. At some point, the church belonged to Jedburgh Abbey. Unfortunately, the Chartulary for Jedburgh Abbey no longer exists, so it is unclear when the church was given to the abbey. It's first known mention comes in 1347 when the Hospital or free chapel was granted to William de Emeldon. References to the village of 'Le Whele' and 'Wyel' can be found in 1296 and in 1307-8 it is mentioned as 'Quele in Lydelsdale'.

Features

Loose Sculpture

Bibliography

J. Alison, 'Recent excavations at Wheel Kirk, Liddesdale', Transactions of the Hawick Archaeological Society, Hawick 1917, 12.

I. Cowan, The Parishes of Medieval Scotland, Scottish Record Society, 93, Edinburgh 1967, 209.

N. Harris, ‘A Narrative of the Progress of King Edward the First in his Invasion of Scotland in the year 1296: Communicated, with some Observations thereon’,Society of Antiquaries of London, Archaeologia, 21 (London 1827), 495.

RCAHMS, An Inventory of Ancient and Historical Monuments of Roxburghshire, Vol. 1, Edinburgh 1956, 88 no. 77.

H. Scott, Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae, new edition, Edinburgh 1917, 231.

G. Watson, 'Wheel Kirk, Liddesdale', Transactions of the Hawick Archaeological Society, Hawick 1914, 20-22.