St Andrew
Bothal, Northumberland
A wonderful, quiet, sacred space with most interesting medieval stained glass and knight's tomb.
The church of St Bartholomew is in a remarkably impressive situation away from the town, in a treeless churchyard very close to the sea. The town was originally called South Wallerick, after the Danish invasion in AD875 the town was renamed Neubegang or Newbegining, with several different spellings until we have the present Newbiggin.
There is evidence of an ancient Saxon Chapelry here, this chapel of ease is supposed to have been built by the monks of Lindisfarne and used by them in their mission to Northumbria an also on their journeys to and from Tynemouth Priory and Whitby.
The present church has 13th century origins. It was once the 'daughter' church in the parish of Woodhorn but was made the 'mother' church of the parish when St Mary the Virgin in Woodhorn was declared redundant in 1973.
There are many interesting and attractive features to be seen in this light and airy church. Especially striking is the east window by Stanley Murray Scott (1912-1997). One feature that is present throughout any visit, yet often unmarked 'is the ceaseless murmur of the sea which pervades the building even on calm day, as it no doubt has done ever since a church stood on this site'.