70 HISTORY OF BISHOP AUCKLAND. A word or two in explanation to the general reader may be necessary, with respect to those peculiar features in old church architecture mentioned in the foregoing report. " Sedilia" are niches in the walls, on the right hand side of the altar, within the chancel rails. They are found in all old churches that have been originally Catholic, and were used as seats for the Priests. They are generally three in number — one for the oflficiating priest, and the other two for the deacon and sub-deacon. The single sedilia, with the cinquefoiled pointed arch, was, no doubt, the one used by the Bishop. '* Piscinse" are small stone or marble cups, or basins, placed in small recesses in the wall on the right hand side of the altar, which have apertures at the bottom, connecting them with the earth, down which anything that has been consecrated by the Priest is put after use ; as, for instance, the water in which he washes the tips of his fingers, after handling the consecrated host, &c. There is, also, a double recess in the south transept (not noted in the report), on which two small doors have originally been hung, and in which, no doubt, the chalice and other sacred vessels were kept. The church is said to have formerly contained much stained glass,* which was all destroyed — as well as many memorial brasses and other monuments-^— at the dissolution of the Monasteries and during the Commonwealth, with the exception of one "window, left in the north transept, containing the arms of the Bellasis' family. This window has since shared the fate of the rest, and the old Puritanical spirit, which had been abroad from the time of EUzabeth, thus had its fiU. Under the window was inscribed the following curious couplet : — Bellysia, Bellysis, daft was thy sowell, When exchanged Bellysis for HenknowelL Henknowle, which stands a little to the west of the Deanery, is mentioned in the Boldon Buke. "Peter renders for his town of Henknowle 8s., and finds four oxen to cart wine." In Bishop Hatfield's time it was in the possession of GaJfrid de Henknowle, who died seized thereof, as being held of the Bishop in capite, by homage, fealty, and suit at the county, and eight shillings and sixpence rent at the exchequer. Soon after his time, Henknowle became part of the possessions of the Convent of Durham- John de Bellasis — struggling between the obligations of a self-imposed vow to go upon the Crusades on the one hand, and a strong attachment to the hereditary lands of his family, in the parish of Billingham, on the other — ^resolved to break the tie which restrained him from his duties, by parting with his estates. This he effected by exchanging them with the convent for Henknowle, which transaction is supposed to have taken place about 1380. It appears that he lived to return from the wars, and repent of his bargain, the memory of which was long preserved by the above couplett The stone effigy of a female, now lying under the tower, is said to represent a member of that famUy. Its date is about 1500, and the figure originally, no doubt, surmounted the tomb of the deceased lady, erected in some part of the Church. In the old parish registers of St Andrew's for christenings, under the date December, 1562, we find the following entry :— - The iij., a child of Sir William Bellasia, called James. Under the date 1579, we find the following : — April 12th.— William Claxton, SuHis (Sponsors).— Sir William Bellasis, Knight, FUUus Robert Claxton. Mr. Thos. Frankland, Mrs. Anne Huttonn. A member of this family, William de Bellasis, represented the City of Durham in four successive
- Hatchinson says—'* By the fn^eats of ooloared glMB, it seemB the windows were formerly highly decorated, and paintingi of
our Saviour's safferings still remain m the north windows. t Tradition has handed down that a member of the BeUasis family became the patron of horse racing, and held a position similar to that held bv Admiral Rons at the present time. We have an old couplet, stiU used by the boys of the present day when playing at horse races, which is said to have descended from hie time, viz : — Bellasis, BeUasis, what time o' day» One o'clock, two o'clock, horse and away. Digitized by Google
