Bar Locks and Early Church Security in the British Isles.

Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright Information -- Frontispiece: A simplified geological map of Britain and Ireland after the British Geological Survey. Published here by kind permission of the Natural Environment Research Council. -- Contents -- List of Figures -- Chapter One -- Keys and Bar Locks -- Figure 1.1. Simple bar lock as figured by Dr R. Borg in his 'Lexicon of locks and keys'. The bar locks in churches are typically held within holes in the wall. As illustrated here the principle of operation can be more easily observed -- Figure 1.3. Borg's sketches of Celtic Viking long iron keys from the Vӓrnamo area of Sweden -- Figure 1.4. A bronze key with a clawed blade probably of Viking origin dated to about AD 300 -- Figure 1.5. A further clawed key thought to be of Anglo-Viking origin and dated to about AD 900 -- Figure 1.6. A pull-ring lock Swedish key (dated to 1312-1313) photographed by Dr R. Borg. The mechanism requires two hands operate - one to draw the bolt, the other to turn the key. -- Figure 1.7. The north aisle door at Stragglethorpe, Lincolnshire (SK 913 524) which is retained in position by a bar lock -- Figure 1.8. Bedding stratification in sedimentary rocks and the resulting typical shape of hewn rocks (after Potter 2005b) -- Figure 1.9. The Anglo-Saxon quoin illustrated displays all possible orientations in which a stone may be positioned within the structure and the annotation first proposed (Potter, 2005b) to describe them. The notation (BVFR-BH-BVFL) refers to the bedding -- Figure 1.10. Detail of the lowest three stones (in the long and short Anglo-Saxon style) in the south-west nave quoin at Strethall church (TL 484 398) in Essex (after Potter, 2009c). From the lowest stone upwards, the bedding orientations are BVFR, BH, BV -- Figure 1.11 -- Figure 1.12.

Figure 1.13. At Monkwearmouth, Durham (NZ 402 577) the Anglo-Saxon heron carvings related to the west doorway can be seen on the relatively smooth bedding plane surfaces in the north jamb, and therefore on stones orientated BVFIA -- Chapter Two -- Church Bar Locks in England -- Figure 2.1. Advertisement in search of bar locks -- Figure 2.2 -- Figure 2.3 -- Figure 2.5 -- Figure 2.6. (Table 2.1). The central, west front door to Exeter Cathedral (SX 921 925), view north, with the bar lock in place. Note the pin to roll the weight of the bar on. The wooden roller appears to be a recent addition although the pin holding it ma -- Figure 2.10 -- Figure 2.7 -- Figure 2.8 -- Figure 2.11. (Table 2.1). Pittington church (NZ 328 426) south nave doorway has a bar lock hole, about half a metre deep, on its east jamb -- Figure 2.12. (Table 2.1). The bar lock hole in the west jamb of the south nave doorway at Barton-upon-Humber church (TA 035 219) -- Figure 2.13 -- Figure 2.14 -- Figure 2.15 -- Figure 2.16 -- Figure 2.17. (Table 2.1). Dr Brooke kindly provided this photograph of the complex bar locks visible on the west door of Bywell, St Peter church, Northumberland (NZ 049 614). These would appear to relate to the bar provision for two adjoining doors: the f -- Figure 2.18. (Table 2.1). Edlingham church in Northumberland (NU 114 091) possesses a west nave doorway which now leads to the later (probably late 13th C) west tower. The bar lock hole on the south jamb is visible. It presumably pre-dates the tower and f -- Figure 2.19. (Table 2.1). The south nave porch, and the view to the south nave door of Old Newton church, Suffolk (TM 059 625). Details of this church kindly supplied by M.J. Renshaw and Dr V.R. Harding.

Figure 2.20. (Table 2.1). Old Newton church, and a view of the interior of the south nave doorway to show the bar lock holes. The doorway probably dates from the 13th-14th C -- Figure 2.21. (Table 2.1). Old Newton church, detail of the west bar lock hole from the south nave doorway. The hole is lined with timber (as is the east hole) to permit easier movement of the bar. The lining was probably inserted about Victorian times -- Figure 2.22. (Table 2.1). This figure was also kindly submitted by M.J. Renshaw and Dr V.R. Harding. It illustrates what the author has been advised is the only window in the upper storey of the chantry chapel (the ground floor was subsequently the vestry -- Figure 2.23 -- Figure 2.24 -- Figure 2.25 -- Figure 2.26. (Table 2.1). The east side bar lock hole for Thornham Parva south nave door -- Figure 2.27. (Table 2.1). The west side bar lock hole for Thornham Parva south nave door. The hole shows how it has been cut (probably through the earlier Norman walling) to accommodate the needs of a new bar lock and door (such as a change in door thickn -- Figure 2.28 -- Figure 2.29 -- Figure 2.30. (Table 2.1). Long Marton church (NY 666 240), Westmorland, here exhibits the one time south bar lock hole for this west nave doorway, when at about table top height the bar lock hole was used to the east of the door's rebate. This hole proves -- Figure 2.31. (Table 2.1). In the instance of Morland church (NY 598 225), rather than the west nave door, the locking system relates to the tower's east doorway. The tower door is reached by steps from the nave floor -- Figure 2.32 -- Figure 2.33 -- Figure 2.34 -- Figure 2.35 -- Figure 2.36. (Table 2.1). The disused church at Pateley Bridge, in Yorkshire (SE 164 656) retains the bar lock holes for three doorways. Shown here is the north doorway, with the bar lock hole in its east jamb -- Chapter Four.

Church Bar Locks in Wales -- Figure 4.1. (Table 4.1). Capel Bettws, Carmarthenshire (SN 278 282) is a 13th C. ruin viewed here from the south-east. The chapel has a chancel arch and a very narrow north aisle, all in ruins. -- Figure 4.2. (Table 4.1). Capel Bettws is here viewed to show the interior of the nave and the position of the west doorway. Over the last few years the wall surrounding the west door has collapsed and the draw bar holes are no longer visible. -- Figure 4.3. (Table 4.1). A further Carmarthenshire, 13th C. chapel ruin is Capel Dyddgen (SN 465 126). The principal remnant of the chapel which can be distinguished is the tower, here seen from the north-west. -- Figure 4.4. (Table 4.1). Capel Dyddgen tower arch, as seen from the vestige of the nave which still exists to its east beneath the ivy. The ground floor of the tower has a stone pointed barrel roof. -- Figure 4.5. (Table 4.1). From within Capel Dyddgen tower the bar lock holes of the south jamb of both the one time west nave door and the tower's eastern door (the nearer) may be seen. The relationship reveals that the chapel originally terminated at its -- Figure 4.6. (Table 4.1). A unicelled church, St Teilo, Llanfihangel Abercynwyn is also a ruin in Carmarthenshire (SN 303 134). The church shows evidence related to rebuilding, including an early extension to its east end. The west wall of the church has b -- Figure 4.7 -- Figure 4.8 -- Figure 4.9 -- Figure 4.10. (Table 4.1). The Benedictine abbey church of St Dogmael, Pembrokshire (SN 164 458) is also a ruin. This doorway is preserved towards the western end of the northern wall of the nave and is here viewed from the inside to show the west jamb and -- Figure 4.11. (Table 4.1). This view of the St Dogmael nave north door shows the appearance of the same bar lock hole from the exterior.

Figure 4.12. (Table 4.1). The same north nave door at St Dogmael church viewed to show the east jamb from the exterior. The external ball-flower ornament has been described as of late 13th C. date. A worn lower possible bar lock hole is visible towards th -- Figure 4.13. (Table 2.1). In Montgomery, the church of Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain (SJ 221 204) provides an example of a bar lock using one side of the doorway only. The bar operates into the east jamb of the south door of the nave, with the door hinged on -- Chapter Five -- Church Bar Locks in Ireland -- Figure 5.1 A map of Ireland indicating the positions of the Patterned churches examined by the present author in Potter (2009) -- Figure 5.2 The inside of the west doorway to Glendalough Cathedral (T 123 968). The stonework is laid to typical Anglo-Saxon (Patterned) style with the exception of the doorway jambs which have been cut into and modified to provide a setting for a later d -- Figure 5.3 The outside of the west doorway to Glendalough Cathedral seen in Figure 5.2. The stonework is clearly to 'Patterned' style (Folder 310mm. long). -- Chapter Seven -- A Review of Possible Church Modifications to Enhance Security -- Figure 7.1. This copy of (Brooke, 2000, Figure 3) is kindly provided by that author, he also advises that, the final version was drawn by Peter Ryder. Resulting from the much more extensive geographical and historical present study, and in wishing to ackn -- Figure 7.2. Kindly supplied by Dr Brooke, this figure of part of Blanchland abbey (NZ 946 448), Northumberland, displays an instance of a staircase where a mid-wall has been built which restricts the width available in which people could circulate. -- Figure 7.3. This figure is again from Dr Brooke.

it illustrates the tower parapet at Biggar church, south Lanarkshire. The parapet was clearly hurriedly built (following difficult times related to the restoration of the monarchy {1660-90} and a requiremen.

This book examines the evidence for the measures taken to make church buildings secure or defensible from their earliest times until the later medieval period. In particular it examines the phenomenon of 'bar locks' which the author identifies in many different contexts throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

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Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2024. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.