On the northern frontier of the Roman Empire, our  parish has a long, turbulent history. Once part of the ancient Kingdom of Northumbria, for nearly 500 years it lay in the battlelands  of England  and Scotland.

Although some practice of Christianity did continue after the roman occupation ended in the 4th century A.D. this  was a time of anarchy. Christianity was only re-established throughout the area  by  the efforts of  Celtic missionaries  in the succeeding centuries. The origins of  Kirkandrews Church may lie in one such re-established Christian community.

Until the suspension footbridge was built in 1877 by Francis Morton of Liverpool, parishioners from the Moat side had to cross to the Church by ferryboat. Three churches are known to have existed on the site.

The Present  Church - In 1775 the present elegant Georgian Church was built on an unusual north south alignment,  possibly due to  lack of space on the site. The builder was the Rector, the Reverend Doctor Robert Graham, a descendent of Sir Richard Graham of Esk who had inherited the Netherby Estates. Dr. Graham was celebrated for his development of Longtown and the agricultural improvements he introduced on the estate.

Dressed  triangular  stones in the churchyard wall indicate they once formed part of a gable end suggesting that  the stone from the  Church of 1635 may have been re-used to build the wall.

The  interior of Church was simple with a  Florentine ceiling,  chequer-board tinted glass window panes,  lime washed walls, a high pulpit and  box pews.  In 1892/4  this simple interior was remodelled in the painted and gilded Baroque style by the distinguished church architect Temple Moore of Hampstead, London who trained under George Gilbert Scott and who himself  later trained Scott’s son Sir Giles Gilbert Scott.  The remodelling cost £1850.

Between 1993 and 2008 major repairs, including the damage caused by an earth tremor in 1988, renovations  and redecoration  were carried out  in three phrases, The Florentine ceiling and walls were restored to their original Georgian colours with the help of English Heritage.  The total cost was £70,000.

The Second Church   - In  1631 the Rector of Arthuret petitioned for the rebuilding of Kirkandrews Church so that the  Kirkandrews inhabitants could receive religious instruction.  Because of the need to cross the Esk they were unable  to attend  Arthuret Church.  In response to the Rector’s request  King Charles I  granted Sir Richard Graham of Esk, as Richard Graham had then become, power to refound a Church “where the Church of Kirkandrews formerly stood”.

Rebuilding began in 1635; it was completed two years later.  A new Rector was instituted on 28 August  1637  and  the Church was provided with a Communion Cup and Cover. This  Cup and Cover  bearing  hallmarks of York 1637 is on display in Carlisle Cathedral Treasury.

The only information on the rebuilt Church is from the early 18th century and  describes it as  “standing on props” ; apparently  it had no steeple, belfry or bells but the inside had a decent choir, well railed communion table, uniform seating and floor. Unfortunately the construction had been undertaken in ”a thoroughly shoddy manner”  and the Church needed frequent and expensive repairs throughout its use.

The Pacification of the Borders  - After the Union of the Crowns of England in 1603  King James immediately acted to pacify and bring order to  the Border area.  George Clifford, Earl of Cumberland was appointed Lord Warden of the West and Middle Marches with power “to subdue the rebellious persons therein”. Many of the Graham families were transported at public expense to Ireland and the Low Countries   An exception was Richard Graham son of Fergus Graham of Plump near Springfield who sought advancement at the English Court  in the service of the Duke of Buckingham.  As a reward for his  efforts  George Clifford was  granted  of most of the old barony of Liddel Lands.  On George’s death  these passed to his brother Francis Clifford.  Francis then increased the holding by acquiring  a further 15 square miles of Debateable Land.

Meanwhile  Richard Graham prospered at Court. When Charles I succeeded his father King James Richard  became an Equerry to the new King and in 1628 was able to purchase the Barony of Liddel and Debateable Land holding from Francis Clifford.

Richard remained a loyal servant of the King throughout his life fighting for the royalist cause at the Battle of Edge Hill and later accompanying the King to his execution in Whitehall. As the King stepped onto the scaffold he handed Richard his Bible .

The First Church - Kirkandrews Church was gifted in 1165 to Jedburgh Abbey together with the Priory of Canonbie by the Norman Baron of Liddel, Turgot de Rossedale. During the 13th Century the river Esk formed the boundary between England and Scotland but by the following century England was laying claim to a tract of land between the rivers Esk and Sark as far as  Canonbie,  hence the name  Debateable Land. As the area’s population increased and turned to cattle raiding and reiving, the rule of law broke down and the area became increasingly wild and lawless.

Notorious Graham clan members built their Pele Towers in our parish along the lower reaches of the Esk and Sark; that which  Tom Graham built about 1550 stands opposite the Church.

After negotiations with  the French ambassador intervening  as a potential arbitrator, the line of the Border across  the Debateable Land was finally settled in 1552. The settlement resulted in the transfer of some 60 square miles of land  to the  parish of Arthuret  (Longtown) in England. The settlement did not bring peace; the activities of the Reivers continued; the Church was in ruins; the practice of organised religion ceased; and as no priests were available to conduct marriages the custom of hand fasting evolved.

The Ivy Clad Church c.1900