During 2012 we will be making available a number of interesting articles and historical documents relating to the church on this website. We will be adding to the links below over the coming months:
The Spelling of the name ESCOMB
A debate still continues about whether Escomb should be spelled ‘Escomb’ or Escombe’ In fact it has been spelt in a variety of ways over the centuries (as found in historical records), namely; Idascum, Escumba, Ediscumba, Ediscumb, Eastcombe, Eskeham, Escom, Escoumb, Escombe and Escomb.
The Bolden book (in Latin) records Escumba and Ediscumba on the same page. A plan of the church in 1525 uses Escomb and collection lists for 1684 and 1696 use two different spellings. The Revd. Thomas Lord in the second half of the 19th century spelled it both with and without an ‘e’. The present church congregation uses ‘Escomb’.
The Name of the Church
We call the church Escomb Saxon Church, as we have no historical records that record a saint’s name. Older guide books use St. John’s, Escomb and this was the name of the Victorian church built at the top of the hill in 1863 (demolished 1971).
There is one very tenuous hint that the Saxon church might have had St John as its saint’s name and this is in Bishop Hatfield’s survey of 1381 when several tenants were required to render dues of 6s 8d at the festival of St John in March. However, the tenants were also required to pay 15s 9d at the festival of St. Cuthbert in September. These are the only saints’ days mentioned besides the 4 terms of the year.
There is also mention that the freeman Ralph de Eure owned land called ‘St Wilfrid’s acre’ in Escomb in the 14th century.
Early / Medieval History
The first mention of the parish of Escomb c 995>>
Escomb in the Bolden Book of 1183 >>
Bishop Pudsey Charter – Bishop of Durham from 1153 to 1195 >>
Bishop Hatfield’s Survey – A survey carried out in the 1300’s >>
Ralph de Eure c1346 – An account of the only Free Tenant in the village in 1381 >>
Escomb Church in the 13th to 15th Century>>
Early Modern History (16th to 18th century)
The Vicars of Escomb Church Since 1575>>
Escomb Church registers begin in 1543>>
Interesting extracts from the Burial Register>>
Historical Overseer and Church Warden Accounts 1683 1784>>
19th century to the present
What happened between 1863 and 1969 >>
Rev. Thomas Ebeneezer Lord and his role in restoring Escomb Church >>
An historical account of the re-opening of Escomb Church in 1880 >>
A letter by Rev. Thomas Ebeneezer Lord putting the record straight >>
Escomb Saxon Church 