Why Bartholomew

In Spittal a leper hospital (refuge) which was named after the Apostle Bartholomew, possibly because it's Chapel was consecrated on the Apostles feast day 24th August. It existed before 1234. Spittal derives it's name from ho-spital, as do many localities elsewhere, from some long dissapeared medieval refuge for the sick. The 'Spittal' stood on the site of the bungalows Hallowstell View, occupied between times by the buldings of Spittal Hall Farm and previously by the leper hospital and the defence tower known as Bather's Tower (afer the nephew of a Bishop of Durham) he built it in 1369. The tower was still there in 1616 and dissapeared when Spittal Hall Farm buildings were erected in the late 18th century. The hospital has long gone but the name was revived during the ministry of the Rev. John Leach. (His tomb is in the railed inclosure by the tower in our Church graveyard.) Tweedmouth Church became known as St.Bartholomew rather than plain "Tweedmouth Chapel." St Boisil's name was either forgotten or thought too odd a name to use or maybe 'tainted' by the rumbustious doings of the yearly Feast Weekheld every July. Perhaps it was felt that the name of one of the Twelve Apostles was more respectable than that of an a Anglo-Saxon Abbot. An interesting thing about Tweedmouth Feast is that it opens on 18th July - yet St. Boisils Day is on the 7th July - 11 days earlier. Why is this? In 1752 England, at last, changed from the Old Style to New Style Calender to conform to European practice established in 1582. The change involved leaving out 11 days in the calender - but onlyfor the year 1752. Many people resented the change and went on as if nothing had happened, however in most places as time went by the majority fell into line. Tweedmouth feast is still unchanged and keeps the Old Style, with 11 days difference...our own date!