Category: Northumberland

              I parked by St Cuthbert’s Bedlington, NZ260817, wandered in, admired the plaque and the entrance pillars, and was greeted by a big hug from Elizabeth, one of the clergy. The church is on an ancient site, perhaps 8th century. It is recorded that Bishop Cutheard of Chester-le-Street purchased land for a church, priest’s house and farm around 900. The first recorded incumbent was Eilaf, who is thought to have been one of the seven monks who left Holy Island in 875 carrying Cuthbert’s body. This is a Saxon carving of angels. Norman...

St John’s church Killingworth is not easy to find. The main road through the village is the B1505, and Dial Cottage, Stephenson’s House is here. I visited this for HOD 2010 – it is in the old centre of the village. The locomotive Blucher was built here, Rocket was trialled here, and his safety lamp was produced for this colliery – one of the deepest in the world. It closed in 1882. The new town was built to the north of the church in the 1906s, and 70s. The church is at NZ279710. I arrived about 1030 and found...

Our friend Lewis Hanna had an art exhibition at Allendale Forge Studios, so we drove south on the last Saturday of August. A small exhibition of his wonderful work. The cafe is wonderful too. Here is the puffin picture which we own – it is not for sale. The market square of Allendale looks derelict since the Dale Hotel stands derelict – and apparently has done for 9 years. It must be very depressing trying to keep the village looking good, trying to attract tourists and business, when a major building is decaying. The bright yellow Tynedale links bus turned...

It was 2011 when I blogged about Bamburgh. I went back earlier this year but the photos weren’t brilliant. This coming Sunday (31 August 2014) is the Feast of St Aidan and I want to do an Evening Service about him (St Mary’s Ponteland at 6.30 pm). It was a lovely Tuesday afternoon, so we went for a drive. Bamburgh was busy. Since our last visit they have produced two new guidebooks, both by Christopher Hull, one of the church, another of the reredos. Very good, very colourful, but the first only does the church interior – I commented...

Seghill church does not feel as if it is in Seghill – you drive through the town, waving at the Methodists well located on the main street, cross the level crossing on the freight line, turn left at the P&G roundabout, and find the church down the end of a lane – NZ296751. You can buy a 24 page “Short History of Seghill Parish” or a longer “History of Seghill Parish” – I went for the short version! This was a huge mining area in the C19 and the parish of Earsdon had eight townships, but only the parish...