On the Feast of Stephen (which this year fell on a Sunday) I had a turkey sandwich for lunch and then drove to Chollerford and parked by “The George”. The North Tyne was frozen, and it looked gorgeous. The bridge replaced one destroyed by a flood in 1771 – more information at www.bridgesonthetyne.co.uk/chollro.html – this is a marvellous website, and it tells me that “literary giants W.H. Auden and John Steinbeck” have stayed at the George – one day they will add the line that “literary blogging giant Peter parked his car here”. I am (very slowly) walking Hadrian’s Wall, so I did a mile or two up the hill and back again into the north of Humshaugh.
St Peter’s church is at NY920714 – it is linked with Simonburn and Wark. They share a magazine with Chollerton, Birtley, Gunnerton and Thockrington – so there’s a few more to visit. An Act of Parliament of 1811 divided the huge parish of Simonburn (at that time served by Simonburn and Chapels of Ease at Bellingham and Falstone), and arranged for the building of four new churches – Humshaugh, Thorneyburn, Greystead and Wark. It was designed by H.H. Seward on the instructions of the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital – I must do more research and find out why.
The royal arms of George III and the arms of Greenwich Hospital are above the door.
On the left as you walk in is a children’s corner.
The font is rather fun too.
Not sure about the tree in the Sanctuary
The East Window is rather fun.
Pevsner (my new Christmas-pressie copy of “The Buildings of England: Northumberland”) says this window, on the south side, is by Kempe – the guidesheet says it is “the work of artists associated with Kempe”. And a plain and simple crib to remind us what it’s all about.
