Issue No. 176
June / July 2020
£3.50
FINE W R I T ING • GR E AT PHO T OGR APH Y • QUALI T Y R E ADING
PICTURE THE SCENE
Even in lockdown, we continue to take you on a mind’s eye journey through the life and landscapes of Northumberland
STYLISH MODERN STOVES NOT ONLY HEAT YOUR HOME EFFICIENTLY THEY LOOK GOOD TOO
We offer an extensive range of modern and traditional products, many of which you can view at our showroom. We’ll help you make informed decisions on the best heating source for your requirements. FREE SITE SURVEYS & ESTIMATES
T. 01670-505766 E. info@vertechs.co.uk
www.vertechs.co.uk
SPRING CLEARANCE - SPECIAL OFFERS AVAILABLE!! INSTALLING SOLID FUEL HEATING SYSTEMS SINCE 1989 VISIT US AT OUR HEATING CENTRE SHOWROOM
Unit 2B, Coopies Field, Coopies Lane Industrial Estate, Morpeth, NE61 6JT
Welcome I
’ll be honest; I wasn’t really expecting this. When I wrote this introduction in the last edition of The Northumbrian, almost two months ago now, lockdown was brand new. The word itself felt impossibly unfamiliar, while the mere idea of some people not going out for three months while the rest of us stayed within sight of home was still, well... so unlikely it seemed unbelievable. Now, it’s our way of life. The elderly and vulnerable don’t go past the garden gate, while everyone else gets the heebie-geebies over the weekly trip to Tesco, where we dance apologetically around one another and those 2 metre lines taped on the floor. Even the most technophobic among us are now Zoom-literate; indeed, this online video conferencing platform, which most people hadn’t heard of before this crisis, is now the majority’s main means of connecting. Thanks to Zoom, families and friends get together for quizzes on Saturday nights, grandparents connect with their grandchildren on Sunday afternoons, and church congregations are now so used to worshipping in front of an iPad screen, some of them are tempted to suggest they keep doing it this way. It’s not the same; of course it isn’t. Grandparents yearn to cuddle their grandchildren, worshippers dream of settling down in their regular pew and staying there all afternoon, some of us seriously miss the pub at the end of a long country walk. It looks like we’re in for a long haul, so thank heavens for our wonderful contributors to The Northumbrian who, not ones to be thwarted by a little thing like lockdown, have been more prolific than ever in the last few weeks, taking to telephone and archive to bring us essential reading just when daytime telly is wearing thin. So, here it is, a lockdown journey around our fascinating region, and no need to leave your living room. Stay safe, dear reader. We look forward to seeing you on the other side... Jane Pikett, Editor
Some of our contributors JOHN GRUNDY John takes a lockdowninduced mind’s eye trip to Thockrington and its fascinating graves. Page 10 JANET HARDIE Janet, granddaughter of Wallington’s Sir Charles Trevelyan, on her mother’s jigsaws, homemade at Wallington. Page 26 KATE STANLEY Members of a remarkable farming family reveal how they are adjusting to unprecedented times. Page 48 ANTHONY TOOLE Anthony recalls a prelockdown walk exploring Northumbrian Bronze Age settlements. Page 34 DIANA WHALEY The gallant Victorian Ordnance Surveyors and the people preserving their work today. Page 14 SUSIE WHITE Remembering the magical walled garden at Queen Elizabeth High School, Hexham. Page 6
Consulting Editor Stewart Bonney Editor Jane Pikett
Subscribe to The Northumbrian
The Northumbrian Magazine, Offstone Publishing, Unit 1, Bearl Farm, Stocksfield NE43 7AL Email: editor@thenorthumbrian.co.uk
Buying 18 issues of The Northumbrian magazine in a shop over 3 years would cost £63. By taking out a 3-year UK subscription you will SAVE £11 Phone us or visit the website: www. thenorthumbrian.co.uk/subscriptions
Advertising: Gillian Corney, tel 01661 844 115, Barbara Grainger, tel 01661 845 020 Cover: Duddo stone circle, by Gary Alford The publication date of the next issue is August 6, 2020
The Northumbrian
Save money with a post-free UK subscription Issue No. 172 Issue No. 171
August / September 2019
October / November 2019
£3.50
£3.50
FINE W R I T ING • GR E AT PHO T OGR APH Y • QUALI T Y R E ADING FINE W R I T ING • GR E AT PHO T OGR APH Y • QUALI T Y R E ADING
GONE IN SAINTLY FISHINGFOOTSTEPS Northumberland in all its glory: Wildlife and wild country, Northumbrian heritage and history, and the people whoAmake it special journey in the steps of people past and present who make this place what it is
3
Who are GreenThumb: As pioneers in British lawn care, we are the UK’s largest and most recommended provider with millions of treatments taking place across the UK every year. With over 30 years of experience, you can rely on us to provide your lawn with the very best care
Find out more and visit greenthumb.co.uk
What we do:
Our lawn care experts apply bespoke, seasonal treatments to keep your lawn continually nourished and weed free. Whatever the size or condition, we ensure that every lawn receives the love and attention it deserves Find out more and visit greenthumb.co.uk/treatments
Perennial Favourites Ltd
Fiona and Adam would like to thank all their customers, new and established, for their continued support through these difficult times! Following the government guidelines, the Nursery is now open to the public on Saturdays, 10am – 3pm and visiting is possible at other times by appointment. A limited delivery service is available too. Safety is paramount for our staff and customers and for access we are stipulating the following: • A face covering must be worn • Adults only, maximum 2 per family group • Keep a minimum 2m distance from everyone on site • Card payments only, ideally contactless Check our website for these opening times - or telephone 01670 540653 Stocking a wide range of cottage garden plants, alpines, shrubs and herbs, Perennial Favourites Ltd is a plant lovers gem tucked between Ridley Park and the quayside in Blyth.
East Park View, Blyth, Northumberland, NE24 3AY Tel: 01670 540653 ̵ Email: gardener@perennialfavourites.co.uk ̵ www.perennialfavourites.co.uk @perennialfavourites
4
@perennialfavs
@perennialfavourites
The Northumbrian
Issue No. 176 June/July 2020
F I N E W R I T I N G • G R E AT P H O T O G R A P H Y • Q UA L I T Y R E A D I N G
The region’s best-selling countryside magazine FEATURES
21
6
Susie White
34 48
Treasured memories of a school grounds’ secret garden
10
A mind’s eye view of Thockrington
Diana Whaley The story of the Victorian Ordnance Surveyors and today’s efforts to preserve their work
22
10 6 22
34
Anthony Toole A walk in Bronze Age footsteps
18 18
38
Mike Pratt Lockdown tales of lapwings and other creatures
26
John Grundy
14
28
42 44 20
44
Bill Maxwell A trail of the unexpected
Location of key features by page numbers
48
Kate Stanley Lockdown life on the farm
20
Steve Newman
44 50
The curious spots most people simply pass by
22
Stewart Bonney The building of the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, and the drawings which chronicled its course
26
30
Janet Hardie The homemade jigsaws my mother left behind
28
48
Ian Kerr Celebrating summer’s butterflies
REGULARS
30
A tribute Remembering the acclaimed wildlife photographer Allan Potts The Northumbrian
NEWS ��������������������������������������������� 52
14
BOOK REVIEWS ������������������������� 54 FEEDBACK ����������������������������������� 56
5