Stanegate 98

The Stanegate Magazine (98) July 2013

Newbrough, Fourstones and Warden

The Stanegate Editorial Some experiences in life are a bit like riding a bike for the first time without stabilisers or help from a grown up.

The pulling together of The Stanegate this month has been a bit like that - our illustrious leader is off galivanting in foreign climbs (not sure Adam Neavitt would approve...) and the remaining team have been left to ride solo!

Gulp!

With fortitude and resourcefulness, it has all come together! One team member contributing remotely, two team members wrestling with content and layout and a new member coming for a 'try before you buy' session with a promise to return next month! And somebody else showing a definite interest! Result!

This 'agile' way of working seems to be replicated all over the patch - direct action over the hotchpotch of potholes, the vibrant community efforts to bring floral grace to the Town Hall and the fervent stuffing and dressing of countless Scarecrows by families throughout the villages in preparation for The Stanegate Festival (which in itself is surely now a feat of organisation to rival an early Glastonbury...)

It feels like community involvement in our parishes is undergoing a bit of a renaissance.

As our editorial committee are taking a hesitating first push off on one pedal, so it seems are many people and groups in our midst.

As some traditions recede, newer ones are growing and changing and gathering momentum. It's a wonderful thing in a world seemingly populated with serious and challenging news.

Like the bike analogy, there are wobbles and spectacular falls but it seems that there's a lot of getting up, dusting down and getting back in the seat.

The mere fact that this magazine has been produced this month and you are reading it is proof positive of the power of flying solo and believing in yourself and the things you're involved with and can do.

Take a punt! Get on your bike (real or metaphorical) and like this changing editorial committee, ride into the unknown!

Janice Baylis, Jo Grey, Pat Johnston & Rob Tindall Send material to robmtin@aol.com The deadline for the August issue is Monday 15th July

Produced and published by the Stanegate Editorial Committee Issue 98 July 2013

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The Stanegate Magazine (98) July 2013

Letters No! Never again! She’s been at me ever since the gardening season began. I spend a lot of my time on my knees; and sorry Vicar it’s not at Church. The result is that my gardening trousers have more patches in the knee area than there is material in the rest of them. I managed to ignore the nagging until daughter Number Two came along and was aghast at my state.

Within the hour we were on our way to that Garden of Eden - the Metro Centre. I was frogmarched into a shop which seemingly had nothing but denim hanging from ceiling to floor. A callow youth came to serve us, “What is sir’s desire?” “A pair of gardening trousers.” “ Would sir want cut offs, boot cut, high crotch, slim fit, low slung, ranch style or something a little more fashionable?” He wasn’t amused when I told him that I wanted a pair with reinforced knees and room in the pockets for a pair of secateurs. It was the only kind he didn’t have in stock. What a pity, but my old trousers of many colours might see me through ‘til harvest time and I’m never setting foot in @Jeans for All’ again Adam Neavitt

Happy Anniversary Fourstones Paper Mill Knowing my interest in local history my neighbour Janet Jacobson has recently passed on to me two short articles about the history of Fourstones Paper Mill. Noting that the mill dates back to 1763, I felt that its 250 anniversary should be noted in the pages of The Stanegate.

On the 12th May 1763 a William Charnley and a Rev Peter Rumney obtained a lease of a small plot of land on the north bank of the South Tyne west of Warden. Charnley was a bookseller who operated from a premises on the old Tyne Bridge at Newcastle while Rumney was the Master of the Free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth at Hexham and a curate of Hexham Abbey. The original plot was very small, no more than twenty yards square, and more land was obtained within a year and capital raised for the construction of the mill. This makes the Fourstones Paper Mill, at that time known as Warden Mill, the earliest of its kind in Northumberland and one of the earliest in the country.

Little is known of the original water-powered mill and associated facilities though these included a mill dam across the river and a mill race that flowed under the mill building. A document of 1823 refers to a water pit, fly and other wheels, two engines [beaters], and seven metal screwpresses; equipment used in paper making. The First Edition of the Ordnance Survey Map of the 1850s shows the dam and mill race and what appears to be the main wheel pit partly included within the fabric of the mill building. By the time of the Second Edition of the map dating from 1890s water power had been replaced by steam and the mill was provided with its own railway siding, branching off the Carlisle-Newcastle line a few yards west of the mill site. A photograph of about 1908 shows a group of railway wagons waiting beside the mill building.

Charnley’s interest in the mill did not last long. His bookshop was destroyed in the Great Flood of November 1771 which swept away the old Tyne Bridge. He filed for bankruptcy and his share in the mill was assigned to Robert Rumney, who was also a bookseller and the son of the original Peter Rumney.th Other changes in ownership occurred during the 19 century and in 1876 the name was changed to South Tyne Paper Mill, becoming the Fourstones Paper Mill only in 1907.

Chris Tolan-Smith Home Farm

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The Stanegate Magazine (98) July 2013

More from Uncle Ted

Chasing Rainbows

Driving along a remote country road a motorist saw a sign that said, “Watch for fallen rocks.” When he saw some small rocks by the side of the road, he picked up a few and put them in the boot. When he reached the town he took them to the Roads Depot, placed them on the counter, and said to the official, “Here are your fallen rocks, now where’s my watch?”

I moved to this area in 2006 and lived at High Warden where I and my guide dog Sage enjoyed many happy years while I began writing my memoirs.

Stanegate Readers In spite of the title, our book for June ‘A Guide to the Birds of East Africa’ by Nicholas Drayson is not a Bird Watchers Reference book and you do not need to be a bird watcher to enjoy it.

It is set in Post Independence Nairobi, Kenya and is the story of honourable Mr Malik, a tubby, middleaged widower with a com bover. Every Tuesday, Mr Malik joins the East African Ornithological Society Bird Walk which is led by widow, Rose Mbikwa.

Mr Malik is in love with Rose and would like to ask her to the annual Nairobi Club Hunt Ball. Whilst trying to get up courage to ask her, an old school rival, flashy Harry Kahn, returns to Nairobi and moves in on Rose. So that Rose is not embarrassed by the two men, the members of their Asadi Club set up a bird watching competition. The winner will ask Rose to the ball.

The plot gently twists along. Harry Kahn chases around Kenya spotting birds whilst Mr Malik stays closer to home having had his car stolen and found again outside the house of a politician and then, being shot at by Somalis soldiers who try to kidnap his young house boy. Who will win Rose’s hand?

Then… the big snow, and as Sage was due to retire we moved to a `dogs retirement home` in Newbrough where we live now. Here she has a safe garden to lie down and enjoy the sun and watch the wildlife while, remembering the exciting days at High Warden where on an odd occasion she would escape from the house and find some pheasant chasing loads of fun. Watching them fly into the open sky clucking and squealing with wings and feathers flying. Just a dog’s joke. Could life get more exciting?

So now at last after a great adventure into the mystical world of self publishing I have completed my first manuscript, and it is on Amazon, the place where we buy real books! It can also be bought in Waterstones in Hexham. After a frenzy of chopping, changing, US spellchecking, expanding and deleting or quite often just plain losing the precious words of my Memoir in my laptop, it is a book. Or to be more precise it is now two books as my friend Dennis who had retired from publishing came here to help.

He advised me that these days people don’t read long books and that my manuscript, which I am glad to say he liked, was the length of two or three books not one.

Details of Mr Malik gradually emerge and his kindness to others and secret efforts to expose the corruption in Kenyan politics give an insight into Kenyan life which is well drawn by the author.

Some of us would have liked the author to explore the politics in more detail but for most of us it was a gentle and at times witty read.

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The Stanegate Magazine (98) July 2013 Always happy to get professional advice, I looked again and although I could not find three books, after another year of hard work, I did divide this manuscript into two. Carefully removing all of the cross references that bound my memoir into one long life, I chopped it down the middle and into two almost equal parts of thirty years each.

Then the new name; Chasing Rainbows I applied to the first part (book).

Why Chasing Rainbows?

Because throughout all of my life I had looked for that illusive happiness that inevitably faded as soon as I got up close, and was replaced by a leaden sky.

The sort of sky that doesn’t appear on our holiday brochures.

With Chasing Rainbows in the bag I turned my attention to `The Lily and the Lotus`, or part two of my manuscript. As I write this it is being formatted; the cover designed and after a further look at the layout - forgot to mention that I am registered totally blind and I depend on my talking laptop and a few friends or family to do the looking. But this one looks good and I hope it will join the Rainbow on Amazon by August.

Perhaps now I can also retire and sit in the garden with Sage enjoying memories of past times, and watching the birds fly by. Or did I mean listen? And who knows, you might be enjoying reading or chasing rainbows in your garden.

Philippa Groves

Calendar of Events July 1 Warden Parish Council 7pm 3 Newbrough Parish Council 7pm 7 Walwick Garden Open Day and Fete 10 School Sports’ Day 11 School Leavers’ Service, St Peter’s Church, Newbrough, 2pm. Everyone welcome 11 Newbrough WI 12 Haydon Bridge Beer Festival 6pm— midnight 13 Haydon Bridge Beer Festival 12noon— midnight 19 End of School Term August 21 Rainbow Tiny Tots trip to South Shields September 1 Village BBQ 2 Warden Parish Council 7pm 4 Newbrough Parish Council 7pm 12 Newbrough WI 14 Village Produce Show

Methodist Chapel, Fourstones The next CHAPEL COFFEE MORNING will be on FRIDAY 26 JULY from 10.00 to 12.00.

There will be a book swap and Traidcraft Stall.

We look forward to seeing everyone.

Parish Produce Show Do you need jars for your entries into the Parish Produce Show? I have dozens of washed, lidded jars in assorted sizes. Please phone 674427 if you are interested.

Mary Hall

Pot Holes Some months ago I saw an article in the motoring section of The Telegraph suggesting a web site to contact concerning problems with our roads. It was www.fixmystreet.com

TRUE—?

There is a church in Stirling called ‘The Church of the Holy Rude’. Certainly that was the name on the church notice board in May this year.

200+ Club Draw The draw took place at the Town Hall June meeting and the winning numbers are: First prize 19 V Kennedy Second prize 3 C Gradwell Third prize 202 H Young

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The Stanegate Magazine (98) July 2013 I got in touch and identified certain areas where there were problems, one being the stretch from the Paper Mill and Hardhaugh cottages. They notified Northumberland CC, but nothing happened except that every four weeks I received an e-mail from the site asking if the problem had been rectified. During this time it was suggested that I contact my local councillor, but that was when I knew that he was retiring, so eventually after 12 weeks I e-mailed our MP, Guy Opperman. I immediately received a reply with the assurance that he would contact the Chief Executive of Northumberland CC. About a month ago I noticed that the pot holes had been filled and immediately contacted Mr Opperman to thank him for his help. Subsequently, I received an e-mail with a copy of the letter sent to him from Barry Rowland - Corporate Director of Local Services. Please see attached letter.

May be this is the way forward to ensure that our roads are less hazardous on which to travel.

Jackie Wood Reply from Mr Barry Rowland, Corporate Director of Local Services, Northumberland County Council, to Mr G Opperman MP Thank you for your letter of 8 May 2013 to the Chief Executive, which has been passed to me to respond regarding correspondence from your constituent, Mrs Jackie Wood, about the condition of the C234 road between Fourstones Paper Mill and Hardhaugh.

An inspection of this road was carried out on 6 March; the defects identified as part of this inspection have been rectified, the work being completed on 17 May. MOBILE HAIRDRESSING 18 years experience

Editor’s Note If you go to the County Council websitewww.northumberland.gov.uk roughly in the middle there is a point to click so you can report potholes.

We guess that the more of us who do this the more chance there is of getting them fixed.

Even more corner shops Chemists’ shops were always distinguished by the large flasks, stoppered of course, displayed in the windows and in the shops themselves. The interior shelves were largely filled with bottles of chemicals used in dispensing medicines. There always seemed to be a dark air of mystery or alchemist’s magic in the chemist’s shop, where children could get their own “magic”, for example, “Magic Papers” advertising such things as Beecham’s or Dr William’s Pink Pills were given away with a purchase Thin paper sheets about the size of a postcard had a border marker roughly a quarter to half an inch from the edge. This border was folded at right angles to the main surface to form a tiny table, and a star or * pointed to one corner of this. If the glowing end of a match was applied to this, a charred line made its way round the flat surface and formed a picture.

Nelson, the grocer, had his shop at the corner of Stanhope Street and Avison Street. Spotlessly clean, with its sawdust-strewn floor, it was redolent with all the varied smells of the commodities for sale. We passed the shop on our way to and from school and the Snow Hill Baths, and, with or without the teacher’s permission, boys were able to dodge into the shop for a bag of broken biscuits which Mr and Mrs Nelson had ready put up for their customers.

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The Stanegate Magazine (98) July 2013 In those days biscuit makers packed their biscuits unwrapped and loose in a tin, and with handling these and their contents when weighing out purchases, lots of the biscuits were broken, and these were the subject of bargain purchases.

Shops specialising in cooked meats were to be found in many of the streets in the centre of Newcastle and the aromas of their products were terrific. The joints of meat were cooked and/or kept warm on ranges in the windows. I have memories of one in Newgate Street where the man I took to be the owner presided over the ranges, and cut the meat into slices at what seemed to be a fantastic speed, all the while pulling faces at youngsters peering through the window to watch his facial expressions and his antics with his knife, fork and steel. The carver was a Dickensian figure, like John Bull, side-whiskered, full cherubic face, and he always wore white shirt sleeves, and a red waistcoat. The eyes of his audience of children outside the window were like organ stops, and their mouths watered at the thought of that wonderful food, It was a fascinating entertainment watching him – but I never was able to taste his wares.

In Stanhope Street there was a pawnshop outside of which hung the traditional sign – the three brass balls, derived from the cognisance of the Lombard family of the Medici, who were the first money lenders in England. Early on Monday mornings in particular, queues of housewives formed to “pop” the Sunday clothes until the next week-end. The money they obtained kept the households going until next pay day, after which the clothes would be redeemed, in time for the following Sunday, by repaying the loan plus interest. This was the only way some families managed to exist. Any goods not redeemed in time were put up for sale in the Pawn Shop.

Trip to Buckingham Palace My daughter, Shirley, and I set off on Wednesday 5th June from Newcastle to Kings Cross. We had a great journey down. After signing into our Hotel which was the Hilton at Green Park, a 10 minute walk from Buckingham Palace, we then went on the London Eye which was absolutely fantastic. After going for an evening meal it was back to hotel.

Thursday morning, the day of the Garden Party, we decided as it was such a beautiful day we would go on the open top bus and sightsee. We were on the bus for 3 hours seeing the sights of London then it was back to Hotel to get our posh gear on to go to the Palace.

We arrived at the Palace at 2pm to stand in a queue for when gates open at 3pm. It was lovely seeing all the ladies in their posh dresses and the men very smart too.

At 3 o’clock the gates were opened and we went through the Palace to the gardens where the Marquees were set up with the teas. We had our tea which was lovely and at 4 o’clock the band struck up The National Anthem and the Queen and Prince Phillip arrived along with Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Prince Andrew and the Wessex’s.

The Queen and Prince Phillip just walked around chatting and smiling to the crowds for a while then they went for tea. This gave us a chance to walk around the magnificent Gardens. At 6 o’clock The National Anthem was sung and the Queen and Prince Phillip left, leaving us to wander round the gardens again. During the afternoon the band played tunes from different places; they even played Blaydon Races and Cushie Butterfield. We were thrilled to hear that.

This was a most fantastic experience I have ever had and would like to thank everyone who nominated me for the British Empire Medal. Getting my medal from the Duchess at Alnwick castle was amazing and The Garden Party was just something my daughter and I will never forget.

Thank you all.

Ella White BEM

May Weatherwatch May opened promisingly with a spell of respectably warm and largely dry spring weather together with a generous amount of sunshine but thereafter conditions became less settled. The rest of the month's weather was disappointingly patchy and brought with it one nasty surprise.

Daytime maximums until the 10th were all above the seasonal average, often comfortably so, although the

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The Stanegate Magazine (98) July 2013 overnight temperature dipped close to zero Celsius at Park Shield early on the 1st and again on the 7th before rising that day to record the May maximum of 21.5C (70.7F) in the early afternoon.

As would be expected there was a general rise in nighttime temperatures as May progressed and the warmest overnight minimum of 11.2C (52.2F) occurred early on the 20th. Nevertheless the second half of the month did bring a short string of much colder nights from the 23rd to the 27th with a Park Shield monthly minimum of 0.3C (32.5F) being recorded after sunrise on the 25th.

These lower overnight temperatures contributed towards a mean monthly minimum that was a degree Celsius below the May average. A mean monthly maximum temperature a degree above average balanced this out so that May ended with an overall temperature which was around the long term norm. This was mainly due to the warm daytime weather in early May because maximum daily temperatures in the second half of the month were barely higher than those of the first.

Rainfall in the latter half of May was, however, substantially higher than in its first half which was markedly dry. Rain then was confined to the occasional shower on odd days and by the end of the 14th the Park Shield running total for the month amounted to a modest 13.5 mm (c.0.5"). The next day this was almost doubled as a cold front moved up from the south bringing a very wintry 4.4C (39.9F) at midday and icy rain mixed with hail in the afternoon.

Other parts of the country fared worse as a band of snow spread diagonally up from the usually mild southwest, through the Midlands and the north as far as Newcastle.

Two dry days followed before rain began falling at midnight on the 17th. It rained on throughout the night and more heavily the next morning before easing to lighter rain in the afternoon which petered out towards the close of the day. By then 54.6 mm (c.2.1") had fallen in twenty-four hours. This in itself was a prodigious amount of rain for a single day but more remarkable again was the fact that forty millimetres (1.6") of it fell in the twelve hour period between midnight on the 17th to noon on the 18th.

In an echo of last year's notorious downpours a swollen Newbrough Burn rattled down at a hectic pace and despite drainage improvement works the road past St. Aidan's Terrace was liberally strewn with silt and stone chippings. At the same time the South Tyne was in full spate. After the water level dropped a sandy path from West Boat to Water’s Meet and strawy vegetation lodged high in the branches of riverside

trees suggested that the river had perhaps been at its highest level since the floods at Low Warden in January 2005.

Heavyish rain from late on the 20th and into 21st added another 16.8 mm (c.0.7") to a mounting total in under twelve hours. Much drier weather followed as less than 10 mm (c.0.4") of rain fell in the last ten days of May with brief hailstones falling over higher ground on the morning of the 23rd. This nudged the monthly total into three figures and the 102.3 mm (4.0") recorded at Park Shield made this May the third wettest in the past sixteen years behind 2012 and 2006 which both registered a little over 120 mm (c.4.7").

Spring Bank Holiday weekends have a poor reputation with regard to the weather but this year's from the 25th to the 27th was mercifully rain free. Daily maximums may not have been as high as the 22 to 25C Celsius temperatures recorded on the same dates last year when we enjoyed our "summer" but with maximums of 16.8C (62.2F) and 17.8C (64.0F) the very sunny Saturday and Sunday were pleasantly warm. After a sunny start the then generally cloudy Bank Holiday Monday was cooler with a maximum of 12.5C (54.6F) but like the weekend it happily remained dry for those engaged in outdoor activities of one sort or another.

Taking the month as a whole all the regions of the UK experienced colder than average May weather and in England it was the coldest May since 1996. The East & North East region was comparatively less chilly than elsewhere in England while with a monthly mean of around the average it seems that our local May weather produced something of a positive anomaly. Even so this May was the coolest in nine years of Weatherwatch recording and largely thanks to the extremely cold weather in March and the first half of April it rounded off a spring which was the coldest since 1962.

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The Stanegate Magazine (98) July 2013 May Weatherwatch Factfile Temperature Park Shield mean monthly maximum : c.14.3C (57.7F). Mean monthly minimum : c. 5.0C (41F).

Monthly mean : c.9.65C (49.4F). East & North East England monthly maximum : 14.4C (57.9F).

Monthly minimum : 5.4C (41.7F). Monthly mean : 9.9C (49.8F) and 0.4C below the 1981-2010 average. UK monthly maximum : 23.8C (74.8F) at Drumburgh (Cumbria) on the 7th.UK monthly minimum : Minus 5.5C ( 22.1F) at Alston (Cumbria) on the 2nd.

Rain & Sunshine Park Shield average May rainfall : c.65 mm (c.2.6").

May one hour maximum : 9.1 mm ( c.0.4") to 08.30 on the 18th. East & North East England rainfall & sunshine : 97 % and 148% of the 1981-2010 average respectively.

Reminders : Hiring the Hall and the Bar (i) A booking form must always be completed by anyone wishing to hire the hall. (ii) Anyone wishing to use the bar facility for any event must do so through the Town Hall Committee Please contact the Caretaker (674315 or e mail info@newbroughtownhall.org.uk ) if you would like to know more or to book the Town Hall for any future event, and if you would like to know more about any of the current activities in the Town Hall, which include a Sewing Group, Tiny Tots, Badminton, a Craft Class, Carpet Bowls and a Youth Club, please speak to any member of the Committee.

Favourite Recipes from Pine Flat Place

Winds Variable but predominantly a mix of westerlies and northerlies. Generally light but windy on the 4th, 11th and 13th. Park Shield maximum May wind gust : 56.2 mph on the afternoon of the 4th.

This month calls for light summer food cooked as part of a formal dinner party and finger food amuse.

This time of year is great for hedgerow and woodland treats and as such it seems a shame to let it all go to waste. With a little imagination some amazing dishes can be made which are not only good to look at and eat but don’t cost the earth.

Newbrough Town Hall Committee th

This first recipe is for a starter and is an adaptation of a recipe for twice baked soufflĂŠs by Lady Lloyd.

Report from Meeting held 10 June 2013

Caretaker Angela Christensen has been appointed Caretaker of theth Town Hall and commenced in post on Monday 17 June.

Hanging baskets and boxes Have been planted and are looking splendid.

WI House The land is being formally registered with the Land Registry. The possibility of a grant from the Housing Corporation is being explored along with possible loans.

Media, Communication and Entertainment The Folk Music evening on Saturday 8th June had gone well, although was not well supported by our villages. The Highlights Autumn Programme has been received and events will be discussed at the next meeting. Suggestions regarding improved publicity and advertising of Town Hall events are being acted upon.

Brainstorm A brainstorming session took place to discuss ideas on how we can improve what we have to offer at the Hall or what we might do differently. Watch this space!!

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The Stanegate Magazine (98) July 2013 .Ingredients

Wild garlic twice baked cheese soufflés

25-30 very large nettle leaves picked wearing suitable gardening gloves with scissors 4 oz. cooked brown Basmati rice 1 finely chopped clove of garlic 5 small spring onions finely sliced.

4 oz. toasted pine nuts 1 preserved lemon Handful of fresh oregano finely chopped 1 low fat Mozzarella ball Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste Olive oil, Water

Ingredients Serves 8-12 50g Wild Garlic Leaves washed well and finely shredded 70g butter 75g freshly grated Gruyére cheese 75g freshly grated Parmesan cheese 400ml whole milk 50g plain flour 4 large Free Range eggs separated Just less than 400 ml seasoned double cream Salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg to taste.

Method Pre-heat oven to 180° C, 350° F Gas 4

Method Pre-heat oven to 200° C, 400° F Gas 6 1. Butter 8 large or 12 small ramekins well with butter from allowance.

2. Put the wild garlic in a pan with the milk, bring to the boil and set aside.

3. Mix the remaining butter with the flour incorporating it well, then add the milk and wild garlic and cook until thick and smooth, stirring constantly.

Cool for a short while.

4. Beat in the salt, pepper, nutmeg, Gruyére and then the egg yolks.

5. Whisk the egg whites in a very clean bowl until they form stiff peaks and then fold into the cheese mixture.

6. Spoon into the ramekins and arrange in a deep baking tin with boiling water halfway up the side of the dishes.

7. Cook in the pre-heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, allow to cool for 15 minutes and then turn out of the ramekins. (The soufflés can be frozen at this point until needed) 8. Arrange in a shallow oven-proof dish buttered and sprinkled with half the grated Parmesan cheese.

9. Pour the seasoned cream over the soufflés, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and bake again for 15 to 20 minutes until well risen. Serve at once.

1. Scald 25 – 30 very large nettle leaves in boiling water with a tsp bicarbonate of soda .

Leave for 2 minutes and then refresh in cold water for 15 minutes or until cool. Dry the leaves on kitchen towel and trim off the stalks, half of the middle rib of the leaf and any brown warty looking lumps.

2. Chop into small pieces the spring onion, garlic, and mozzarella. Peel the skin from the flesh of the preserved lemon, discard the flesh and soak the peel for 10 minutes. Chop finely. Toast the pine nuts in a small frying pan, tossing them as you go as they burn easily.

3. Mix together in a bowl the rice, oregano, onions, mozzarella, lemon, pine nuts and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bind with a splash of olive oil.

Vivienne Aldred’s stuffed nettle leaves This second recipe is one I invented today, 12th June 2013. I found some enormous nettle leaves the size of my hand nearby and thought I would make stuffed nettle leaves similar to the Greek stuffed vine leaves.

The stuffing is my own invention but the cooking method is the same as the vine leaf version. Vegetarian again! Serve as a starter or as part of a Mezze

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The Stanegate Magazine (98) July 2013 4. Take a nettle leaf and join the sections together, stem end towards you. Place a small teaspoon of the rice mix onto the leaf, fold the edges inwards until they meet, fold the stem end away from you and roll up like a small cigar. Repeat.

5. Place the rolls into a pan in a single layer. Barely cover with water and pour a good glug of olive oil on top. Wiggle the pan to distribute.

6. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes and allow to cool in the juices.

This last recipe is from Claudia Roden’s brilliant book of Middle Eastern Cookery called Arabesque. I made it with mutton chops I purchased from an Asian Food Store I have been frequenting for 40 years In Arthur’s Hill in Newcastle.

Tagine of lamb with caramelised baby onions and pears Ingredients Serves 6-8 1.5 kg boned shoulder of lamb or mutton chops (lamb neck chops will do) 5 tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion chopped Salt and plenty of black pepper 1 scant tsp ground ginger 1 scant tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp saffron threads 500g baby onions or shallots, soaked in boiling water for 5 minutes then peeled.

3 large pears 40g butter Method Cut the meat into 6-8 pieces, put in a wide pan with 2 tbsp of oil over a medium heat; turn to brown the pieces all over. Add the chopped onion and barely cover with water. Stir in salt & pepper, ginger, cinnamon and saffron, simmer, covered, over a low heat for 1 ½ hours, turning the pieces over a few times. Sauté the peeled onions/shallots in 2 tbsp oil in a pan until they have slightly coloured. Add them to the meat and cook for a further 30 minutes until the meat is very tender and the onions very soft but still in shape. Towards the end of cooking time cook uncovered to reduce the sauce. There should only be a small amount of liquid remaining. Wash the pears, quarter and core them but do not peel them. Sauté them in a large frying pan in a mixture of butter and the remaining 1 tbsp oil over a medium heat until their cut sides are slightly browned and caramelised, If they have not softened right through put them into the pan, skin side up and continue to cook, covered, until they are very tender.

Nature Notes All things come to those who wait (Old proverb) Spring may have been unconscionably late in arriving this year but it more than made amends for this by producing some profuse flower and blossom set in a background of particularly lush green foliage Wild garlic grows in the damp shade of woods and perhaps because of last year's wet weather it seems to have thrived to cover more ground than ever in the top half of Crow Wood. There it was in full bloom from mid-May until towards the end of the second week of June before its flowers faded quickly to be replaced within two or three days by umbels bearing round green seeds.

In sunnier roadside verges cow parsley began flowering before the third week of May. It may be one of the commonest sights of later spring but it is none the worse for this as it forms attractive lacy white ribbons along local roadsides each year adding a pleasing movement to them as it sways in the breeze. Each spring Homers Lane becomes a floral avenue as cow parsley lines the verges either side of it from High Warden to Walwick Grange.

Just as it has been a bumper spring for dandelions so it was too for creeping buttercup and its close relation the taller meadow buttercup. Countless numbers of their shiny yellow flowers lit up verges and pasture land in the first week of June and on wa rds a s dandeli on st al ks carri ed their familiar fluffy dandelion clocks.

In the previous week candles began to appear on the villages' horse chestnuts, over a month later than in the exceptionally early spring of two years ago, and it was a similar story in gardens where apple trees did not begin blossoming until the last few days of May. By this time countryside trees were displaying the intense bright greens of high spring although ashes which face an uncertain future because of Chalara ash dieback, a fungal disease, did not approach full leaf until mid-June when other trees were already assuming darker shades of summer green.

The missing piece of the spring jigsaw did not turn up to be put in place until almost its official end on the 31st of May. HAYDON BRIDGE PLAYGROUP & TINY TOTS

TODDLERS From Birth upward Toddler sessions run on Thursday mornings, from 9:15-11:15 am at Haydon Bridge Fire Station. Cost: £1.50 per family includes tea/coffee/juice/snack PLAYGROUP From 2 years onwards Playgroup runs on Monday and Friday mornings from 9:15 to 11:15 am. A qualified playgroup leader plus assistants run the playgroup. Cost: £5.50 per session.

For further information contact: Jenna Kirkup on 01434 688238 or call into one of the sessions.

Page 10

The Stanegate Magazine (98) July 2013 The first signs of May's eponymous "may" blossom could be glimpsed on the 30th of May in sheltered hawthorn hedges such as those between Red Houses and Allerwash Mill. Soon afterwards, with a fine start to summer in the first week of June, its white blossom decked hedges across the parishes while hawthorn bushes were heavily laden with

WI Report Our speaker for June was local author David Williams. For 35 years he enjoyed freelance writing and has written plays for the BBC, but only in the last 6 to 7 years has he taken the plunge and become a full time author with, so far, three published books to his name – a collection of short stories set in the North East, a thriller, and most recently “Mr Stephenson’s Regret”, a novel about the women in the life of George Stephenson. It is this last book that provided the theme for his talk.

Stephenson’s cottage at Wylam provided the inspiration. Trying to imagine what life would be like in such a humble dwelling was the start. This four room cottage was home not only for the Stephensons, but for three more families as well, one room for each family! Not only that, but Mrs Mabel Stephenson managed to rear six children in that one room. There was no chance of an education for any of them until young George managed to teach himself at the age of 18.

George worked in the coal industry from an early age, but, having an enquiring mind, he was always interested in inventing things.

His sister Anne went to America and settled there, and sister Eleanor (Nelly) travelled to London and was in service there until her boyfriend in Wylam wanted her to come back and marry him. This she did, but unfortunately after a long journey home by sea, she found that he hadn’t waited for her but had married someone else.

In the meantime George was embarking on his own love life. He was to marry three times. His first love was Betty Hindmarsh the daughter of a farmer at Callerton, however, her father thought that George wasn’t good enough so refused to allow them to marry. Undaunted George went on to marry Frances (Fanny) Henderson at Newburn parish church.

The couple moved to Killingworth where George had a job at the colliery. They lived in a small cottage nearby, and it was here that George developed his miners’ safety lamp, before Sir

Humphrey Davy invented his, and became a great hero. George also built his first steam locomotive behind the cottage. All seemed to be going well. A son, Robert, was born and a daughter who sadly died within a few days. Then Fanny died of TB and George was left to bring up 3 year old Robert Disaster struck again when George lost his job at Killingworth. His only chance of work was at Montrose in Scotland. He walked there and left Robert in the capable hands of his sister Nelly. All went well until George’s father was blinded in an accident involving steam. George had to return home to look after his parents as well as Robert. He got a job at a local colliery and was desperate to become an engineer, but was thwarted in every way until he proved himself by mending an engine.

Life was improving, and young Robert was getting an education and showing similar interests to his father. Then old sweetheart Betty Hindmarsh came back into George’s life and they married at Newburn parish church.

As Robert’s stepmother she introduced the youngster to the finer things in life such as literature and music. He was on the way to becoming a gentleman, while father George became a manager.

George and Robert worked together on their projects, but for some reason Robert left and went to America for three years and then came back and married Fanny Sanderson. George then retired and went to live with Betty in Chesterfield. Betty died soon after, but George stayed in Chesterfield and was looked after by housekeeper Ella Gregory. She became his third wife, but George died soon afterwards.

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The Stanegate Magazine (98) July 2013 There are no pictures of any of the Stephenson women, but all had a strong influence on the lives of both George and Robert. David Williams has used known facts and a vivid imagination to create his novel and tell an interesting story.

The competition for the best bookmark was won jointly by Janet Cowen, Doreen Dodd and Mary Robinson. The raffle was won by Claire Dawson.

Trivia for 2013 In previous years we’ve looked at birthday and birthstone trivia. During 2013 we’re looking at the history of our calendar and how the months and days of the week were named and how time was recorded. The origins of our calendar came from the old Roman practice of starting each month on a new moon. The Roman book-keepers would keep their records in a ledger called a "kalendarium" and this is where we get the word - Calendar. The original Roman Calendar was 304 days long and had 10 months that began with March. December marked the end of the calendar year. The months of January and February were set aside for festivals. It was Julius Caesar who reorganized the calendar year to start with the month of January.

Months of the year : July – named after Julius Caesar, who was born in this month.

Days of the week : The days of the week are named after the 7 planets: the Sun, the Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn Wednesday – the name derives from the latin word ‘Mercurii’ (Old English ‘Wodnesdaeg’) and was named for Mercury, God of Peace. Western culture used the God ‘Woton’

News from the School Summer Fair: the annual fundraising event in June raised almost £1,500 which is a fantastic achievement.

Bumbleebees: Shaun Hackett, Warden at Northumberland National Park, visited the school to share his knowledge of bumblebees, stressing the importance of maintaining suitable habitats for bees and other invertebrates. Areas of the school field and Millenium Garden are being kept as long grass and meadow allowing several plant species to thrive, which will also attract bees and other wildlife. The school now has a resident hedgehog in the Millenium Garden and the children are thinking of a name for him/her.

Building work: window replacement has been completed and room temperatures are being recorded across the school to try and reduce energy consumption.

Leavers Service: will be in St Peter’s Church on Thursday 11th July at 2pm. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Pirate week: will run from Monday 1st to Friday 5th July. The whole school will be learning about pirates and will dress up as pirates on the final day.

Transfer Day: will be on Wednesday 3rd July in line with the Haydon Bridge Partnership. Children will spend the afternoon in the class they will be in from September.

Old Sayings for July “July to whom, the Dog Star in her train, St James gives oysters and St Swithin rain” This refers to the belief that if it rains on St Swithin’s Day (15th July) it will rain for forty days thereafter, and to the custom of eating oysters on St James’s Day ( 25th July) for, “he who eats oysters on St James’s Day will not want for money during the year.”

In some countries it was believed that if rain fell on St Swithin’s day and “christened the apples” this was a favourable omen.

As for the oysters on St James’s Day – children used to make grottos out of the shells, illuminate them at night with small candles, and ask passers-by for gifts or money.

Sumer is icumen in/Lhude sing cuccu!

A cuckoo called briefly at Whinny Hill on June the 11th. The number of visiting cuckoos has been in steep decline in recent years and now its repeated double-noted "cuck-coos" which were once a familiar sound of spring and early summer are sadly seldom heard in the neighbourhood.

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CHURCH PAGES

The Stanegate Magazine (98) July 2013 WHO’S WHO Church of England

Methodist

Roman Catholic

Vicar

Minister

Parish Priest

Rev Jeremy Thompson

Rev Marian Olsen

Fr. Leo Pyle

The Rectory St. John Lee, Hexham

Westfield Westfield Terrace Hexham

St. John’s Presbytery North Road Haydon Bridge

Tel 600268

Tel 603761

Tel 684265

E mail—MarianLOlsen@aol.com SAINTS OF THE MONTH – are the stories true?

In the lists of saints we find some who may or may not have really existed or about whom there is little factual information, yet for some reason they were venerated as saints in particular areas. St Margaret, regarded as a virgin martyr is one such. She became one of the most popular saints in the later middle ages, with a feast day on 20th July, but there is no real evidence that she ever lived. Her story, supposed to have been written by an eye -witness, Theotimus, is that she was the Christian daughter of a pagan priest at Antioch in Pisidia. She rejected the prefect (a civil or military officer) Olybrius, who took his revenge by denouncing her as a Christian.

She then suffered an amazing collection of ordeals, including being swallowed by Satan in the form of a dragon, and finally she was beheaded. This whole account of her life and death seems to be entirely fictitious.

There is some confusion aboutth St Kenelm (Cynehelm) whose feast was kept on 17 July in southern and western England in the Middle Ages. It was believed in those days that when, at the age of seven, he succeeded his father King Coenwulf of Mercia he was immediately murdered at the orders of his sister Quoenthryth.

Kenelm, his father and sister certainly existed, but there is evidence that far from dying as a child, or being murdered, he lived to at least twenty five, and probably died in battle.

A small number of churches in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire are dedicated to him, and at one time his shrine was at Winchcombe in Gloucestershire. For many years the parish of Romsley near the Clent hills south of Birmingham, where Kenelm was said to be murdered, celebrated his feast day with a fair and with “Crabbing the parson” at which the unfortunate cleric was bombarded with crab apples.

Yet another fictitious person is Wilgefortis, also known as Liberata, Livrade Kummernis, and, in England, as Uncumber. The legend is that her father, a heathen king of Portugal, wanted her to marry the king of Sicily; but she had made a vow of virginity. She prayed for help in her predicament – prayers which were answered when a beard grew on her face. The king of Sicily no longer wished to marry her and her angry father had her crucified. This tale may well have developed when someone saw a crucifix showing Christ wearing a long robe.

From the registers Baptisms: in baptism you have been raised with Christ through your faith in the power of God. 3rd March 2013 Emily Janet Gradwell at St. Peter’s, Newbrough 19th May 2013 Daniel Benson-Muir at St. Michael’s Warden 26th May 2013 Caitlin Gradwell at St. Peter’s, Newbrough 2nd June 2013 Ellie Trotter at St. Peter’s, Newbrough Weddings: Jesus said “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain in my love” 3rd May 2013 Steven Raine & Rhian Robinson at St. Peter’s, Newbrough Funerals: if we have been united with Christ through baptism into death, we will certainly also be united with Him in his resurrection.

On 6th June 2013 Major Ivan Straker at St Michael’s, Warden

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The Stanegate Magazine (98) July 2013

Jeremy writes Dear Friends, So, there I was running along the road on my morning jog waiting for my GPS to tell me when to turn around. I was about where I had been the day before and nothing had happened. I jogged on. Mmm ... I thought, shouldn't be long now. Another hundred yards passed and still nothing.

Haven’t run that much faster I mused so it can't be very much further. A twinge of anxiety swept across me. I needed to get back so that I could get the day started. I tried to think how long it was since it had last spoken. It does that, every kilometre it tells me how far I’ve run and how quickly.

"5 kilometres in 27 minutes and 30 seconds. Lap time 5 minutes 17 seconds". She remained silent. Perhaps I should have a look at it. The battery might have died or the GPS signal been lost. Looking at it is quite difficult as I wear it on my upper arm in one of those black pouches all the trendy runners wear. She stayed silent, I jogged on. Perhaps I should just turn round anyway I thought. But no that would put the programme out: three stretches of 20 minutes with 1 minute walking in between. If I just take it into my head to do things my own way what was the point of embarking on this running programme in the first place. No keep going. Come on will you. My anxiety had risen slightly. A buzzing on my arm. Ah at last. "it's time to turn around". Thank you! My anxiety faded as I turned and made for home.

As I jogged home I began to ponder on the issue of faith. It had come up in a conversation some days before and I was still thinking about it. It struck me that what I had just been through was an example of what it is to have faith. The essence of faith is trust.

Not trust in a thing, but trust in a relationship.

When I bought the GPS app for my phone that I was relying upon to tell me when to turn around I entered into a relationship, not with it, but with the folk who made it. The deal was that I gave them £1.99 and in return they provided me with a service. The promise they made to me was that their app would use the GPS on my phone to calculate how far I had run, how long it had taken, they would plot my route on the map, and gather lots of other useful information that I could use to help improve my running, including when I had reached half way and should turn around.

My part of the deal was to ensure that I had the GPS on the phone turned on, the battery charged and a paid up data service. And importantly that I trust them to make their part of the deal work.

The same is true of our relationship with God. We

can, if we choose, be in a relationship with God. He holds out his hand to us and says, "If you will be as a child to me, if you will treat me as a father, if you will learn from me how to live, go the way I show you, live honestly, openly and with the love of your neighbour in your heart, then I will be as a father to you. I will guide you through this life, I will help you find fulfilment, wholeness and contentment, and when you pass through death I will not abandon you to oblivion and nothingness, but will draw you to myself so that we, all my children, might dwell together in peace forever.

The trouble is that when we don't hear God speaking in accents clear and still we start to doubt that the promise will be fulfilled. We want to stop and check and see that God is still alive, still there, still working. Or we decide that we will go our own way, give up following the plan and do it on our own.

If this week you are in that place of doubting, of wondering if God is there at all, have faith! Hold to the promise and God will show you that he is still with you and will tell you when to turn around. If you haven't yet grasped God's outstretched hand, perhaps now is the time to do so, for he asks nothing more of you than that you treat him as your father, and be to him a child. For his promise is sure, and he will not let you down.

With all good wishes for the month ahead, Jeremy

FOURSTONES WITH WARDEN METHODIST CHURCH PREACHERS FOR JULY 7 July

Rev Marian Olsen, Holy Communion

14 July

Patrick Eavis

21 July

Brian Japes

28 July

Joyce Short

Services held at 10.30 am.

EVERYONE MOST WELCOME

CHURCH SERVICES 7th July 10am Holy Communion at St. Peter’s Newbrough 14th July 8.30am Parish Communion at St Michael’s Warden 21st July 10am Parish Communion at St Michael’s Warden 28th July 8.30am Holy Communion at St. Peter’s Newbrough If you have any doubts about times or places of services please see the church notice boards or contact the VICAR. (01434 600268) Whilst these times and venues are correct at the time of going to press, would-be worshippers are advised to check against the times published on a week to week basis in the leaflets available in church Page 14