Langley Castle.

Driving from the A69 up to Allendale we passed Langley Castle. All the years we have been in Cumbria we have associated the castle with the meals and entertaining. However AG Bradley's book on the "Romance of Northumberland " , first printed in 1908 tells an altogether different story. The early owners were the Tindall family but the house eventually passed by marriage to the Lucy's. The third generation of the new owners was Sir Thomas who fought at Crecy and immediately afterwards was sent to fight the Scots at Neville's Cross. It was the money from these two famous battles which went into changing the house into the Castle. And it was no folly either, for those times were dangerous indeed with the Border raids. The next owners were the Percies. and it then passed to the Nevilles and in the seventeenth century to the Ratcliffes. The Earl of Derwentwater then passed it, wlong with the rest of his estate to the Trustees of Greenwich Hospital. From there it was passed to Cadwallader Bates who started the restoration work.When his wife died in 1932 it was used as an army barracks and then a girls school. It is now a luxury hotel.





Panoramio
Wikipedia

RAF, WW2, The Cheviots and Dutch Friends

Walking up the College Valley we came to the memorial for airmen killed in the Cheviots during the second world war. Touchingly at the base of the monument was a letter from Dutch families who obviously had memories going back to those dark days. Dunsdale house and Coldburn Cottage are within 1 mile of this poignant reminder.

Gefrin , Wooler and ancient history

Gefrin, the Royal Township of the Anglo Saxon Kings of Northumbria. It was here in AD 627 that Paulinus, the missionary, preached and baptized the local people in the River Glen. Where ever you travel around Wooler and Cheviot hills you are not far away from medieval and ancient history. The Countryside, away from the coast, is intimate and speaks of old times. There is magic in the air.




If you want to experience this wonderful part of England then we have a number of houses available.

Hethpool Mill in the College Valley, also nearby are Coldburn cottage and Dunsdale House


Croft cottage

Akeld Hill View

To list just a few

Our first Northumberland blog

Well here we are !!
All things about Northumberland and the Scottish borders. History, customs and advice for people coming to the region.

Our main site is Northumbria-byways.com.

and we have plenty of pictures here.