Acomb | |
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![]() Acomb rooftops | |
Location within Northumberland | |
Population | 1,184 (2001 census) [1] |
OS grid reference | NY931664 |
Unitary authority | |
Ceremonial county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | HEXHAM |
Postcode district | NE46 |
Dialling code | 01434 |
Police | Northumbria |
Fire | Northumberland |
Ambulance | North East |
UK Parliament | |
Acomb is a village in the south of Northumberland, England. [2] The population at the 2001 Census was 1,184 increasing to 1,268 at the 2011 Census. [3] It is situated to the north of Hexham, [4] not far from the junction of the A69 road and A6079 road. The name is Anglo-Saxon Old English acum, 'at the oak trees'. The traditional pronunciation of the name was "Yeckam". [5]
Some Bronze Age cists have been discovered in this vicinity. [6] Hadrian's Wall runs about 1 mile (1.5 km) to the NE of Acomb, where the site of Chesters Roman Fort is located.
Acomb is in the parliamentary constituency of Hexham.
In 1886, the coal mine at Acomb employed 200 workers, and 51,000 tons of coal per year were raised. [7]
The Church of St John Lee is a church dedicated to St John of Beverley, reportedly a local hermit and worker of miracles. There was a medieval church, but it was rebuilt in 1818 by John Dobson and expanded by Hicks[ who? ] in 1885. In 1765, Robert Scott, a Northumbrian piper, was marrying Jean Middlemas. Scott used crutches to walk, but on his wedding day he walked from his home village of Wall, Northumberland to the church without his crutches. He walked back again with a group of fellow pipers. [7]