Allendale, Northumberland

Last updated

Allendale
Shield Street - geograph.org.uk - 1230205.jpg
Shield Street, Allendale Town
Northumberland UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Allendale
Location within Northumberland
Population2,021 (2011)
OS grid reference NY8355
Civil parish
  • Allendale
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town HEXHAM
Postcode district NE47
Dialling code 01434
Police Northumbria
Fire Northumberland
Ambulance North East
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Northumberland
54°53′46″N2°15′25″W / 54.896°N 2.257°W / 54.896; -2.257

Allendale, often marked on maps as Allendale Town, is a village and civil parish in south west Northumberland, England. It is located within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. [1]

Contents

At the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 2,120, [2] decreasing to 2,021 at the 2011 Census. [3] Allendale is within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty [4] (AONB); the second largest of the 40 AONB's in England and Wales. The local economy is predominantly based on agriculture (notably sheep farming) and tourism, although of late it has become a popular commuter town for Newcastle upon Tyne.

Allendale is located around 11 miles (18 km) by road from the town of Hexham, and around 34 miles (55 km) from both Carlisle and Newcastle upon Tyne.

History

Guisers carry lighted tar barrels during the New Year fire festival, a tradition dating back to 1858. Allendale Town Tar Bar'l - geograph.org.uk - 649541.jpg
Guisers carry lighted tar barrels during the New Year fire festival, a tradition dating back to 1858.

Allendale refers to the "dale" or valley of the River Allen. Evidence of prehistoric settlement has been found on the surrounding moorland. In the 16th century this area, close to the Scottish border, was a lawless and troubled place. Fortified farmhouses known as 'bastles' were constructed to protect residents and livestock against reiver raids. Allendale has a concentration of bastles, around 40 can still be seen, many as scenic ruins.

Local mining for lead has occurred since Roman times, with the first smelting mill being constructed in the 1600s. The significant growth of Allendale Town and the surrounding villages was fuelled by that of the local lead-mining and smelting industries in the 19th century. The remains of two flues from the former smelting mill (between Allendale and Catton) run to chimneys up on the fells high above the village. The smelting mill is now home to the Allendale Brewery [5] and the Allenmills Regeneration Project. [6] In 1874 Allendale Co-operative Society was established.

In 1869, the Hexham and Allendale Railway was opened to provide improved transport, but its opening coincided with a rapid decline in the industry due to cheap imports of lead. The last mines in the area closed in 1894 (although an attempt was made to re-open the mine at Allenheads in the 1970s).

With the closure of the lead mines, the population rapidly declined and Allendale became a popular tourist destination for Edwardian Tynesiders seeking a country escape. The railway was finally closed to passengers in 1930 and to goods in 1950 (when the local terminus was bought by the stationmaster and opened as a caravan park. [7]

Popularly held to be the town or dale that is referenced in Charles Jefferys' and Sidney Nelson's 1835 ballad The Rose of Allandale Rose of Allendale, published in the New York Mirror, and later sung by Paddy Reilly, The Dubliners and many others, it seems more likely that this song is either metaphorical or refers literally to the community on Allan Water in the Scottish Highlands at the beginning of the Firth of Forth. The explicit reference to Allendale, moreover, in 'Lucy Gray of Allendale', a musical setting of the earliest known work by Cumbrian poet Robert Anderson, manages to get the spelling of the town correctly.

New Year fire festival

The town's New Year celebrations involve lighted tar barrels that are carried on the heads of revellers called guisers. This tradition dates back so far that it is untraceable, with definitive evidence only back to the mid-1800s. [8] It appears to have originated from the lighting of a silver band that was carolling at New Year. They were unable to use candles to light their music because of strong winds, so someone suggested that a tar barrel be used. As the band had to move from place to place, it was easier to carry the barrels upon the guisers' heads, rather than rolling them. [9] The festival's origins are unclear, with claims for both pagan and Christian roots. [8]

Governance

Allendale is in the parliamentary constituency of Hexham, Joe Morris of the Labour Party is the Member of Parliament.

Until Brexit the residents of Allendale voted to elect MEPs for the North East England constituency of the European Parliament.

For local government purposes Allemdale is in the Tynedale Division for elections to Northumberland County Council, a unitary authority. [10] Before the 2009 structural changes to local government in England were implemented it was governed by the former Tynedale Council. Allendale also has its own parish council. [11]

Economy

The village hosts a health centre, village shop, Post Office, a store operated by Allendale Co-operative Society, [12] brewery, butchers, chemist, gift shop, tea-room, art-cafe, beauty and holistic healing centre, and several pubs.

Owing to its location, Allendale is a popular country holiday destination. There are a number of holiday cottages [13] in and around the village as well as a caravan park. [7]

The Museum of Classic Sci-Fi is housed in a cellar in the village. [14]

Public services

Anglican church of St. Cuthbert's in winter St. Cuthbert's Church, Allendale - geograph.org.uk - 1102274.jpg
Anglican church of St. Cuthbert's in winter

Allendale hosts a scout group [15] and there is an active village hall [16] that hosts regular events. Allendale Library [17] is located at Dawson Place in the village square.

There is also a fire station in the town.

The local community is served both by the Anglican Church of St. Cuthbert's [18] and a Methodist chapel.

Transport

Air

The nearest airports are Carlisle Lake District Airport and Newcastle International Airport, which are located around 29 and 32 miles (47 and 51 km) from the village by road respectively.

Bus

The village is served by Go North East's 688 bus service, which links Allenheads, Sinderhope and Allendale with Catton, Langley and Hexham. [19]

Rail

The nearest railway stations are located at Hexham and Haydon Bridge, both of which are on the Tyne Valley Line, which runs between Newcastle and Carlisle. From Hexham, three trains per hour run to Newcastle, with two trains per hour to Carlisle. A less regular service is provided at Haydon Bridge, with 19 trains per day to Newcastle and 17 trains per day to Carlisle. [20]

Road

Allendale is located around 11 miles (18 km) by road from the town of Hexham, and 34 miles (55 km) from both Carlisle and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Sports

Allen Valley Angling and Conservation [21] provides permits to fish the River East Allen and supports conservation efforts to improve fish stock and riverside access. The river is home to wild brown trout and visiting spawning sea trout and salmon.

Allendale Sports Club [22] operates senior and junior football clubs and other associated sports groups, including a local league netball team. It also has 4 full size tennis courts. The Allen Valley Striders [23] running club welcomes runners of all abilities, including novices, and is also based at the Allendale Sports Club.

Allendale Golf Club [24] was founded in 1906.

Allendale Cricket Club [25] fields two weekly teams and is affiliated with both the Northumberland Cricket Board and the West Tyne Senior Cricket League.

Each Spring, the Allendale Challenge [26] is a fell challenge walk. Organised by the North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team the 25 miles (40 km) route covers some of the peat bogs in the North Pennines on an anti-clockwise loop from Allendale town.

There is a Bowling Green adjacent to the Village Hall..

Awards

The village was the all-England winner of the Calor Village of The Year competition (2007). [27] The Calor Village of the Year competition was organised annually by Community Action Northumberland with sponsorship provided by LPG supplier Calor. [28]

Allendale is featured as a key location in Stewart Pringle's 2024 play The Bounds , which premiered at Live Theatre, Newcastle before transferring to the Royal Court, London. [29]

Notable people

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northumberland</span> County of England

Northumberland is a ceremonial county in North East England, bordering Scotland. It is bordered by the Scottish Borders to the north, the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, and Cumbria to the west. The town of Blyth is the largest settlement. Northumberland is the northernmost county in England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hexham</span> Town and civil parish in Northumberland, England

Hexham is a market town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, on the south bank of the River Tyne, formed by the confluence of the North Tyne and the South Tyne at Warden nearby, and close to Hadrian's Wall. Hexham was the administrative centre for the Tynedale district from 1974 to 2009. In 2011, it had a population of 13,097.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alston, Cumbria</span> Town in England

Alston is a town in Westmorland and Furness, Cumbria, England, within the civil parish of Alston Moor. It is located at about 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level in the North Pennines, the River South Tyne, and shares the title of 'highest market town in England', with Buxton, Derbyshire. Despite its relative isolation, the town has road connections to the Tyne Gap to the north, Weardale and Teesdale to the south-east, and Penrith to the south-west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tynedale</span> Former local government district in England

Tynedale was a local government district in Northumberland, England. The district had a resident population of 58,808 according to the 2001 census. The main towns were Hexham, Haltwhistle and Prudhoe. The district contained part of Hadrian's Wall and the southern part of Northumberland National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A69 road</span> Major trunk road in northern England

The A69 is a major northern trunk road in England, running east–west across the Pennines, through the counties of Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and Cumbria. Originally, the road started in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne then later near Birtley, but since the creation of the A1 Western Bypass around Newcastle upon Tyne, it now starts at Denton Burn, a suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haltwhistle</span> Market town in Northumberland, England

Haltwhistle is a market town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, 23 miles east of Carlisle and 37 miles west of Newcastle upon Tyne. It had a population of 3,811 at the 2011 Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stocksfield</span> Village in Northumberland, England

Stocksfield is a small village situated close to the River Tyne, about 14 miles (23 km) west of Newcastle upon Tyne in the southern part of Northumberland, England. There are several smaller communities within the parish of Stocksfield, including Branch End, New Ridley, Broomley, Hindley and the Painshawfield Estate. Other villages in Stocksfield's postal district include Bywell, Newton, Mickley, and Hedley on the Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bellingham, Northumberland</span> Village in Northumberland, England

Bellingham is a village and civil parish in Northumberland, to the north-west of Newcastle upon Tyne and is situated on the Hareshaw Burn at its confluence with the River North Tyne. In 2011 the parish had a population of 1334.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bardon Mill</span> Village in Northumberland, England

Bardon Mill is a small village in Northumberland, within the vicinity of the ancient Hadrian's Wall. It is located around 10+1⁄2 miles from Hexham, 26+1⁄2 mi (43 km) from Carlisle, and 32 mi (51 km) from Newcastle upon Tyne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bywell</span> Village in Northumberland, England

Bywell is a village and civil parish in Northumberland, England. It is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne opposite Stocksfield, between Hexham and Newcastle. The parish has a population of around 380 and Newton to the north is now its most populous settlement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wark on Tyne</span> Human settlement in England

Wark on Tyne or Wark is a village and civil parish in Northumberland, England, 12 miles (19 km) north of Hexham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alston Moor</span> Human settlement in England

Alston Moor, formerly known as Alston with Garrigill, is a civil parish and electoral ward in the Westmorland and Furness district, in the ceremonial county of Cumbria, England, based around the small town of Alston. It is set in the moorlands of the North Pennines, mostly at an altitude of over 1000 feet. The parish/ward had a population of 2,088 at the 2011 census. As well as the town of Alston, the parish includes the villages of Garrigill and Nenthead, along with the hamlets of Nenthall, Nentsberry, Galligill, Blagill, Ashgill, Leadgate, Bayles and Raise. Alston Moor is part of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), the second largest of the 40 AONBs in England and Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hexham railway station</span> Railway station in Northumberland, England

Hexham is a railway station on the Tyne Valley Line, which runs between Newcastle and Carlisle via Hexham. The station, situated 22 miles 22 chains west of Newcastle, serves the market town of Hexham in Northumberland, England. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haltwhistle railway station</span> Railway station in Northumberland, England

Haltwhistle is a railway station on the Tyne Valley Line, which runs between Newcastle and Carlisle via Hexham. The station, situated 22 miles 66 chains east of Carlisle, serves the market town of Haltwhistle in Northumberland, England. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Allen, Northumberland</span> River in Northumberland, England

The River Allen is a river in the English county of Northumberland. The river has its sources in the hills of the Northern Pennines, and is formed by the confluence of the East and West Allen rivers. The Allen is itself, a tributary of the River Tyne. The Allen was formerly very polluted from mining activity upstream, but remediation schemes have been implemented to allow the water quality to improve.

Henshaw is a small village and civil parish in Northumberland, within the vicinity of the ancient Hadrian's Wall. It is located around 11.5 miles (19 km) from Hexham, 25.5 miles (41 km) from Carlisle, and 33 miles (53 km) from Newcastle upon Tyne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horsley, Northumberland</span> Human settlement in England

Horsley is a small village and civil parish in Northumberland, England. The village lies on the top of a south-facing hill above the River Tyne, around 11 miles (18 km) from Newcastle upon Tyne and 12 miles (19 km) from Hexham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slaggyford</span> Village in Northumberland, England

Slaggyford is a village in the civil parish of Knaresdale with Kirkhaugh, in Northumberland, England about 5 miles (8 km) north of Alston, Cumbria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyne Valley line</span> Railway line in north of England

The Tyne Valley Line is a 58-mile (93 km) route, linking Newcastle upon Tyne with Hexham and Carlisle, England. The line follows the course of the River Tyne through Tyne and Wear and Northumberland. Five stations and two viaducts on the route are listed structures.

The Hexham and Allendale Railway was a railway company formed in 1865 to build a branch line from the lead mining district of Allendale in Northumberland to a junction near Hexham on the Carlisle to Newcastle line. It opened to goods and mineral traffic in two stages from 1867, and to passengers in 1869.

References

  1. ↑ 10 of Britain’s most eccentric villages
  2. ↑ "Area selected: Tynedale (Non-Metropolitan District) Parish Headcounts". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 28 May 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  3. ↑ "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  4. ↑ "Home". Northpennines.org.uk. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  5. ↑ "Allendale Brewery – Home". allendaleale.com. Archived from the original on 31 March 2012.
  6. ↑ "The Mill – Allen Mill".
  7. 1 2 "Home". allendale-holidays.co.uk.
  8. 1 2 Williams, Francesca (31 December 2012). "Burning barrels for the Tar Barl Festival". BBC News. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  9. ↑ Newell, The Allendale Fire Festival
  10. ↑ "Northumberland County Council – Northumberland – UK". northumberland.gov.uk.
  11. ↑ "Allendale Parish Council".
  12. ↑ "Home – Allendale Co‑operative Society Ltd". allendalecoop.co.uk.
  13. ↑ "Accommodation". Archived from the original on 29 March 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  14. ↑ Brown, Mark (6 January 2022). "The Doctor Who treasure trove in a Northumberland village cellar". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  15. ↑ "scouthome". ukgo.com. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
  16. ↑ "Allendale Village Hall". Allendale Village Hall. Archived from the original on 20 April 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  17. ↑ "Northumberland County Council – Northumberland – UK". northumberland.gov.uk.
  18. ↑ "Home". allendalechurch.co.uk.
  19. ↑ "688 - Allenheads - Allendale - Low Gate - Priestpopple - Hexham". Go North East. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  20. ↑ "Train times: Sunderland and Newcastle to Hexham and Carlisle" (PDF). Northern Trains. 14 September 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  21. ↑ "Allen Valley Angling & Conservation – Information and news about fly fishing and conservation efforts on the River East Allen, Northumberland, North East England". allenvalleyanglers.co.uk.
  22. ↑ "Allendale Sports Club". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  23. ↑ "Welcome to our website". allenvalleystriders.co.uk.
  24. ↑ "Allendale Golf Club".
  25. ↑ "Allendale CC - Play-Cricket - About Us". Archived from the original on 11 June 2004. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  26. ↑ "North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team". northoftynesearchandrescue.org.uk. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012.
  27. ↑ "Overall Winner Revealed!". Archived from the original on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
  28. ↑ "Stocksfield fights for national title". Hexham Courant. No. 13 March 2009. p. 7.
  29. ↑ Lukowski, Andrzej (18 June 2024). "Review: The Bounds". Time Out . Retrieved 2 July 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.