Morpeth and its River
Distance: 8.5 miles,
Minnimum Time: 2hrs 45mins,
Difficulty: Easy,
Description:
The 16th-century travel writer, John Leland, described Morpeth as a âfayrer towne than Alnwickeâ, a sentiment still upheld by the townâs natives. It certainly is an attractive place, with many streets lined by fine Georgian buildings and a sprinkling of some that are considerably older. But it isnât a museum either, and its work-a-day bustle reflects a long tradition as a market town, just over 800 years in fact. This walk leads you past some of its most interesting sights.
The Early Days. Little remains of the townâs original buildings, which witnessed the often bloody events that marked its early history as a frontier town. Fortified shortly after the Norman Conquest, the first defence was a motte and bailey surmounting a mound, Ha Hill, overlooking the river in what is now Carlisle Park. This was superseded by more sophisticated fortifications on the higher ground behind, of which the 14th-century gatehouse still survives. The town had an abbey too, founded a little way upstream as a daughter to the great Cistercian monastery at Fountains. The medievallooking âcastleâ opposite the park entrance, however, only appeared in 1821, serving successively as the gaol, police headquarters and then courthouse. The old and narrow town bridge was replaced in 1832 by Thomas Telfordâs graceful three-arched span, which, before the bypass was built, carried the Great North Road. At its northern end stands the Chantry, built in the late 13th century to serve as a chapel and tollhouse for the original bridge. Its chaplain began the townâs first grammar school, which, refounded after the Chantry was dissolved along with the monastery by Henry VIII, continued in the building until 1858, when it moved to Cottingwood. The elegant Town Hall, gifted in 1714 by the Earl of Carlisle and re-fronted by Lord Joicey two centuries later, stands near the clock tower, which dates from around 1640 and was the gaol until the beginning of the 19th century. Morpeth has associations with many notable people, including Vice- Admiral Lord Collingwood, Nelsonâs second in command at Trafalgar, and Dr John Horsley, dubbed the âFather of British Archaeologyâ and minister of St Georgeâs Church for 23 years. Emily Davison, one of the suffragette movementâs most determined activists, is buried in St Maryâs churchyard. She became a martyr in 1917 when she fell beneath the Kingâs racehorse. In September 2008, the River Wansbeck burst its banks and left a trail of destruction through the town centre. You may still be able to see the high water mark left by the unprecedented torrent of water.
While you're there: Some people may be surprised to learn that Scotland doesnât have a monopoly on the bagpipes. In fact they can be found in various forms from Africa to Russia. Housed in the 13thcentury Chantry is a fascinating exhibition, which focuses on the Northumbrian version of this rather unusual instrument.
What to look for: Go quietly through the woods beside the river and keep your eyes open, for you may see red squirrels scampering amongst the branches. Increasingly marginalised by the grey squirrel, which was introduced from North America in the 19th century, it is Britainâs native squirrel. A rarer sight is the brilliant iridescent flash of a kingfisher, or even a glimpse of roe deer, browsing amongst the dark foliage.
Where to eat and drink: There is a choice of pubs and places to eat in the town, amongst them the Black Bull, fronted with regency bow windows and an Adam doorway and the Queenâs Head, which was once a vicarage.
Directions:
From the Town Hall, walk east along Bridge Street to the end, continuing around to the left along the main road towards Pegswood. Immediately after the Old Red Bull Inn, take an enclosed path on the right that later rejoins the main road. Cross to a footpath rising through the woodland opposite, signed âWhorral Bank and Cottingwood Commonâ. Bear right when you get to a fork, past a residential home, then go right at the next junction to again meet the main road.
On the far side, a path, signed âBothalâ, descends into a lushly wooded valley through which flows the River Wansbeck. There follows a delightful, undulating walk for some 2.25 miles (3.6km), eventually ending by a sawmill. Walk to the lane beyond, and turn right across the river.
After climbing from the valley, the lane continues above the wood. Where it later bends sharply left at Shadfen Cottage, go ahead over a stile into a field corner, and carry on at the edge of successive fields beside the right-hand boundary. Eventually, the way passes right of a deep excavation, once an opencast coal mine, before falling towards a stile into woodland. Drop through the trees to a bridge over a stream.
Re-emerging into open fields above the far bank, follow a path ahead between the cultivation to gain a tarmac track past Parkhouse Banks. After 120yds (110m), immediately beyond a drive, turn through a gap in the right-hand hedge, signed âWhorral Bankâ, and walk away beside the field-edge. At the corner, slip right through another gap and carry on along a track past a cottage and through fields to a railway bridge.
Keep going over the field beyond to a stile, there dropping across a rough pasture back into wood. Soon joined by a track, continue down to a junction by the river and turn left above the bank. Emerging from the trees, bear left along a field path that leads past a cottage, the ongoing track returning to the river.
Over the bridge, a street leads around past the ambulance station into town. Go ahead to St Georgeâs Church and then turn left over Telford Bridge to Castle Square. Cross into Carlisle Park and, beyond the flowerbeds, bear right following the main drive to a riverside promenade. Walk upstream past Elliott Bridge to the top of the park and there turn right over Oldgate Bridge to return to the town centre.
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