Roughly equidistant between the cities of Carlisle and Newcastle, and in the heart of Hadrian’s Wall country, sits the pretty little village of Bardon Mill. The nearest towns (in size descending order) are Hexham, Haltwhistle, and Corbridge. As you approach the village by the main road, you’ll see signs which say “smoke,” which could be a little bit concerning, but actually it’s just the working pottery and it depends which way the wind is blowing (and whether they’re firing that day) as to whether the smoke is coming across the road. The little village is often overlooked because it is just off the A69 thoroughfare between two major cities in the North, but it is well worth a stop over (maybe for lunch?) if your journey allows it.
The village boasts a popular local pub The Bowes Hotel (named after the Bowes-Lyon family that were resident in the area from the 18th-20th century), as well as a community store and tearoom just across the road from the pub, if your mood is more scone than Sunday lunch. The village also has a large working pottery (Errington Reay) that has been going since 1878, where today you can go and watch the potters at work, or take part in workshop to learn a little bit about the art yourself. This is the only commercial pottery in the UK that is currently licensed to produce salt glaze pottery, which produces a slightly “orange-peel” like texture to the pots, as a coating of sodium silicate is formed when the pots are fired in the kiln. It did fall out of fashion due to concerns about the air pollution produced during the process, which is why Errington Reay only fires on certain days, at specific times, and in small windows, to keep the smoke at a minimum.
The location of the village means that it is only two miles away from The Sill, the hub of Northumberland National Park; two miles from Allen Banks (which used to be the grounds of Ridley Hall, see below) and Staward Gorge; two miles from Vindolanda; and only three miles from the wall itself. No matter what you’re in the mood to do in this beautiful part of the world, then Bardon Mill is a great place to do it from. This village truly is in the heart of Hadrian’s Wall country, so is a great hub and base to plan a day’s activities – come for breakfast in the tearoom, and set out from there!
Other historical landmarks include the beautiful Georgian Ridley Hall, about a mile away, and was once the northern residence of the Bowes-Lyon family (i.e. the late Queen’s Mother). Now however, it is actually the boarding wing of a nearby prep school (fancy!), and is used for weddings and functions on the weekends and school holidays when the students are not in residence. Sadly it is not open to the public (although they do host an annual Burns Night community Ceilidh, which seems like an excellent opportunity to get inside!), but you can admire the hall itself from a distance from the numerous walking paths and the roads nearby.
The village is connected to both Carlisle and Newcastle, as well as the nearby towns and villages, by an active trainline and bus services, so it’s very easy to get to from either of those larger cities. Centred around its community and celebrating its stunning location, Bardon Mill remains connected and welcoming to visitors, year round.
The thing about being vintage… it never goes out of fashion.
Before we truly begin, I think it’s probably important to understand exactly what vintage clothing is. It’s a word that gets thrown around a lot these days, whether correctly or not. By “dictionary” definition, vintage clothing is a piece that is more than twenty years old, but less than a hundred years old. Anything older than a hundred years would be considered an antique as, by its very nature, is likely to be a lot rarer. As such, what classes as vintage moves… it breathes… it’s not static, and as each year passes more items will be added to the vintage category whilst much older items fall off the other end into the realms of antique.
I love vintage clothing, and delight in spending an hour or two rummaging through a good vintage shop to see what treasures I can find. There are three major reasons why I am so excited by vintage clothing:
Style – When you find a really cool vintage piece that appeals to your sense of style, you can be relatively sure that, the next time you go out, you’re not going to see five other people wearing the same thing. It helps you build a unique look that is all your own, and also aids in building image confidence. It’s very easy to become comfortable living in generic clothing (and if that’s your bag, there’s nothing wrong with it), but it is amazing what a difference a few unique pieces can make in transforming your wardrobe. I have a vintage suede jacket, and I always feel a little more confident when I put it on because it’s a little bit different, it’s comfortable, it’s well-made, and it goes with a lot of things I already own.
Lance Reis for Unsplash
Durability – There’s no arguing with it; clothes were better made in the past (although as the vintage window creeps into the late 00s and 10s, vintage collectors are going to have to start being more savvy about how items were manufactured), compared to clothes that are made today and churned out by fast fashion giants (shudder). If you know anything about how clothes are made and compare a pair of jeans from the 90s to ones made today, the difference in fabric density, the stitching on the zipper, the hemming etc. etc. will be obvious to see. Some would argue that this general decline in quality is to help keep prices low, and perhaps that is true, but that leads directly to the next point…
Environment – Vintage clothing is better for the environment. Obviously. By not making new clothing and recycling old, you’re not using new carbon to create anything, you’re keeping fabric out of the waste pipeline, and you’re saving clothing from landfill. This is so important to me – we have so much wonderful clothing out there, available to us, and it’s just waiting to be discovered and loved again…
Of course, that is where Gayle Foster and her shop Vintage At The Tower in Corbridge comes in. I sat down with Gayle a couple of weeks ago to ask her some questions about owning a small business, sustainability, vintage clothing, and why it should be the future of fashion, as well as its past.
How long have you been at Vintage At The Tower, and what was it that inspired you to open a Vintage shop? Vintage at the Tower was first established in 2013 as a pop-up shop by myself and two other vintage sellers, as we sought to share the costs of running the shop together. By 2022 the other two dealers had moved on from the shop, and I decided to take over the shop solo.
What exactly can someone find at Vintage At The Tower? You have clothing and jewellery, but there are other treasures to find as well…? Yes, we sell all sorts of clothing and jewellery that I personally source. I specialise and focus on natural fabrics, but also on promoting and preserving British Brands such as Liberty, Barbour, Jaeger, Burberry… and many others! These clothing brands are to be found alongside gorgeous vintage costume jewellery, handbags, and accessories.
We have got a wide range of jewellery; both costume and antique jewellery, handmade with care and consideration, and selected for their style and uniqueness. They go well with any outfit, even your everyday, to elevate and add some style or whimsy, depending on your taste and what you can find! They also make great gifts, because they’re so unique. People aren’t going to have seen it anywhere else, and it means that you can find something that really speaks to an individual for a gift.
They’re thoughtful, stunning and personal, the sort of thing that says, “I saw this and just knew it was made just for you.”
My ethos is to elevate the every day, so I also stock a range of vintage homewares includes crystal glass, tableware, and kitchen paraphernalia. Plates and glasses don’t need to be boring, any more than a pair of trousers does. I want to enhance people’s every day lives by providing individual, stylish, and sustainable items that they will be able to use for many years to come.
Bryony: I am a huge fan of this ethos because, in my mind, life is meant to be lived. It’s meant to be fun and beautiful, cosy, and charming, and whatever other adjective you want to put on it. Wear the perfume just because, light the nice candles, put the fancy skirt on just to pop to the shops… why not?! I think if we consciously try to bring joy into our every day, rather than worrying that we perhaps shouldn’t do that, we would probably have a much more fun experience when simply going about our lives.
Where does your stock come from? (Or is that a trade secret?!) The stock for Vintage At The Tower is found in a wide variety of places, from fairs to markets, to selected online sellers, as well as other dealers who have items that appeal to my style. Here in the shop we also repair and restore old clothing and jewellery, and everything that comes in is cleaned, polished, and restored to a high quality, to ensure that it gets the new lease of life that it deserves. Sometimes all an item needs is some new buttons, or the lining of a jacket repairing, before it can be worn for many years to come!
I source a lot of my beautiful costume jewellery from Butler and Wilson, and have built up quite the range and collection over the years. I’ve also got some antique pieces of jewellery that are tiny works of art in their own right – made in the early 20th century, and of exquisite detail.
Bryony: I especially love the range of clip-on earrings to be found in the shop. As someone who can’t wear “regular” earrings, no matter what metal I’ve tried, it was amazing to find a shop with such a wide range of beautiful clip-ons to peruse. I think I’ve got at least six pairs!
What drew you to vintage in the first place, and what is your favourite era for vintage clothing? Are you a 70s officiando? Or is the current Y2K clothing movement floating your boat? I have always had an interest in vintage and pre-loved items, which probably began when I was young – dressing up in my grandma’s gorgeous clothes, and delving into her jewellery box. She was one of the major influences for me becoming a fashion student in the 1980s! My favourite decades for vintage clothing have got to be the Hollywood glamour of the late 40s and early 50s, when things like the Dior “New Look” came into it’s own, and stars like Hedy Lemarr and Audrey Hepburn were shining.
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Is any of the stock not vintage? If so, where does it come from? Do you try and use local suppliers and artisans? We produce our own range of handknitted accessories made from pure alpaca wool, that are knitted by a team of local ladies. I also make a point of upcycling and reusing old fabrics to make new items, such as lampshades, or customised denim jackets. It’s really important to me to do this, as it keeps old textiles out of the waste stream and out of landfill.
Bryony: Shockingly, each year, we Brits throw away 300,000 tonnes of clothing into landfill. If it doesn’t end up in landfill, it is also burned, another option which is terrible for the environment. This is a cost-cutting approach to disposing of clothes, at the expense of releasing toxic fumes to our environment on a mass scale.
Why is vintage clothing important to you? What do you wish the general public knew about sustainability when purchasing clothing? I have always been passionate about recycling and reusing as a way to protect the environment, and I see vintage as a great opportunity to achieve this. It has never been more important to be sustainable in our habits, and with enough clothing currently on this planet to clothe the next six generations, encouraging people to buy preloved and vintage clothing is essential.
You’ve worked to make the shop more sustainable; how have you gone about that? What changes have been made, and what changes would you like to make in the future? The Green Growth Programme, run by Small Business Britain, that I completed last year, was very interesting for me, even though I run a very sustainable business already, I have been able to implement even more changes to make things better. This has included switching energy supplier, changing up our packaging to be more sustainable, and being more aware of how we recycle the minimal waste that is created in store. I have also implemented a sustainability strategy to ensure that every area of the business is sustainable, and caring for a community and planet. Future plans for the shop involve installing solar panels, which is being looked into at the moment.
Something very interesting that we have started recently is our rental service on handbags, designer fashion, and Butler and Wilson statement jewellery. This works really well for our customers who want unique pieces for special events like prom, a wedding, or an anniversary event, and then it can come back and be used and loved by someone else. It’s a brilliant way of making sure that items go back into circulation and the environmental footprint is further reduced!
The European Union recently passed a law that companies can no longer destroy unsold clothing. Is this something you would like to see replicated in the UK? What sort of a difference do you think that it would make? The recent law change in the EU is a huge leap forward towards a more sustainable fashion industry, and I hope our government takes notice of the changes and acts accordingly. Next to the oil and gas industry, the fashion industry is the second highest polluter on the planet. One piece of vintage clothing purchased has seventy times less the environmental impact compared to a new piece of clothing. I want to encourage everyone to think about where their clothes are coming from, how and by whom they are made, and then seriously consider preloved when deciding where to purchase.
As you can tell, Vintage is very important to Gayle, and I can’t wait to see how she further develops Vintage At The Tower, it’s offering, and the sustainability of the shop. I know that I will be back, again and again, to see what’s new and find my newest piece!
If you’re one of the millions of people (40m+ at the time of writing) who has watched Bridgerton Season Four in the last few weeks, and fallen for deeply for the whole whimsy (and not altogether accurate) Regency vibe of the show, you might be looking for places to visit that match that vibe, and where you can imagine yourself as a star of the show. Here’s just a selection of places around the North that you can visit and pretend that you’re Violet about take tea (*wink*); that you’re Eloise with her nose in a book and scorning suitors; or that you’re one of the new season debutantes, looking to fall head-over-heels in love with an eligible suitor… just make sure you stay with your chaperone and don’t become the subject of this season’s scandal!
Castle Howard, Yorkshire
Castle Howard
Castle Howard doesn’t just match Bridgerton vibes, it is Bridgerton vibes, as the location was used in Season One as a stand in for “Clyveden House” – the country residence of the Duke and Duchess of Hastings, played by Regé-Jean Page and Phoebe Dyvenor. The temple of the four winds in the grounds was used for a notably spicy scene in the pouring rain, whilst the library, the archbishop’s bedroom (pictured below), Turquoise Room, and Long Gallery were used for other scenes as the Duke and Duchess settle into married life.
In one interview I’ve seen with Regé he makes a joke about how – when filming spicier scenes – there is what is known as a “closed set,” where those only essential for the scene to be filmed are allowed to be present. Essential cast and crew… and Fiona. Fiona being the luckless (or lucky?) house warden who had been assigned to make sure that the furniture was properly cared for, and things didn’t get out of hand. In the interview Regé laughs as he recalls how this poor embarrassed woman is stood there, looking out for this incredible eighteenth century bed, whilst he was romping about in his birthday suit! That would have been a rather strange day at the office!
The house itself is a Baroque architectural masterpiece that took nearly a hundred years to complete. One can immediately imagine themselves as a Duke or Duchess, sweeping through the magnificently conserved hallways and receiving rooms, whilst planning the next ball that is to take place; one that will also show off the best of the collection, and centre the most stunning pieces. The collection itself at Castle Howard is incredible, with artists such as Canaletto, Titian, Thomas Gainsborough, Pannini, and Reynolds represented (along with many others).
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Howick Hall, Northumberland
Rear aspect of Howick Hall
I visited Howick Hall and Gardens last year, and it’s an absolutely delightful location to sink into the Bridgerton mindset; reading books in the garden by the pond, and drinking cups of Earl Grey tea (the house was the former residence of Lord John Grey, for whom the blend was made specifically). I think Eloise would be extremely happy at Howick, away from the pressures of the Ton, and where she might be able to focus on her writing, or plotting how to avoid the marriage mart for yet another season. On the other hand, Hyacinth would feel that this was too far from the action!
Whilst Howick is undoubtedly smaller than some of the more sprawling Baroque and Georgian palaces on this list, it is also very imaginably as one of the character’s country retreats; a place where they could find some peace and quiet after the madness of the social season. If not Eloise, I could imagine Sophie and Benedict finding much happiness at a place like Howick and, knowing Benedict, he would probably refer to it as “his cottage.”
Address: Howick Hall & Gardens, Northumberland, NE66 3LB Ticket Information
LEvens Hall, Cumbria
Whilst Levens Hall is actually late Elizabethan, and therefore far predates the time of Bridgerton, you could very easily imagine this Hall, and it’s magnificent topiary gardens, as a country house of a very old family of the ton, where they invite select friends and acquaintances to admire the beauty of the setting.
The topiary gardens would be the centrepiece of a ball, with lights illuminating the pathways, and music leading guests to different aspects and viewpoints within the gardens – whilst always being wary of a unchaperoned debutante accidentally finding herself alone with a gentleman – how scandalous that would be!
Photo Credit – Olivia Brabbs and the Harewood House Trust
Harewood House is one of the most gorgeous 18th Century houses in the country, and we’re lucky enough to have it here in the North. We can wander with wonder around the incredible halls, view the paintings by British and International masters, and imagine what it would be like to actually be in an episode of Bridgerton.
Photo Credit – Tom Archer and the Harewood House Trust
This is the gallery at Harewood House. Couldn’t you just imagine what it would be like to host a ball in this magnificent room? This room was one of the last to be finished in the 1790s (coincidentally closest to the Regency period of all the rooms at Harewood House). The room was furnished by Thomas Chippendale and Thomas Chippendale Junior, the much sought after furniture masters of eighteenth century England.
“The room’s magnificent ceiling is today considered one of Robert Adam’s masterpieces, and is decorated with 16 paintings by the Italian interior painter Biagio Rebecca. They depict a pantheon of Roman gods and the four seasons.” – Harewood House Trust
Perhaps the most famous literary export from Northumberland, L.J. Ross currently lives and writes out of the market town of Hexham, and the DCI Ryan Series (beginning with Holy Island) is her most well known series. There are twenty-two currently in the series and more are planned for later in 2026. All the novels have titles of local places or historical sites; Sycamore Gap, Penshaw, Cragside etc.
I notice there is also a book entitled Reivers, and it just says “coming soon” – I wonder whether that’s going to be about Border Reivers/Jacobites etc. If it is, that’s right up my street! I love historical fiction and would devour that in an instant.
2. Guns In The North, P. F. Chisholm (ROBERT CAREY MYSTERIES)
Okay, so this one is a bit of a cheat. This book is set in Northumberland and Cumbria. When Robert Carey, grandson of Mary Boleyn and therefore a cousin to Queen Elizabeth I, embarrasses himself at court, he is sent to the edge of England to work in a job no-one really wants, and regain the favour of his cousin and Queen. Stationed in Carlisle, in what he assumes are the culture-less and lawless border regions (only one of those is partially true!) Carey soon becomes embroiled in a murder mystery that quickly blossoms into a plot around clan and family loyalties, and even treason against the crown itself.
Guns In the North is the name of the first compendium that was released, containing the first three novels; A Famine of Horses, A Season of Knives, and A Surfeit of Guns.
It’s honestly one of my favourite trilogies I’ve read, and I devoured this first compendium in the space of less than a week. As it stands, there are currently nine or ten books in the series, and it is unfinished… hopefully we’ll get the ending soon!
3. The Crow Trap, Ann Cleeves (VERA STANHOPE SERIES)
Played by the indomitable Brenda Blethyn in the ITV Adaptation of the well known novels, the Vera series puts the rough-edged detective up against the wilds of Northumberland as she seeks to solve crimes. There are eleven novels in the Vera series, with other short stories and novellas available as well. Ann has said the latest novel will be the last in the Vera series, with Brenda Blethyn also retiring from playing the titular character on television. Despite updates to the series coming to a close, the legacy of Vera will live on for many new readers to explore and enjoy for years to come!
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4. Vindolanda, Adrian Goldsworthy
Set in AD 98, twenty years before Hadrian begins to build his wall, and Vindolanda is on the edge of the empire, in a constant struggle to maintain control against the native tribes of Britain. It falls to Flavius Ferox, a Briton and Roman centurion, to attempt to keep the peace.
Adrian Goldsworthy is a Roman historian, working at various universities after graduating from the University of Oxford, before turning to writing and publishing full time. He has written several books, both fiction and nonfiction, about Roman Britain.
Vindolanda from above
5. The Secrets of the Rose, Nicola Cornick
Another historical fiction novel (of sorts), this one is set in the Coastal town of Bamburgh, where a present day author is writing the story of Grace Darling, but instead finds herself drawn to the story of another local woman, Dorothy Forster, who’s story emerges at the time of the first Jacobite Rebellion in 1715. Dorothy is caught up in the drama of the rebellion when she learns her two brothers are involved, and her family might be the holders of a talisman the Rose, which both sides believe could be the key to winning the conflict.
It’s spooky season! So, without further ado, I thought I’d do a round up of four haunted places that you can visit and experience the paranormal this Halloween!
Muncaster Castle, Cumbria
Do you want to spend a night in a haunted castle? At Muncaster they offer overnight ghost sits, where a small group can spend the night in the Tapestry Room, listening for the sounds of ghosts. The Tapestry Room is where visitors report disturbed nights, hearing footsteps in the corridor outside, and hearing a child crying from an adjoining room before being comforted by a lady singing. The story linked to this is that of Margaret Pennington, who died in the castle during her childhood from a bout of illness.
Golden Fleece Pub, York
The Golden Fleece Pub stands just over the road from York’s most iconic and historic street – The Shambles. Built before 1503 (this is when it first appears in the city records), and initially owned by the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, functioning as a coaching house. From 1656 it began operating as an inn, but it was not officially licenses until 1668.
The beer garden is named after the most famous ghost of the Fleece; the Lady Alice Peckett, wife of the Lord Mayor of York at the beginning of the eighteenth century; she has been seen walking the hallways and stairways of the pub at night by many guests. Another ghost is reportedly that of a North American airman from World War II, who was staying at the Inn whilst on leave. He leaned out of one of the top floor windows and fell to his death, and there have since been sightings of a ghost wearing Canadian 1940s uniform.
Many of the ghost tours of York feature the Fleece.
Chillingham Castle, Northumberland
The aptly named Chillingham Castle occupied a very strategic position during the bloody border wars between England and Scotland throughout the High and Late Middle Ages, meaning the castle often came under attack, or was raided by invading forces. During his campaign agains the Scots, Edward I stayed at Chillingham in 1298 before continuing on to the battle of Falkirk where the Scottish Leader William Wallace was captured.
Other royals, namely Charles I and Edward VIII, have also stayed at Chillingham.
‘All houses in which men have lived and died are haunted houses. Through the open doors the harmless phantoms on their errands glide, with feet that make no sounds upon the floors.’ – Longfellow, poet, describing Chillingham Castle.
Chillingham offers an array of Ghost Tours and Ghosts Hunts around the castle in the evenings and even overnight. You can see the offers here (although many are already sold out for 2025 – at least you’ll know where to look for next Halloween if it’s your thing!). Will you be (un)fortunate enough to see the pantry ghosts, or hear the spooky voices in the chapel?
The spookiest/grimmest part of Chillingham has got to be the Torture Chamber. A display of medieval implements of punishment and persuasion are on display here, providing brave visitors with information about their grisly purpose and opportunity to thank their lucky stars that such practices are not in use today!
Samlesbury Hall, Lancashire
Samlesbury Hall, located just outside of Blackburn, was built in 1325 by Gilbert de Southworth, and was the primary residence of the Southworth family until the early 17th century. Due to it’s seven hundred year history it’s had plenty of time to collect a few ghosts and spooky stories along the way!
Samlesbury claims that they have thirteen unique ghosts haunting the hall and the grounds. There have been hundreds of spooky reportings from guests, former residents, and staff, across the centuries. The first published account of ghosts at Samlesbury Hall was a book published in 1873, giving the site a long legacy of the paranormal and reporting on it.
The Ghost Room at Samlesbury Hall is located in the attic of the house and was opened in Autumn 2023. This was the first time the room has been open to the public and in use in nearly seven hundred years. Here you can read testimonies, audio stories, and visual media relating to the ghosts that haunt the Hall.
The most famous ghost to haunt the Hall is Lady Dorothea Southworth, often referred to as the ‘Lady In White.’ She has been seen/reported numerous times since Elizabethan times.
Have you ever experienced spooky happenings? Where was it? What was it like? Let me know in the comments below!
Northumberland has some of the best stargazing locations and events in the UK. As an internationally designated Dark Sky Park since 2013 with “pristine skies”, Northumberland National Park and Kielder Water & Observatory are perfect for stargazers, both enthusiasts and beginners. The Dark Sky Park stretches over five-hundred square miles, making it the largest protected dark sky area in Europe. There has been some incredible photos of the night skies, including the stunning aurora borealis (Northern Lights) taken in Northumberland, and whilst I haven’t been lucky enough to see the Northern Lights myself yet, just looking at the photos is awe inspiring.
There are many options for how to experience Northumberland’s Dark Skies, with lots of venues offering dark skies experiences or stargazing events. One of these is the Twice Brewed pub, just up the road from the Hideaway Huts, that now has it’s own observatory (with large aperture telescopes), planetarium, and regularly hosts astronomy evenings with experts. The Planetarium hosts shows regularly throughout the Autumn and Winter, with various shows scheduled specifically for children, with extra around school holidays. You can find out more about the Planetarium and the astronomy events here.
The Twice Brewed Inn is in partnership with Kielder Observatory; located on the edge of the Kielder Water and Forest.
‘Say goodbye to summer constellations and hello to winter favourites like the Pleiades, Taurus, and Orion, which brings the spectacular Orionid meteor shower later in the month. For telescope users, the Ghost Nebula and the Swimming Alligator Cluster are October highlights. Plus, catch Saturn and Jupiter rising as the nights grow longer.’ – Kielder Observatory Website
Image from Kielder Observatory about which constellations are visible in winter.
Staying at the Hideaway Huts is the only time in the UK I’ve been able to see the colours of the Milky Way when lying out in the middle of the night, looking up at the sky. The only other place I’ve ever been able to do that is in rural Australia! Whilst this does say something about the amount of light pollution we have around us at all times, it is nice to know that there are still places in the UK where you can get away from the incessant light that ruins the night sky, and find places that are truly dark. I said in a previous article that it is wonderful to stop and look at the stars, and it’s amazing that there are now more formal events to explore the solar system and beyond, for people of all levels of interest and knowledge in astronomy.
I’ll be doing another article later in the year (hopefully) after a night skies experience. Of course, this will be dependent on the weather (can’t do much if it’s cloudy!), but fingers crossed that the event will be able to go ahead.
So my birthday has come and gone, and I am now 32, heading off into another year-long journey around the sun. I decided to celebrate that I’d do a list of thirty-two places I’d like to visit in the North, or things that I would like to experience or do. This is not a list of things I’m going to do in the next year, as a sort of checklist, some of these are pie-in-the-sky dream places I want to go, whilst others are more attainable and I have concrete ideas and plans to actually do. So, that being said here’s my list of things I’d like to do in the North, just to illustrate how many things there are to do, and how amazing this region is!
Go to a Dark Skies event in Northumberland
Parts of Northumberland are an International Dark Sky Park, and it is one of the best places in the UK to see all that the night sky have to offer. I’ll be doing a longer article in October about the Dark Skies experience in November, and how the Hideaway Huts could be the perfect bolthole to have a Dark Skies experience, so stay tuned for that!
Do a Ghost Tour in York
I did a ghost tour in York many many years ago, probably when I was about nine, and I remember it scaring the beejeezus out of me then… I suspect it might be a little less terrifying these days, but the stories and historical insights that come with a ghost tour are still fascinating. As York is a city steeped in history, from Pre-Roman, Roman, Viking, Medieval, Georgian, and into the 20th century, there are plenty of ghouls and ghosties hiding around the corners to be learned about. Perfect for spooky season!
Make sure you go with a reputable company in order to get the best value for money. I would recommend the Original Ghost Tour who have been doing tours through the streets of York for over fifty years!
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See Red Squirrels in Northumberland or Cumbria
I’ve spoken about this a few times, but seeing red squirrels in the wild is one of the top things I really want to do. I’ve seen red squirrels abroad, and I’ve seen them in protected wildlife sanctuaries, but never seen them in the small enclaves in the north where they are bouncing back. Can’t wait until the moment I first see one in the wild, it’ll be magical!
Stay at Rothay Manor, Ambleside
I have to admit, I have a bit of a vested/personal interest in this one. Both my nana and my mum worked at Rothay Manor, many moons ago, in the 1980s. I remember going to Rothay for my nana’s 70th birthday lunch and it being very lovely, but I was a bit young to really take it all in. My nana has since passed away, so I would love to take a trip down memory lane and go back to the hotel where both she and my mum worked.
Go and see the Lancaster Footlights Pantomime!
It’s coming towards that time of year again, when Christmas Pantomimes are putting on their spectacular shows! I was lucky enough to be cast in the Lancaster Footlights Panto last year, but sadly missed out this year. Nevertheless, I will be enthusiastically cheering them on from the side-lines (or the wings!) because it is a fantastic show and I know it’s going to be blummin’ amazing. This year Footlights Presents Snow White, doing an array of shows across late November and throughout December. A good friend of mine, Annie Hughes, is taking on the title role, and with a voice like an angel I know she’ll smash it. Tickets will sell out, so if you want to go and see this great production, I strongly suggest you get in early!
Ride the Railway from Lancaster to Carlisle via Millom
The quickest way (when it’s working properly) to go from Lancaster to Carlisle is straight up the West Coast Main Line, but if you’ve got a little bit more time, the ride around the coast via Arnside and Millom is a beautifully scenic ride. I mean, the ride up the main line is quite pretty as well, but riding along the coast and up past the Solway Firth is seriously beautiful, but it’s definitely not the quickest way to get from A to B – definitely one for the day you’ve got more time to ride.
Try Archery at Muncaster Castle Weapons Hall
Do you have what it takes to be a Medieval Knight? With a regular ticket to Muncaster you can go along to the Weapons Hall and “have a go” with a limited number of arrows/axes, but if you’d like to give it more of an in-depth go, you can upgrade to an unlimited ticket so you can get more tries. I’m pretty sure that I’d be terrible at this, but I think it’d be a lot of fun to have a go!
Go to the top of Blackpool Tower
On a nice day, the view from the top of Blackpool Tower stretches for miles and miles, as far as the Borders one way, and the Welsh Mountains in the other direction. I went up to the top of the tower once at night, so you could see all the illuminations stretching away down the front, but it would be nice to go up on a clear day and see how far the horizon stretches.
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So there you have it – seven out of thirty two of things I’d like to do – we’re up to nineteen out of the thirty two – stay tuned for the final thirteen! This is going to be a bit of a long series I guess, but there are just so many things to do around the North and if I did them all in one go (or even in three articles) it would end up being so long you’d never reach the end! If you had to pick three places to go in the North, where would it be? What should be on my list? I guarantee there will be places you love that I won’t even know about, so drop me a comment below or an email at bryony@thenorthishlass.co.uk and let me know what I should feature!
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There was a craze/phase in 2024 where a trend on TikTok asked people “what [their] Roman Empire was.” To the uninitiated, you might ask – what on earth does that mean? In a nutshell, some women found that their partners thought about the Roman Empire at least once a day, and had a surprising amount of knowledge about the ancient civilisation. Curious, when they widened the net and asked more men, it turned out that a lot of them thought about the Roman Empire on a regular or semi-regular basis, so it became a bit of a meme asking people what their Roman Empire was (i.e. what did they think about on a regular basis that was altogether abstract and nothing to do with their day-to-day happenings?). Well, in this part of Northumberland, my Roman Empire is… the Roman Empire.
This was to be the Edge of the Empire.
Around here it’s a little difficult for it not to be, with so much history literally springing from the ground wherever you look. Clearly, the most obvious and enduring legacy in the minds of most people is Hadrian’s Wall, begun in 122AD, and stretching from coast to coast through Tyneside, Northumberland, and Cumbria. Along the wall are forts, milecastles, and turrets, where soldiers were garrisoned as they manned the wall, keeping what lay beyond safe from maurauding tribes. Hadrian’s Wall was briefly superseded by the Antonine Wall, built further North from the Firth of Forth to the Firth of Clyde, but this was a less permanent structure (being turf built) and was abandoned (more or less) in 162AD, only two decades after it was built, with soldiers withdrawing to Hadrian’s Wall. That was it, there would be no further expansion north for Rome, this was to be the Edge of the Empire (an award winning film that can be viewed at the Roman Army Museum).
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However, one of the greatest Roman legacies left behind in this part of the world, without a doubt is Vindolanda, an enormous fort and ongoing excavation found just south of Hadrian’s Wall. I was lucky enough to be invited on a private tour with Damien Rudge, who’s been involved as a volunteer and archaeologist at Vindolanda and the excavation for years, and therefore has extensive knowledge of the site and its history. It was very windy and quite rainy when we were wandering around, but in such a dramatic landscape, it only added to the atmosphere! I have to say, I wouldn’t have wanted to be up there in just some Pteruges (the “skirt” that Roman soldiers wore as armour), although I imagine they had wool leggings/very long socks on underneath! Their cloaks were also very thick and could be drawn completely around the body to keep out the biting wind.
One of the most important things to remember about Roman life in these forts it’s that they were manned by soldiers from all over the Roman world, not just by those from Italy, or it’s neighbouring countries. Evidence found at Vindolanda suggests that in the four or so centuries that the fort and town were occupied by “Romans,” they came from modern-day Belgium, Netherlands, Syria, Romania, Hungary, and Libya. This was because, as the Romans conquered different parts of the Mediterranean, Europe, & the Near East, conquered peoples were drafted into the army to “assimilate” them to the Roman way of life, it being imagined that if they were having to fight for Rome then they would be less likely to rebel. There was also the potential reward that, if you managed to survive twenty-five years in the army, then you were granted Roman Citizenship, and all the privileges and perks that came along with that. Of course, twenty-five years was a long time to survive in a very dangerous and hard occupation…
From the first fort built at Vindolanda in AD85, to the last built in 213AD – nine different forts were built in that location, with each former structure being buried under a layer of soil and the new one built on top. This raised the level of the fort by several feet each time, but also meant that the former layer was underneath oxygen depleted soil – this protection has meant a high level of preservation for archaeological finds. One of the most incredible of these finds are the Vindolanda Writing Tablets – amazing insights into day to day life at the fort and beyond. Something that makes these tablets so special is that there is no bias to them; they were only intended to be read by the person they are addressed to, no other audience is considered in the composition. In turn this means they are more likely to be an “honest” look at Roman life.
The reason these wooden tablets have survived is amazing in itself: As the 9th Cohort of Batavians were preparing to leave Vindolanda, the commanding officer ordered the burning of the wooden tablets, whether this was just a standard “clear-out” before the new company moved in, or for a particular reason, is difficult to tell. Nonetheless, the tablets were put on the bonfire. However, in typical Northern-British way, a heavy rain shower caused the bonfire to be abandoned and it was left to smoke and smoulder, so the tablets were not fully destroyed. The remaining mulch of wood, tablets, debris, ash, etc was then buried, preserving what was left beneath the oxygen-depleted soil. So far, more than 2000 wooden writing tablets have been found at Vindolanda, which is simply astonishing. These provide a unique insight into how Romans communicated with each other, what their daily lives were like, the prices of goods, and movement around the Empire. The most famous of these is Invitation to a Birthday Party, which is the first known handwritten letter by a woman in Britain ever found. It is from Claudia Severa to Sulpicia Lepidina, inviting her to the former’s birthday party on the 11th September, probably in 104AD. What is striking about this letter is it’s humanity opening ‘to my dearest sister, my dearest soul…’
Invitation to a Birthday Party
There have been many other fabulous finds at Vindolanda; including the Gladiator Glass – an extremely fragile piece of glass from the edge of cup, decorated with scenes of fighting gladiators in incredible detail – amazing that something like that survived for nearly two thousands years. There have also been parts of pottery that show influences from across the empire, jewellery, hair combs, dice (including a pair where one of them was weighted – sneaky Roman!), and thousands of pairs of shoes, illustrating the sheer number and diversity of people who lived at the site; from children, women, tradesmen, and of course the soldiers. An exciting thing to remember is that everything that’s been found, is things that have been found so far. There is a huge amount of Vindolanda that has yet to be excavated (up to 70% of the site!), who knows what exciting things might still be buried?
Who knows what exciting things might still be buried?
In the 5th Century AD, Roman civilian life and the army occupation broke down in Britannia, leaving occupants scrabbling to make sense of what sort of life they would have following the departure. For many, who considered themselves Roman, it meant hastily packing up and hurrying after the soldiers who remained loyal to Rome, for others this meant clinging on. (Long story short, but there was rebellion within the ranks of the Roman army in Britain at the beginning of the 5th Century due to a lack of coinage (and therefore a lack of pay), so some soldiers rebelled. Therefore, there would have been some soldiers who stayed in Britannia, but were no longer loyal to Rome, and others who still obeyed the Empire and were dispatched to defend other parts of the Empire).
At Vindolanda there is evidence to suggest that some occupants left, and that others decided to try and stay. A hoard of some 270 silver coins was found under the tavern floor, which must have been buried before a move. However, as with almost every hoard buried outside of funerary arrangement, it also suggests that owners intended to come back. The collapse of the Western Roman Empire occurred in different places over various years, and at times was chaotic, but the impression must have been that it would bounce back, and return to the way it once was, otherwise the owners of the coins would surely have taken them with them. Clearly they were never able to return to dig the hoard back up.
‘Once its economic and polictical links with the Empire were severed, Britain went into free fall. The archaeological record, previously so abundant, becomes almost undetectably thin.’ – Marc Morris, Anglo Saxons, p. 28
Industries collapsed rapidly; where before there had been an abundance of pottery, iron nails, horseshoes etc. these disappear quickly, suggesting that once those items that had been left from Roman times broke, or were no longer usable, they were unable to be replaced. Less durable items in wood and leather would have been used instead, but these are lost to time.
Despite the exodus to Rome, many people chose to stay. It is probable that after many years, marriage, children, and possible multiple generations of occupation, those that remained felt more loyal to their home in Britannia, than to some nebulous centre of the Empire in Rome. There is evidence of continuing occupation at Vindolanda until in the 9th Century, although in increasingly smaller parts of the site, as large towns and villages broke down or were wiped out.
Vindolanda today is an expansive site of incredible archaeological ruins, an immersive museum and display, and knowledgeable tour guides. Well worth a visit, whatever the weather!
After a morning in Corbridge, enjoying Grant’s Bakery & Patisserie, Vintage by the Tower, and Forum Books (read Part One for all of the information), in the afternoon it’s time to explore the amazing history the town has to offer.
First things first: the Romans. The Romans left a huge footprint throughout this part of world, and Corbridge offers just one of the beautiful historic sites available to visit. You can walk from the centre of town down to the Roman ruins which can be found at the edge of Corbridge, it’s a distance of about a mile. Alternatively there is also a car park at the site, and I believe the local bus also runs past the entrance at various times.
During the Roman occupation of Britain, Corbridge was possibly known as Coria, although there is plenty of debate as to what the place-name actually was with Corstopitum and Corie Lopocarium also suggested by contemporary records (I’m going to stick with Coria). Coria was the most northerly settlement in the Roman Empire, established in the late 1st Century AD, probably in the decade after the beginning of construction on Hadrian’s Wall, beginning as a fort to house soldiers marching on the crossroad between the Stanegate Road (East-West) and the Dere Street (North-South). It was only after the Roman’s permanently fell back to Hadrian’s Wall in 163 AD that the fort was abandoned by the army (in favour of the larger Vindolanda), and Coria became a predominately civilian settlement, thought to be part of the supply network for Emperor Septimius Severus’ northern campaigns.
By Birley, Eric, 1906-1995 – https://archive.org/details/corbridge-roman-station-official-guidebook/page/n30, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=102255098
Today, the Roman fort and town has been partially excavated, about 25% is exposed – the rest is buried under the present town and therefore inaccessible. There is evidence of large granaries, an elaborate house for an official, and buildings that were probably temples. The ruins are in the care of English Heritage and can be visited year round. The attached museum contains some of the most important Roman collections in Britain including the “Corbridge Lion” which is thought to be the work of a master sculptor due to the intricate detail in the sculpture.
Following the Romans leaving Britain in the 5th Century AD, other notable historic buildings in Corbridge are the parish church of Saint Andrew, thought to be have been consecrated in 676 AD, possibly by Saint Wilfred.
There is also a fortified vicarage, one of only three in the country. The Vicar’s Pele (pronounced peel) is in the SE corner of the churchyard and has walls that are 4ft thick. The Pele Tower is a Grade 1 Listed building with National Monument Status, but is now a unique microbar selling quality craft ales and other drinks.
Interior of the micropub in the Pele Tower
For a small town, there is a lot for a history buff to take in and see. Of course, just walking around provides plenty to see – buildings throughout the town date from the late Tudor period to the Edwardian period, and as such the varied architecture has lots of visual interest, and elements to admire.
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The Romans left Britain in the 5th Century AD, but they left a legacy of ruins and artefacts behind for people in the sixteen centuries since to explore. One of the most enduring symbols of Roman Britain is the seventy-three mile long Hadrian’s Wall that stretches from Wallsend on the River Tyne in the East to Bowness-on-Solway on the West Coast. Built to be the literal and symbolic end of the Roman Empire (and also a defensive barrier to keep the Picts at bay), there is a lot to see and explore, especially towards the middle, in the rolling hills of rural Northumberland.
Set less than three miles from the central mile fort on Hadrian’s Wall, close to what was formerly Sycamore Gap (and hopefully will be again soon when the new seedlings grow), you can find the beautifully situated Hideway Huts and Stable Cottage. I’ve been to the Huts and the cottage several times, and am always taken aback by how peaceful it is.
There are three huts to choose from: The Bothy, The Shieling, and The Wainscot. All of the Hideaway Huts sleep two in either a king sized double, or two zip & link single beds, perfect for cosy weekends away, or even trips away by yourself to get some peace and quiet, and simply take in the surroundings. The cottage sleeps four and is suitable for children. The Wainscot has a walk in shower, whilst the other two, and the cottage, have shower-over-bath. They’re also equipped with full kitchen, a washing machine, wifi, and an outside porch. Sadly there are no dogs allowed inside the huts or the cottage.
One of the things that really sets the Huts and Stable Cottage apart from some other places I’ve been is Helen, the owner, and the care she takes with the stays and the guests. The places are always immaculate, and there’s always a goodie basket of homemade goods, and food in the fridge. Last time we went there was eggs, bacon, bread, lemon drizzle cake, a bottle of mead, milk, butter, and homemade jam. It’s great because one thing I dislike when you go to some places like this, there is absolutely nothing, and often the place is quite a distance from the nearest shop, or you might have got there late, or it’s a Sunday etc. etc. So you struggle to even have a cup of tea without going out to try and find some milk. You never have that problem at Helen’s. There is always enough food and bits and pieces to tide you over to at least the following day when you can go out and get what you need.
I have been to the huts with my mum, the cottage with both my parents, and also used a hut of my own for writing in the peace, whilst looking out over the pond and woodland that surrounds them. The pond is a fairly recent addition and has brought even more wildlife to the area in front of the huts, which is amazing for me as I could watch the birds and the wildlife for hours.
One of the thing that strikes me every time I travel to this part of Northumberland is the dark skies at night. It is wonderful to be somewhere that, at night, actually gets really dark. We’re so used to light pollution being around that to be somewhere where it is truly dark, it’s amazing when there is none to disturb the dark, and let you sleep. When I’m at home, I have to sleep with an eye mask, to block out the light from street lamps streaming through my (supposed) black out blind. I like it dark when I sleep, and when I’m at Hideaway Huts I don’t need one. It’s beautiful. Of course, it also means that, when you go outside, you can really see the stars. One of my favourite memories of being there was lying out on one of the picnic tables at midnight in July, looking for all the different constellations that I could remember. Sometimes it’s wonderful just to sit and look at the stars.
Outside of the huts, there is so much to do in the surrounding area. The incredible Vindolanda is less than a mile away. Vindolanda is the ongoing excavation of a huge Roman fort and surrounding town. In 1987 Vindolanda joined Hadrian’s Wall as part of the transnational “Frontiers of the Roman World” World Heritage Site. It truly is a magnificent site and museum to explore, and you can get a duel ticket for the site and the Roman Army Museum just down the road (where another enormous excavation called “Magna” has just begun). It is thought that only 27% of Vindolanda has been excavated, so by their own estimation, they could be excavating for another 150 years!
Other things to do in the area are, of course, walking Hadrian’s Wall, trying fish & chips from the excellent chip shop in Haltwhistle, wandering the beautiful town of Corbridge, or going for a delicious lunch at the Rat Inn at Anick (who do the most amazing Chateaubriand (ordered by different weight) – I would definitely recommend!).
If you’re heading up to this part of Northumberland, I would definitely recommend the Hideaway Huts as a bolt hole to stay and explore this beautiful part of world.
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