Parishes North & West of Haltwhistle Northumberland
Greenhead: Is at the bridging point of the Tippalt Burn and was a thriving coal mining centre from at least the 18th century. St Cuthbert's Church was designed by John Dobson in 1826, the spire and chancel being added a hundred years ago; the glass in the East window is by Byrne Jones. The Millennium Green is an ideal spot for relaxing beside the Tippalt Burn. It has picnic tables and disabled access. It is safe for children to paddle and there is a nearby play area for little ones
Greenhead Village picture gallery
The peaceful villages of Gilsland, Greenhead, Bewcastle and Lanercost were once at the heart of the cross-Border violence revealed in the ballads which attracted Sir Walter Scott to the area, with many dramatic ruined stone memorials of those times. Much earlier, the Romans had crossed the area with their forts, roads and Wall
Gilsland: (Guisland) was once a bustling 18th century spa thronged with visitors in carriages to take the sulphurous waters, including Robbie Burns, in 1787, and Sir Walter Scott.
Gilsland Village picture gallary
The Gilsland Spa Hotel is set above a delightfully wooded ravine in which can be traced the walks and well buildings of its heyday. Above it is the Popping Stone where Scott is believed to have set the fashion in romantic proposals when he `popped' the question to Charlotte Charpentier. They married on Christmas Eve, 1797. Scott was a Captain in the Edinburgh Volunteers at the time and stayed at the Spa with his brother, John, on a tour of the Lakes. Upstream from the Gilsland Spa Hotel and on foot one comes across the lovely Crammell Linn waterfall, on the upper reaches of the River Irthing. This is a very popular local bathing place in the summer.
Above Gilsland, is the vast Spadeadam Forest site where Britain's successful but abandoned Blue Streak space programme was developed and tested in the 1960s. The site can be visited by arrangement with the RAF who still use the site as an electronic warfare range.
At the southern end of Hall Terrace in Gilsland stands what remains of Mumps Ha', once a notorious tavern kept by Meg Teasdale who allegedly had guests robbed or drugged to death if they had money. Margaret Teasdale, thought to be the real life character Sir Walter Scott based `Meg Merrilees' and the Dandy Dinmont dog in his novel `Guy Mannerin.' Meg Teasdale died in 1777 and is buried in the Churchyard at Upper Denton.
Lanercost: Is the village on the Howard estate at Narworth and contains the peaceful Lanercost Priory. The charming Dacre Banqueting Hall dates from 1586, hosts craft fairs and its church in the priory nave holds concerts and a fine exhibition of the building's history.
Bewcastle: Like Gilsland, is named after the son of the Saxon Lord of the Wastes, Gilles Beuth, and grew around his castle. The village of Bewcastle is centred on its military past having been the site of both a Roman and Mediaeval forts. The mediaeval castle now in ruins stands as an imposing reminder of times past but the village is now more famous for its 7th century Anglo-Saxon cross-shaft in the churchyard, and its exceptionally fine Blackfaced sheep.