Northumberland has far more than it's famous Castles to offer if you have an interest in the past.

In fact the castles are relatively recent objects when you consider sites like Howick, on the Northumbrian coast, where recent excavations unearthed a ten thousand year old Mesolithic dwelling.

The Distant Past

As well as the Howick Hut there are a number of stone circles in the area and a drive to the nearby village of Duddo gets you to the very best of them. Archaeologist Roger Miket describes the Duddo Stones as "Undoubtedly the most complete and dramatically situated in Northumberland" while Stan Beckensall describes them as "One of the most attractive monuments in Britain".

The Hillforts

Westnewton is surrounded by Bronze and Iron Age hillforts which are often well preserved and many lie only a walk away from the cottages.

West Hill hillfort actually overlooks the cottages and Yeavering Bell, the largest hillfort in the north of England looms over the horizon.

Try a drive away from the cottage to Lordenshaws, near the town of Rothbury, to see a very well preserved hillfort which can be reached fairly easily and without a strenuous climb.

The site also has some of the most striking examples of prehistoric rock art in the UK. 

The Romans

The internationally renowned Hadrian's Wall runs across the full width of northern Britain from Wallsend on the River Tyne in Tyne & Wear on the east coast to Bowness-on-Solway on the Solway Estuary in Cumbria on the west coast, a total distance of 80 Roman miles, 73½ English miles or 117 kilometres.

You can visit the Roman fort of Vindolanda and the Roman army Museum. Housteads and Chesters forts are also open to the public.

All of the existing wall is walkable and there ate milecastles and even a Mithraic Temple to be seen.

The Anglo Saxons

Just over a mile from the cottage at Westnewton is the site of the Anglo Saxon palace of King Edwin of Northumbria. Now owned by the Gefrin Trust the site is secured for future generations.

The picture shows a recent open day when Archaeologist Roger Miket (second left) gives guided tours of the site and the Yeavering Bell hillfort.  

 

More Information

As a bonus when you book we will give you a password allowing you access to a wealth of information, including more on discovering the past, designed to make your stay with us just that bit more special.

We will even let you know if there are any excavations you can visit during your stay at Westnewton and how to get to them.