Life In Whittingham The Gateway To The Cheviot Hill

Life In Whittingham The Gateway To The Cheviot Hill

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The lovely village of Whittingham is situated around seven miles to the west of the town of Alnwick in Northumberland. It is one of the most picturesque and ancient villages in the county and is known as the gateway to the Cheviot Hills.

Whittingham's history can be traced back to its Anglo-Saxon origins. Its name can be translated from the Anglo-Saxon as 'the dwelling in the white meadow'. However, remains have been found here that date back even further to Neolithic times. A flint arrowhead and some cup and ring marked stones were found at the sites of Bronze Age burials. A hoard of weaponry was unearthed at a local farm and some pottery was discovered close to the village.

Whittingham lies on a rivulet of the Aln and is surrounded by rich meadows and farmland. Its sheltered position and fertile local soil have led to the abundance of many large and well established trees such as oak, elm, ash and beech.

The parish church of St Bartholomew is on the north side of the village and has Saxon foundations. Over the years a number of additions and restorations have taken place including a 13th century window cut from a single block of stone and an 18th century sundial fashioned from a much older cross, thought to date back to the 12th century. It is believed that Whittingham was the location referred to by Bede as the 'Twytord near the river Alne' and where Cuthbert of Lindisfarne was elected as Bishop in 684 AD.

The fascinating Whittingham Tower, now a grade II listed building, is thought to have been constructed in the late 13th or early 14th century. Comprising three storeys it is a good example of a fortified pele tower, a typical structure in these parts. The tower, together with a nearby cottage, was converted to an almshouse by Lady Ravensworth in 1845.

The annual Whittingham Village Show provides an opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate the richness and diversity of country life. There is an air of healthy competition with horticultural and floral shows, as well as a dog show and a sheep show. The events take place annually in August.

Whittingham's Memorial Hall was constructed in the heart of the village in 1925 to commemorate local people who had lost their lives in the First World War. Nowadays it is very much a focal point for the local community and is used for a range of activities such as concerts, theatre productions, parties, fairs and meetings. In recent years it has undergone extensive renovation work.

The village still retains its own school, Whittingham C of E First School. Around 45 pupils attend and the school incorporates a nursery class catering for children aged from two.

The nearby Cheviot Hills form part of the Northumberland National Park and are a wild and romantic area, well frequented by walkers, mountain bikers and horse riders. There are miles of interlinked paths and bridleways which allow visitors to follow in the footsteps of ancient cattle drovers. At the National Park Centre in Ingram there is a display of archaeological artefacts.

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