Kirknewton History
Visitors to Kirknewton have many aspects of history to enjoy.
There are the ancient hill forts with a hill fort trail starting from the village hall. More hill forts await exploration in the nearby College valley.
War graves in the churchyard remind us of the Second World War and the airmen lost in combat and in training including one from a crash on the Cheviot. A splendid memorial to airmen who died on Cheviot lies in the College Valley which is accessible from the car park at Hethpool on foot or by car permit (bookable online) The war memorial in the village itself shows the toll taken by both the First and Second World Wars from the young men in this area.
The grave of Josephine Butler, the Victorian social reformer, is near the church and a memorial window in the church porch was installed to mark the centenary of her death.
The old school, which stood on the hall site until 1999, was built in 1794 making it possibly the earliest ‘purpose built’ school intended for the attendance of all local children. The church wardens at the time were far sighted liberals including Matthew Culley and Josephine Butler’s Grandmother.
The school was well attended through to 1964 when a new school opened on the current Girl Guide site. The railway ran through the valley then, providing work and housing. The cottages, station and stationmaster’s house are all testament to this vanished network.
The you tube link below takes you to a list of videos about life in Kirknewton and the surrounding valleys.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUFv3eAutos-wl5LmrjFWCrWUQ
One of the videos is ‘A walk Back in Time on West Hill’ – a virtual tour to the hill fort.
The Church of St Gregory the Great in Kirknewton
The church of St Gregory’s the Great in Kirknewton is on the site of Christian worship from the 11th century or earlier. The church was restored in 1860 by John Dobson, the Newcastle architect, and the addition of a tower and north aisle in 1880. Before the tower there was a small bell cote. The great treasure of the church is an ancient stone relief of the adoration of the Magi set in the wall of the North chancel arch.
The churchyard also has the grave of Josephine Butler (1828 -1906) the great social reformer and there are information panels inside. A sculpture and stained glass commemorating her centenary in 2006 graces the porch.
In the time of the border unrest and reiving worshipping in the church was considered so unsafe that a special dispensation allowed ‘worship in any safe place away from the church’.
Old School & Railway
The committee room has display cabinets which show some of the history of the village, This includes artifacts from the old school which once stood on the site of the new hall and memorabilia from one of the railway families from the time when the Alnwick Cornhill line came through Kirknewton.
In addition there are the unique Allan Papers, a petition which was sent along the Alnwick Cornhill Line in 1918. To arrange access please contact dorothyjsharpe@gmail.com
Kirknewton Hill forts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTV7TQ7QdY0