Border Towns      Bellingham   

Pronounced Bellin-jam

Bellingham is a small attractive town situated on the east bank of the North Tyne amidst the foothills of the Cheviots.

Its location deep in reiver country did not result in a peaceful existence.  It was the ever present danger parties of raiders making their way from Liddesdale down the Tyne Valley.  Nor was it safe from English reivers, the thieves from the neighbouring valley of Redesdale being particularly troublesome.

Sir John Fenwick had the unenviable task of trying it to keep the peace in mid-Northumberland.  And had occupied the castle with 80 men in an attempt to police the area. To the Charltons who resided in the next valley Fenwick represented the law and so was a fair target.  With help from their mates and, amazingly, the Croziers from over the Border, they gathered together a good sized posse and launched an attack upon the castle and succeeded in driving out Fenwick and his men

Next year, 1525, Fenwick returned with an even larger force and the Charltons countered with an even larger body of men and succeeded in setting fire to the castle.  It appeared that the Charltons had won round two but, seven years later, William Charlton with two members of his family, were spotted in Colwell, by the Lord Warden's men. .  The outlaws for easy caught and were hanged from the nearest tree.

Scottish reivers from Liddesdale could easily make their way across the watershed into the North Tyne valley where Bellingham is situated.  It was necessary for the inhabitants to erect defences to protect themselves and their properties and so can be found a cluster of bastles, towers and castles in the region

They were constantly being harried by the Armstrongs, Croziers,  Elliots and a companions. They were also visited by Scots reivers who entered England by way of Carter Bar, to the north.

One day, in 1597, while the people of Bellingham were enjoying the annual fair, they were suddenly set upon by 300 mounted raiders intent on stealing their stock and causing as much damage and misery as they could.  Taken unawares the inhabitants could do little to fend off the attack and  were unable to prevent their farms and fields being cleaned out of their stock.  Nor were they in a position to follow the raiders to recover their stock.  It was the practice of raiding bands to leave behind a sizable rear guard which would either face their pursuers head-on or ambush them.

This particular raid was led by the notorious freebooter Auld Will of Harden.  He and his men had traveled a long way from his base via Hawick.  Fortunately, raids on this scale would not common but  lesser raids were frequent.

Many of this concentration of bastles and towers were destroyed but  a few have survived the ravages of time and the reivers even though they may now be little more that a heap of stones. The sites are worth visiting however if you have the desire.  Some original buildings are well preserved and worth visiting.

Bellingham now has a new Heritage Centre which is worth visiting.  You may glean detailed information about the precise location of defences you may wish to visit.

The Church of St Cuthbert

The Church of St Cuthbert, which is located in the village, was attacked and destroyed so many times of the roof was eventually replaced with the heavy stone slabs that can be seen today to give protection against fire. This is possibly the only church of its kind in England. Note the many buttresses to support the heavy slabs and the narrow nave windows which is another defensive feature.

St Cuthbert's Church at Bellingham The main support for the heavy roof is the roof vaulting inside the church which is a very unusual feature. It is a similar construction to that used in tower houses to support the heavy weight of the floors above. St. Cuthbert's Church dates from 1180.  Major restoration took place quite recently.  The Churchyard contains many interesting head stones. There is the stone inscribed Charlton of Redesdale and another one which states, 'midwife.'   It is a very unusual for a woman's occupation to be inscribed on a gravestone. Above the doorway of the church entrance two old grave-stones have been used as lintels. On the pillar nearest the porch you can see high up some deep scratches which could have been made by bowman sharpening their arrows. It seemed to be common practice to sharpen weapons on church stonework near the entrance. There are other marks on the pillars near the door which are likely to have been sword marks. Supporters of the church at Bellingham, living as they did in the midst of the lawless elements of the Dodds, the Robsons, the Charltons and the Milburns must to be possessed stout hearts in their efforts to steer their neighbours to the paths of righteousness. The reivers however, insisted that they were good churchmen and showed such a fervid interest in the church, that it is said that more than one priest was persuaded to dabble him in the art of reiving. Serving as it did a region inhabited by many lawless reiving families, the church was not well patronized and took on a neglected and dilapidated appearance. Books, including the bible and prayer-book, were absent probably because the church clerk saw no need for them as he could not read or write. You can see the Long Pack Stone in the churchyard. The story of the Long pack is recorded below.  There was a body, of course, but some say that  it was removed by its friends and that no body lies under the Stone. Simonburn Church Simonburn Church is in the attractive village of Simonburn, just a few miles south of Bellingham, between Humshaugh and Wark. The13th century St Mungo’s Church which one time served the North Tyne valley is still in use and is worth a visit.  It overlooks a large village green which has buildings on all four sides where the animals could be herded for protection at night It is  a short walk to Simonburn Castle but the approach is difficult. In its heyday the castle stood proudly on a strong position overlooking two ravines, in a beautiful woodland setting. A local tradition of buried treasure has been the cause of much of its dilapidation, many a countryman having in the past delved in the ruins for long lost treasure. That is probably why there is so little of the castle left to see.  The village has often featured in the Catherine Cookson films. Both the church and village of Simonburn are worth visiting. Tarset Castle   The castle was wants a formidable stronghold as it needed to be.  It stands on the steep ridge overlooking the Tarset Burn The deep defensive ditches are still there, but almost all the masonry has long been absorbed into more recent buildings. Very little remains to be seen of its former glory, but if you go there you can experience standing on a great historic site and you may like to reflect on what might have been seen from there in the times of the Border reivers.  Location. From Bellingham, take the Lanehead road on the north side of the North Tyne. At the cross roads, turn left.   Black Middens Bastle Located 3 miles north of Bellingham. From Bellingham, follow the road to Lanehead, then Greenhaugh, then Gatehouse. The route is well signposted. There is a car park and the bastle is a short walk across a field. The bastle is a fine example of a fortified house and is well worth visiting. The outside staircase was added later when peace came and access with likely to been by a removable ladder to the first floor.  Note the narrow ground floor entrance. This is fine walking country and you may feel inspired to leave the car and go for a walk in reiver country. Map ref: 80 773 900 When passing Gatehouse stop and view the bastle there. It is in a fine state of preservation. It can be easily be seen from the road without disturbing the farmer. There were many important strongholds built in this region to fend off Scottish attacks and to defend the locals against Scots reiving parties. Little now remains of the some of the most important ones such as Wark Castle and Dally Castle. However, the sites may be worth visiting because of their turbulent pasts.  Over the years the masonry has all but gone, used in later buildings, but their sites still retain the presence of past glory. Hole Bastle Hole Bastle occupies a commanding position. It is by the West Woodburn road north east from Bellingham.  The roof is complete and is stone clad against fire, similar to St Cuthbert’s Church at Bellingham. The vaulted basement held the animals and access to the upper floors was through a hole through which a ladder could be withdrawn. The flight of stone steps outside were added in more peaceful times. The whole is massively built and afforded a fair amount of comfort and safety. It is now used as a farm building and is in a good state of repair.  Map ref: 80 868848  Dally Castle The remains of Dally Castle Dally Castle stands on a strong site high above the Chirdon Burn, a tributary of the North Tyne. From Bellingham go west on the Falstone road. Dally Castle is off the minor road a mile after you turn left at Birks. This was part of Scotland and Alexander II of Scotland gave the manor there to his sister who gave it to David de Lindsey. De Lindsey developed the site and extended it.  The building attracted the attention of Hugh Bolbec, the sheriff of Northumberland, who complained to his king that the house would likely pose a threat as it was being constructed more as a castle with very thick walls, battlements and surrounded by a deep moat.  It was obviously going to be a formidable thorn in the side of Tynedale as, indeed, it proved to be, as it was used by both Bruce and Wallace as a springboard for raids on lower Tynedale with devastating effect. However, it later fell into neglect, then was occupied for a time by the Dodd family and later by the Charltons. A story is told, relating to Dally, of a bitter fight involving the Lord of Dally and his age old enemy, Gilbert of nearby Tarset.  What had occurred to incur the lord’s wrath is not known but his fury can be imagined when he discovered that his sister, living in his castle, was having a liaison with Gilbert. He surprised them at a secret meeting they had arranged and the fight that resulted was long and fierce. It continued with unabated fury beyond the castle bounds, across the Tyne and into the wastes beyond.  With both men near to exhaustion, Gilbert drew on all his remaining strength and struck the fatal blow.  But the feud continued. Wark Castle               Located 15 miles north west of Hexham and not to be confused with Wark on Tweed The castle site, is now only a giant mound overlooking the village on which  is built a farmhouse. It was once a mighty fortress and served as the place where justice was meted out. from its hall when Tynedale was part of Scotland. Records from that period show that lawlessness was rife during this period involving government officials and officers of the church. It seems that virtually everyone had acquired the irresistible desire to engage in ‘lifting’ their neighbour’s cattle. At the foot of the mound is Battlesteads Hotel and it is here that the court officials are believed to have left their horses. This was the route used by the Scots forces prior to the Battle of Otterburn. It was also the route taken by Edward I, the Hammer of the Scots, during his Border Progress. He stayed the night in a church in the hills. This was one of the main routes serving the two countries and the region was quite heavily populated. Along the way there is much evidence of past habitation.   Chipchase Castle                     Chipchase Castle The ancient home of the Heron family.  Associated with the story of the 'Long Pack.' Evil deeds are said to have been done within the walls of the castle. In the bowels of the old tower are dank chambers in which many a hapless knight was imprisoned and starved to death.  Once the tower was the home of Sir George Heron, Keeper of Tynedale and High Sheriff of Northumberland. He was killed at the Raid of the Redeswire. The S cots who killed him made a joke of the incident presenting hawks to prisoners they had taken, saying the a live hawk was fair exchange for a dead In the grounds are attractive gardens and lake. There is also an interesting nursery garden. On the site is the Hall with an adjoining 14th century pele which provides a good example of what everyday life was like at that time. From Hexham take the A69 west and then the A6097 to the right. At Chollerton village (6 miles) turn left to Barrasford then to the Castle. Map reference 87 882758 Both Chipchase Castle, and the 18th century Lee Hall, near Bellingham, claim the story of ‘The Long Pack.’  The Story of ‘The Long Pack.’  The castle, or the hall, had been left in the charge of a maidservant, a man, and a young manservant. They were visited late one night by a peddler who asked permission to leave his heavy pack there overnight while he found a night’s lodgings nearby. He would collect it in the morning. Permission was given but when the man had gone, the girl's curiosity got the better of her and she approached the pack.   To her horror she saw it move. She called the young manservant, who fired an old military gun at the pack and blood oozed out of the bullet holes. Meanwhile, the robber’s confederates, confident of success, approached the castle but they were greeted with a volley of gunfire that killed four of the robbers. Now, near the east end of Bellingham Church is an odd tombstone known as "The Long Pack” that is said to mark the grave of the robber. Some say there is not a body beneath the stone. The mystery lies buried in the grave.                      words  2427