I made a terrible mistake - I told everyone I was going to New Zealand (NZ) to visit my son and so would be away from the church for three and a half weeks. It was a mistake because Ann Lockey somehow also heard about it and asked me to write my thoughts on the trip for inclusion in the Heddon Gossip. Even as a Methodist minister, I find writing my monthly letter for the Church newsletter hard work - to write something for the Gossip hung like the sword of Damacles over my waking moments. But, nothing ventured, nothing gained - so here goes!

In this age of people taking ever more adventurous holidays - trekking by foot across the Arctic or climbing every mountain peak over 5000 metres in the Andes, going to NZ seems fairly small fry. But for Pat (my wife) and me it was an adventure. After all, NZ is the furthest you can get away from Heddon. Some may find that in itself a good recommendation but I wouldn’t ever say anything like that!

Before we went we had gleaned bits and pieces of information from interested friends. We were told that NZ was about 20 years behind the UK in outlook and lifestyle and with a strong English or Scottish influence. For instance, we were told everyone would be driving round in old British cars like Morris Minors and Austin Cambridges. We were told that the sheep population outnumbered the human population. Facts we did know for sure were that in an area that is slightly bigger than the UK’s, NZ has a population of 3.7 million (1995) compared to our 57.2 million (1989). We were also told of the island’s great natural beauty and that NZ encapsulated the best of the world’s landscapes from mountain peaks to coastline, from desolate landscapes like the surface of the moon to dense tropical like jungle.

Much of what we imagined proved to be true but there were surprises ... the first was that I felt the influence of American Commerce was becoming stronger there than the UK’s. For instance, the main thoroughfares leading into the bigger towns are lined, it seems for miles, with car dealers and other showrooms festooned with huge eye-catching (tacky!) placards and multi-coloured flags and bunting. Of course, MacDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Coca-Cola et al are also much in evidence.

The second surprise was that although there were some older UK cars in evidence the overwhelming car suppliers are all Japanese. This is apparently because the Japanese (in Japan) like to buy a new car ever year, so producing a huge surplus of almost new second hand cars to find homes for. As Japan and NZ both drive on the left like us, NZ is a good place for the Japanese car dealers to off-load their surfeit of used cars.

On the natural beauty of NZ, we were not disappointed. The extinct volcanoes are distinctive with their conical shape but other hills and dales are very reminiscent of parts of rural England and Scotland. It is little wonder that our ancestors settled there so easily. The areas of thermal activity are, not surprisingly, outside of anything we have in this country. The famous active areas near Rotorua all vie with one another to attract visitors but being good Methodists, we visited one called ‘Hell’s Gate’. Its name aptly sums up what we can imagine hell to be like, with yellow brimstone, bubbling pools of boiling hot molten mud, holes in the ground belching steam and an all invading smell of sulphur in the air. Indeed, you can ‘smell’ Rotorua before you get there.

Another exciting aspect of thermal activity we experienced was a ‘hot beach’. With our son and his girl friend we went to a certain sandy beach where we dug a hole big enough for us all to sit in. The hole filled with water, but it was hot water - and I mean really hot!. There was something rather disconcerting about sitting in a hot Jacuzzi on the beach in the open air.

A final thought is that NZ history seemed so young to us. Although the Maoris have a long heritage, the ‘western’ aspect of NZ history only starts with the arrival of Captain Cook in the 1760’s. There is nothing like Hadrian’s Wall and no medieval church buildings to discover.

There is so much more to say about NZ, and these thoughts are a minute scratch on the surface of what we felt and experiences. It was good to see our son and at the same time visit an island other side of the world which, although so reminiscent of the UK, was so different to it.

Editor’s note - Wowch!! I really didn’t think I had that effect on people. Thank you, Robin, for taking time to put your thoughts on paper who, like everyone else I have asked, never lets me down.

A Christmas Poem with a difference (contributed by Margaret Selman - with apologies to the Spanish Class!)

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the casa

Not a creature was stirring - Caramba! Que pasa?

Los ninos were all tucked away in their camas

Some in vestidos and some in pijamas

While mama worked late in her little cocina,

El viejo was down at the corner cantina.

The stockings were hanging with mucho cuidado

In hopes that Saint Nicholas would feel obligado

To bring all the children, both buenos y malos,

A nice batch of dulces and other regalos.

Outside in the yard, there arose such a grito

That I jumped to my feet like a frightened cabrito

I ran to the window and looked afuera

And who in the world do you think that it era?

St. Nick in a sleigh and a big red sombrero

Came dashing along like a crazy bombero!

And pulling his sleigh, instead of venados,

Were eight little burros, approaching volados.

I watched as they came and this quaint little hombre

Was shouting and whistling and calling by nombre:

"Ay Pancho! Ay Pepe! Ay Cuca! Ay Beto!

Ay Chato! Ay Chopo! Maruca! Y Nieto!

Then, standing erect with his hand on his pecho,

He flew to the top of our very own techo!

With his round little belly like a bowl of jalea,

He struggled to squeeze down our old chimenea.

Then, huffing and puffing, at last in our sala,

With soot smeared all over his red suit de gala,

He filled all the stockings with lovely regalos,

For none of the ninos had been very malos.

Then, chuckling aloud, seeming very contento,

He turned like a flash and was gone with el viento.

And I heard him exclaim - and this is verdad -

Merry Christmas to all y Feliz Navidad!

A member of the Churches together (North East) football league. St. Andrew’s football Club goes from strength to strength with success on and off the field.

The current two 13-16 year old Six a Side Teams will soon be joined by two Five a Side Teams for the younger players, 9-13 year olds. The Club play games on alternate Saturdays at Cowgate Leisure Centre. Both Six a Side Teams are flying high in the Churches together Football League and Cup Competitions which attract teams from Tyneside and Northumberland.

A recently introduced Fair Play Trophy is also being played for this season. The club and league puts great emphasis on the players enjoying their game and also the social events.

The Presentation of Awards this season will be held at St. James Park, Newcastle in May. Future players can always apply to the Club to have their names kept on file awaiting a vacancy. Full Club information and up to date match reports as well as League Tables can be found on www.heddon.co.uk.

COFFEE and CAROLS. ... go along to Heddon Library on Friday, 15th December, at 2pm and enjoy carols sung by children from Heddon 1st School.

A couple of issues ago Heddon Gossip pointed out the many and varied facilities, including books, the Library offered but that they also needed support. Diane, the Librarian, tells me that there is a steady continued increase in membership ... nice to hear.

Heddon Parish Council now employs a Village Handyman. He is Tom Evans and we welcome him to the village. Because there has not been a Village Handyman for some months jobs to do around the village have been mounting up so it will take a little time to work through the back-log. If you see anything that needs doing please contact the Parish Council Clerk, Tom Bates, on 852682.

They are at the top of Mill Lane (better known as the Back Lonnen). Admittedly, this may not be the ideal site but finding an ‘ideal site’ within Heddon Village is extremely difficult if not impossible!

But this facility is back FOR A TRIAL PERIOD OF 6 MONTHS. If there are any problems please let the Parish Council know IMMEDIATELY.

There are containers for -

Glass - white and green .. collected weekly

Glass - brown .. collected every two weeks

Paper (includes cardboard & magazines) ... collected twice weekly

Plastic (bottles only) & Metal ... collected every two weeks.

Jim Merridew has announced his retirement from the Parish Council from Christmas 2000. This is because of his increasing ill health. Jim’s ‘straight from the shoulder’ good common sense council delivered with zest and humour will be greatly missed as also will be his great breadth of knowledge encompassing electronics to agriculture.

For many years he has set us an example of how to face up to adversity by always looking at the good side of life with cheerful enthusiasm and by carrying on with normal life with determined grit.

We all wish Jim a very happy retirement.

Jim Merridew’s retirement means that there will be a Casual Vacancy on the Parish Council in January. Anyone interested in taking up this position should write, before 10th January, 2001, to The Clerk to the Parish Council, Tom Bates, 12 Antonine Walk, Heddon on the Wall, stating briefly their interests and field of expertise.

The successful candidate will be decided by a simple vote of the Parish Council. There will be no interviews. Please do not hesitate to put your name forward.... your village needs you!

Brian Selman Chairman, Heddon on the Wall Parish Council

THANK YOU to everyone in the village and beyond who generously contributed to the Appeal. Approximately 235 show boxes bulging with toys, sweets, woollen hats and mittens, etc., have been delivered to the Warehouse. They have now been packed into crates prior to flying off to Romania, Croatia and Belarus in time for Christmas. Let us imagine the joy that these simple gifts will bring to these children.

Jenny Kernahan

Diary of events at the Knott Memorial Hall

Ad Murum Choir present An Evening of Festive Music with mince pies and ginger wine and the Knott Hall’s Grand Christmas Draw.

Tickets ..Adults £3... Children aged five and over £2. . available from Heddon Shops or telephone 01661 853359

NTC Touring Theatre Company present their annual pantomime - "The Dawn of the Fire Fawn" by Shaun Prendergast - a magical tale for Christmas

Tickets .. £5/£3 children. Available at Heddon shops, on the door or telephone 01661 853359

Ceilidh - to include Pie and Pea Supper and licensed bar. Tickets. £5. Further details in next edition of Gossip.

To book the Knott Hall for your private party, children’s parties, clubs, etc., please telephone Karen Quinn on 01661 853359

Thursday, 14 December at 7.30pm in the WI Hall, Heddon. Entrance by Tickets £3 (includes mulled wine and mince pie) Tickets from E. Tingate, L. Henderson or F.M. Phillipson.

Raffle of the Arrangements afterwards.

Proceeds in aid of Flower Festival 2002.

The Brownies have recently held a ‘Keep Fit’ night. We were inspired by Snowy Owl’s successful entry of the Great North Run - not that Brown Owl and the rest of the Brownies are quite up to running a half marathon! We have enrolled 4 new Brownies and watched a show by a trainee magician.

we are now busily preparing for Christmas, making decorations and getting ready for our Christmas Party which , this year, we will be sharing with a Brownie Pack from Ponteland.

The Brownies are saving used stamps for the Blue Peter Appeal ... we would be grateful for any used stamps.

Finally, our Unit Helper, Jenny, is leaving us after Christmas to concentrate on her exams. We are sorry to see her go and would like to say a BIG THANK YOU and WE WILL MISS YOU.

Wendy and Jan.

AD MURUM SINGERS

CHRISTMAS CAROL CONCERT

Be sure to come along to the Knott Memorial Hall at 7pm on Saturday 9th December to enjoy their MILLENNIUM CAROL CONCERT

This will be held in conjunction with the Knott Hall GRAND CHRISTMAS DRAW and raise funds for the Heddon Village Knott Memorial Hall and the Ad Murum Singers.

Tickets available from choir members or on the door .. £ including seasonal refreshments.

Mrs, Sheila Nicholson has kindly agreed to be our Guest Conductor and our Accompanist will be our very own Mrs. Audrey Harrison.

Come along and enjoy a great night of music.

The Parish Council recently received a letter from the Post Office explaining that the recent disruption to the railways, compounded by the floods, has required them to fly the mail out of Newcastle Airport.

To do this the Post Office hired a fleet of aircraft many of which were the older and noisier types. They apologise to the residents of Heddon for any disturbance resulting from the inevitable night flights.

You will have noticed that Heddon now has a BIGGER post box outside Heddon Post Office in place of the small box outside Liz’s shop. The Post Office provided a bigger box in response to a local petition.

The Parish Council took the opportunity afforded by the discussions over the siting of the new post box to emphasise the need for Heddon to have a new postal code in place of the present inconvenient and expensive NE15.

HEDDON ART GROUP

Following the concentrated effort required to mount our exhibition in October, we have settled down to some steady class work of drawing and still-life exercises set by our tutor.

Our last meeting this year will be on 6th December, after which we have a break until February, 2001.

Our new version of the village map "Heddon on the Wall 2001" was well received at the Exhibition. If anyone wishes to see it or is interested in purchasing a copy (£6 coloured or £3 black and white) please contact me or any other member.

Mary White..... 01661 852749

AD MURUM HISTORIC CHURCHES

Since our article appeared in the August 2000 issue of Heddon Gossip informing you of our plans and hopes for a Church Heritage Centre to be developed using part of Heddon Library, discussions have continued and our hopes are now high that the dream could soon become a reality. We have now photographed, in great detail, some thirty churches along the Roman Wall, both inside and out, creating a unique exhibition.

These photographs will form the central point for the heritage centre. It is our intention to include all churches in the Newcastle Diocese during the coming months.

Many more contacts have been established around the world as a result of meeting the visitors who stop off at the Swan Inn for refreshments and then call at St. Andrew’s church.

Contact has also been made via the Internet between schools both here and in America. The latest enterprise is for us to produce and exchange a video showing school life, the village and the countryside around us.

We hope this venture will eventually be run and developed by the teenagers of the Parish. So, if there are any budding producers, camera operators or writers out there please contact Eddie Tingate on 0191 2678502 or Freda Phillipson on 01661 852287

We are still keen to have anyone, young or old, join us to talk to the tourists visiting Heddon. They usually have only minutes to take in as much information and history of the village and church as time allows. Anyone who has a little time to spare to talk to the tourists or, indeed, talk to us about any aspect of our plans please get in touch. Eddie, Freda or a member of the Team will be in St. Andrew’s Church which is open 11am to 2pm daily

Glitterberry Christmas,

Spangled baubles glimmer

Mulled wine warming tumblers

Mellow log fires shimmer

Glitterberry Christmas

Gleeful children’s clatter

Sparkling lights on tinsel

Wrapping parcel chatter.

Glitterberry Christmas

Pine-tree fragrance drifting

Carols: church bells chiming

Hearts and voices lifting

Glitterberry Christmas

Christmas dinner pleasures

Party hats and plum pud!

Christmas cracker treasurers

Glitterberry Christmas

Candle-lit and snowing

Starry evening whisper

Hearths and homesteads glowing

Jadzia Race

As it is the last issue of Heddon Gossip this year I thought it would be interesting to have a ‘follow-up’ on the main articles -

FEBRUARY, 2000

‘NE15’ To change Heddon’s post code is still on-going and both Councillor Avery and the Parish Council are ‘chipping away’ at the powers-that-be on every possible opportunity.

APRIL, 2000

‘Heddon Library ... needs your support’

You responded to this plea and there is still a steady increase in new members but it’s the borrowing of books, tapes, videos, etc., that also count so please CONTINUE TO USE THE LIBRARY.

JUNE, 2000

‘Heddon Post Office .... are you aware what is happening?’

This was to bring ‘happenings’ to your attention and, Ron Hall, our Postmaster, said he had received comments and thanks for the article.

AUGUST, 2000

‘A Dream ... beginning to unfold’... To let everyone know the beginning of exciting things already happening and proposals for the future. The ‘up-side’ of tourism in Heddon. The Team is disappointed at the lack of response to their request for your support but it’s not too late, they would still be pleased to hear from you.

OCTOBER, 2000

‘Hadrian’s Wall Trail’ ... this is another slow moving project mainly to keep residents up to date.

After reading Biddy’s Lament in the October issue, June Neale reiterated the story and finished by saying ......"all was not well because a group of people who were supposed to be very Christian, with a love of all things created by our Lord had forgotten the words of a well loved hymn , ‘All things bright and beautiful ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, THE LORD GOD MADE THEM ALL’.......... perhaps with Christmas upon us, this group of people will somehow acquire a little Christian and Christmas charity and allow our little moggy to come home. "

HEDDON ON THE WALL AND THE PATERNALISM OF SQUIREARCH

Why should they have descended on Heddon is a mystery, but work was available at Heddon pit and housing too by the side of Heddon Common. If it had been by chance then they might have considered themselves fortunate. The village was well served and well placed for work in the pits and on the land.

There was a school and a public house and a small but growing community of about 400 people who, among themselves, supplied most of a couple’s main wants. It also offered opportunities for enterprise. The countryside around was a source of food and the village lacked transport. Between spells of work at the pit my great-grandfather ran a small carrying business from Heddon to Newcastle and Wylam. and the horse could graze freely on common land.

On this same common land they could and did keep pigs and a cow and although their cottage was small, with only two bedrooms, it was at least well situated. Quarry Cottage was rented from the squire at Close House, Calverly Bewicke. It stood back from the road on a small hillside overlooking rolling farmland which stretched right to the Cheviots. They were 200 yards from Law’s farm where they could get fresh milk, eggs and chickens, and the same distance the other way got them effortlessly to the pub, the Three Tuns, owned in the early 1870’s by William Armitage who also ran the blacksmith’s shop.

It would not have taken them long, feeling their way into a new place, to realise that Heddon was a village dominated by two families - the Bewickes (and later Sir James Knott) and the Bateses of Station Bank. The former being the major landowners in the district and the latter the owners of the mine.

There were other important landowners who saw Heddon as their village, for example, the Claytons of Humshaugh and the Chesters and the Freeman’s of Eachwicke. These prominent families were benefactors to the village, subscribing to the school, the village institute (provided by Mr. Clayton) and, most important of all, to St. Andrew’s Church. They were the major employers of the district: Mr. Bates was the justice of the peace and they all served, at different times, on the local Board of Guardians.

Through the provision of employment, charity and public service and drawing on the social values of the landed classes from which they came and with which they identified, these families maintained a social order which was distinctly paternalistic. They clearly felt their obligations to the village acutely and as gentlemen they looked for respect and an acceptance their authority. Mrs. Hall, an old resident of Heddon, noted, for example, when interviewed about her life in Heddon before the First World War, ‘If you worked on the farms or for the gentry, election times you had to vote what he said. He used to tell them what to vote. They expected you doing it’. (NRO T/114)

Heddon was, in this way, typical of agricultural villages throughout England; its leading families drew on a traditional justification of their authority and involved themselves closely with the life of the village.

Howard Newby has argued that through close involvement with the villages such people were able, by an ‘ideological alcheary’ focused on ideals of community, to ‘ to convert the exercise of power into ‘service’ to those over whom they ruled’ and to form ‘a rigid and arbitrarily controlled hierarchy into an ‘organic’ community of ‘mutual dependency’ in which they exercised their obligations through assuming the responsibilities of leadership and through their periodic doles of charity and patronage’ (Newby, 1977. p55). Their paternalism presupposed personal contact and the closer they became to the people - although they could never get too close, the social insulation between classes was high - the more secure was their authority and the less likelihood that those over whom they ruled would question it. Such an analysis fits the Heddon case well enough. Miss Sarah Elliott, an old Heddon resident, put it nicely when talking about the way the Bewickes at Close House indulged their employees. ‘The cooks’ she said, ‘was allowed the dripping’ NRO T/117)

THE BUTTERFLY

A big thank you to everyone who contributed to the going away present for Nick Vagg, the enthusiastic and hard working project leader for the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers who has gone off to India, Nepal, Borneo and other Far East destinations on a year long trip. We were able to give Nick a cheque for £60 (I’m not sure how many rupees that equates to) and no sooner had he got to Calcutta than he e-mailed me to express his thanks and appreciation and to ask me to pass them on to you. He also said he was about to use some of the money to buy a pass to one of the great tiger reserves in India. Lucky man. He also said that he would keep in touch regularly by e-mail so I will keep you informed of his progress.

As far as the butterfly is concerned, the very wet weather has meant that we have not even considered doing anything on the site but we have a planning meeting scheduled a few days from my writing this so that I will be circulating the team with the usual Newsletter when we are clear on what we need to do next.

Finally, although it’s a bit early, let me be the first to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a Healthy and Joyful New Year.

Ian Armstrong

A COUP FOR HEDDON ....

Over the weekend of the 13th to the 15th October Heddon hosted an important and relatively unusual event to highlight the value of fungi in the environment. An impressive list of organisations gave financial support to the project and among them was none other than The Royal Society itself which is a measure of how worthwhile the event was considered to be.

The weekend was led by a distinguished group of mycologists including Dr. Mariano Quintana from Madrid, one of Spain’s leading field mycologists, and the whole affair was backed up by the enthusiastic team from BTCV all of whom slept (camped) in the Knott Hall for two nights.

The weekend began with an introductory talk on the Friday evening in the WI Hall so that those of us who thought that the only use toadstools had was for fairies to sit on them could find out what a truly amazing and beautiful world was literally at our feet. One of the nice things about the evening and the whole of the weekend was how well supported it was by folks from the village, but then we should have known that after all the effort that has been put in with the butterfly!

Armed with our introduction from the previous evening we all set off the following morning to Chopwell Woods where we split into two groups and searched for and collected fungi. We soon discovered that you don’t have to go far to find a remarkable range of different fungi and those of us new to the game of picking them out on the woodland floor and dead timber were soon thoroughly engrossed and even managed to find one or two which got Mariano excited! Just to give you some idea of how many different types of fungi there are to be found in the World - there are as many as 72,000 which have been described but there are estimated to be as many as 1,500,000. The diversity is amazing and in the course of the morning we discovered that, unlike plants and many bacteria, fungi cannot make their own food and have to obtain it from a variety of sources. The four main sources are the Saprophytes who obtain theirs by growing on deat plants or animals, the Symbionts who form a beneficial association with plants, trees in particular, the Parasites who steal food from a host and the Predators who capture other animals.

The afternoon was spent back in the village identifying what we had collected and for the children a session of banner making and various other activities. Then we all got together in the WI Hall in the evening for an excellent and very tasty indoor barbecue.

Our final day together started on Heddon Common to see what we could find in the way of fungi. What a great morning we had! A real eye opener as to what was on our doorstep. Lots of fungi were found but the best, and certainly the most remarkable looking was the Earth Star. Who would have thought this lovely and spectacular fungi would be on our doorstep! A great addition to the species list of our Local Nature Reserve.

It was a great weekend and a real feather in the cap of the village as hosts. It was so good that the organising team would like to repeat it again next year and there will be a meeting shortly to organise dates and sort out a preliminary programme. If you missed the chance to find out all about the remarkable world of fungi look out for next year’s event. I can guarantee you will be totally fascinated.

Ian Armstrong

KARATE CLUB

Congratulaltions to the children who have now completed another grading at the Karate Club at the Knott Memorial Hall. A group of youngsters who have been attending since the beginning of the Club have now achieved their green belts.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEARN KARATE?..... ARE YOU AGED 7 YEARS OR OVER? If the answer is ‘yes’ to both questions come along to the Knott Hall on Tuesday evenings at 6pm - 7.20pm

WE URGENTLY NEED NEW MEMBERS TO KEEP THE CLUB GOING.

Adults and children are welcome .... all ages can join in ...Karate definitely reaches the parts other sports cannot reach.

This is the time of year when most gardens get their Autumn and Winter colour from foliage, the colourful annuals have all been removed and the ground prepared for next year’s planting. Over the next few months Heddon in Bloom will be making their plans for next year’s displays. It is also a good time for local businesses and gardeners to start thinking about how they can contribute to a colourful Heddon in 2001. If you have any suggestions or would like to join with Heddon in Bloom please get in touch with David Chambers on 852740 or Tom & Terry Glenton on 854650.

Gordon Stewart

HEDDON WI

Our Tuesday Teas venture is now established on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 1.30pm. We offer an assortment of homemade food and tea or coffee. DO COME ALONG AND SAMPLE THE HOME BAKING AND HAVE A GOOD CHATTER.

We need all the money we can muster. The roof of our elderly hall is in desparate need of bei ng replaced. We are hoping to obtain donations from a number of charities and local businesses. Our own money-making efforts are also helping.

If you enjoyed our November Soup & Bun meal we are holding another in the New Year. Also look out for our Pancake Day ... in other words ‘watch the village notice boards’ for dates and times to enjoy these home-made treats.

Have a lovely Christmas and, if you are a WOMAN, why not come to our meetings which are always held on the first Monday of each month at 7pm.