This walk is about 8km/5miles and one bit of it can be very wet and boggy so it is best done either after a drought or when the ground is frozen hard.
From the "Three Tuns" take the road going north to Bays Leap Farm which is signposted "Public Bridleway A69 half a mile".
The evergreen trees are Lawson Cypress Chamaecyparis lawsoniana. These have small cones whereas the Leyland cypress x Cupressocyparis leylandii has no cones. Continue past the farm to the tunnel under the A69. This is the perfect practice place for putative Pavarottis and is also good for bats. 100 metres beyond the tunnel go through the gate on the right and head back to the A69 with a fence on your right. At the top corner of the field take the gate onto a footpath. At the end of this you come out on the slip road for traffic going towards Newcastle. Walk along the slip road for 200 metres and then take the stile on your left into a field. Follow the hedge on your right around to the right and in the corner of the field by a fallen tree cross the fence into the next field to the east. Turn left and keep to the hedge on your left. Turn right at the corner of the field and after just over 100 metres cross the stile on your left and head north.
Cross three stiles in quick succession and continue north. Nearly 100 metres beyond the next stile take the stile on the right. Head slightly to the left for a stile on the opposite side of the field. Turn half-left after this stile and make for Breckney Hill Farm. Go through a small paddock and take the road from the farm which goes north.
Notice Heddon Law or Penny Hill ahead to the right with a clump of trees on it. This is the highest point around and stands out in many views. It is said that mariners used to use this clump of trees as an aid to navigation. Anyone know how? The tree on the right of the clump is a newly introduced species in this country but as you can see is extremely fast growing as this one is only about a year old (and is already about 20 metres high! Ed.) I do not know if it has a botanical name but I would like to suggest Pinus radiationata (It is the Tree Mast for Orange mobile ‘phone users. Ed.)
At the T junction take the road to the right and keep going through three gateways as the road turns into a track and then into a path at the edge of a field. Cross a stile near a group of buildings and 30 metres beyond the stile turn right along a path between hedges going south (this is the boggy bit).
When you come out into a field continue south with a hedge on your right. After two more stiles you come to a road. Keep to this round a right and then a left turn at Heddon Birks. Nearly 100 metres after the left turn go through the metal gate on the right and go straight ahead across the field to a bridge over a ditch. This is a new right of way replacing the one that went through Heddon Birks farmyard. Cross the bridge, turn left and make for the gate and stile at the end of a hedgerow. Cross two stiles and continue south with the hedgerow on your right. At the end of the hedgerow cross the ditch and make for the stile onto the A69. Cross the road (paths provided) and in the field on the other side turn half right. After one stile, make for the gate at the top corner of the field. This brings you onto Blackrow Lane which takes you back to Heddon.
(How many stiles on this walk? I lost count!) W.H. King
In the 1993 Telephone Directory there was a map giving the outlines of the post code areas and in amongst all the tiny blobs of NE1, NE2, NE4, NE40, NE41, etc, etc., was this large ‘oval’ shape which was NE15. The area started on the west side of Condercum Road in the west end of Newcastle continued on the south side of the West Road, included Benwell then dropped down into part of Scotswood continuing along the river to Newburn. On the north side part of Denton Burn was included as was Blutcher, Walbottle and Throckley. It then continued further west to include Heddon on the Wall, Houghton and Horsley.
Anyone who lives in the area knows that some of these areas are like ‘chalk and cheese’. In 1993 Benwell and Scotswood had made the National News for rioting and joy-riding resulting in deaths.
At this time Heddon on the Wall Parish Council spent a lot of time investigating the possibility of getting Heddon’s post code changed. The MP was contacted. The Insurance Ombudsman received detailed information but the reply was that Insurance Companies always used the second part of the post code to assess premiums - they do not! Specific Insurance Companies were chosen, the situation explained to them and they confirmed that NE15 was the part of the code used by them. The Royal Mail was adamant that the code could not be changed. The help of the Community Council of Northumberland was enlisted, also the Association of British Insurers, the Tyneside Consumers’ Group and eventually the BBC Watchdog programme took up the cause. Interviewees were set up and all was ready but at the last minute Watchdog cancelled. By the time December 1994 came so many ‘brick walls’ had been encountered and hours of time making telephone calls and writing letters there was literally ‘no where else to go’. Although evidence had been produced that Insurance Companies were using NE15 and not the second part of the code to calculate premiums, which was costing residents a fortune it seemed nothing could be done.
However, Heddon still battles on and with the help of everyone who pays insurance premiums of some sort which will be every household in Heddon, we can make a concerted effort to get Heddon’s post code changed, allowing appropriate premiums to be calculated. District & County Councillor Andy Avery is championing the cause and THIS IS HOW YOU CAN HELP HIM TO HELP YOU -
For many years Heddon residents have suspected that they are the victims of postcode discrimination which can result in unfair treatment by their insurance companies.
Our present post code was devised to be ‘read’ electronically when the mail sorting process was automated. The cose is sub-divided into an outward code - NE15 - and an inward code - OBG. When mail is collected and taken to the sorting office the outward code shows which delivery office the item should be delivered to. On arrival at the delivery office the inward code gives the exact location of the addressee. The NE15 outward code covers over 6,000 addresses, most of which are in the west end of Newcastle. The inward code is comprised of a district code - O - which identifies a district of about 300 addresses and a unit code - BG - which shows about 15 addresses.
Prior to the introduction of the new postcodes, insurance companies used a method of rating areas for insurance purposes based on county boundaries. The new postcode areas provided insurance companies with a much smaller area on which to base their premiums. The problem for Heddon has been that many insurance companies have been charging premium rates that reflect the number of claims experienced within the entire NE15 postcode area. An area as described and which will experience higher levels of burglary and car theft than those which exist in Heddon.
There have been many occasions when Royal Mail have been asked to consider changing our postcode. Both Heddon and Horsley Parish Councils have raised the issue in the past (Heddon on the Wall Parish Council’s effort is previously described) and I have used both the County and the District Councils to pursue this issue. In every case Royal Mail have consistently refused to consider such requests. They say that they have no control over private companies using their postcodes to define marketing boundaries. Changes to postcodes are extremely costly to Royal Mail and to those users, especially businesses, who would need to amend their records and change their stationery. Postcodes may have to be changed when new houses are built or old ones are demolished; a local council decides to re-rumber houses or re-name roads or a new delivery office is built.
To try to make some progress on this issue I have managed to become the County Council representative to the Tyneside Post Office Advisory Committee (POAC), a body which deals with public complaints to the Royal Mail and the Post Office. I have used this as an opportunity to raise the question of our postcode with representatives of Royal Mail, only to meet the usual response.
At the last meeting of POAC I raised the issue of new postcodes being allocated if new developments on Tyneside go ahead, particularly the proposed Newcastle Great Park. The representative of Royal Mail agreed to accept a written submission from me outlining Heddon’s specific grievances with its postcode and went on to say that these views would be taken on board during discussion about the proposed development of NGP.
This is where I need your help.
Royal Mail may take notice of one letter from me but it is more likely to take notice of a letter from a whole community. Over the next few weeks I will be delivering a petition to every household in the area requesting Royal Mail to change our postcode. This will be delivered to Royal Mail in the form of a giant postcard. It will also contain signatures from our neighbours in Horsley.
THERE IS ALSO SOMETHING YOU PERSONALLY CAN DO......
write to Mr. Greaves at Royal Mail asking for a change in our postcode should new codes be needed in the area and SEND A COPY to Alan Johnson MP, the Minister responsible for the service. The addresses you need are -
Mr. S. Greaves
Royal Mail North East
3 Forth Street
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 1AA.
Alan JohnsonMP
Minister of State
Department of Trade and Industry
1 Victoria Street
London
SW1H0ET.
I would be interested to hear from anyone who thinks they have been unfairly treated as a result of postcode discrimination. If you do have a grievance you should take it up with your insurer at Head Office level and failing that you can take it up with the Association of British Insurers by writing to -
The Customer Services Unit
51 Gresham Street
London, ECV2 7HQ.
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR HELP IN RAISING THIS ISSUE WITH ROYAL MAIL and hope that TOGETHER WE CAN GET OUR POST CODE CHANGED.
Andy Avery
District & County Councillor
Following the winter break our meetings resume on 16th February with our Annual General Meeting. This is when we review the previous year’s activities, consider our finances and make plans for the coming year. We hope to have a good attendance of subscribing members (or those who intend to subscribe) so that everyone has the chance to express their preferences and future classes can be arranged to cover as many interests as possible.
Anyone not wishing to become a member will be welcome at subsequent meetings on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month for a fee of £1.50 per night.
Mary White
Our monthly meetings are held in the WI Hall on the first Monday of each month at 7pm.
The February meeting is a talk entitled "THE HISTORY OF TYNESIDE SONGS.
March is our 83rd BIRTHDAY PARTY
April’s talk is entitled "ST. ABBS HEAD TO TYNEMOUTH".
Do come along as a visitor. We are sure you will enjoy it.
Winter time is soup time. We look forward to see you at our SOUP and BUN morning on Saturday, 12th February, when you can have a bowl of thick home-made soup with crusty bread, home-made cake and coffee - a lovely lunch for £2 (children half price).
Saturday, 11th March is our PANCAKE DAY, when you can sample pancakes with savoury or sweet fillings, together with our cakes and coffee - another good lunch.
As well as good food you can be assured of good company.
Joyce Laws, Secretary
Thanks very much to everyone who responded to the cry for help posted on the village notice board asking for newspapers when we were looking after nine Red Setter Pups.
The puppies have now all gone to new homes except one which we have kept.
Bags of newspapers were regularly left on the doorstep so we couldn’t thank the givers personally. If you were one of those people, Thank you very, very much for your help. Hilary & John
After 9 years service our very efficient Parish Clerk, Ann Lockey, is retiring to spend more time with her family. Up to now Heddon has been fortunate to have always had as Clerk someone who lived in the Parish, knew the people and understood the problems. Other parishes have not been so lucky but we want Heddon to retain the local touch. This is your chance to help your community and enjoy a part-time job locally.
The work is interesting, varied and regarding. Previous experience is not required as training and guidance will be provided, but you do need intelligence, initiative and tact. A knowledge of word processing would be useful. Problems can be attributed to the Chairman but successes are credited to the Clerk! The present salary is approximately £2,900 per annum (negotiable) plus all expenses.
This part time job is open to anyone including persons at home with family commitments and retired people. Further information from
Ann Lockey, 312 Hexham Road. Tel.No. 01661 852832 or Brian Selman, 6 Aquila Drive. Tel.No. 01661 853217
Ecumenical Lent Meetings
As in the past, St. Andrew’s and the Methodist Church are coming together to hold united meetings during Lent. This year the theme of ‘Prayer’ has been chosen and different invited speakers will each share their own views and experience of this powerful topic. The meetings will be held on the five Wednesday evenings of Lent starting on 15th March at St. Andrew’s. The venue will then alternate between the Methodist Church and St. Andrew’s.
These meetings are totally open to all, whether church attenders or not. Why not join your neighbours in coming to hear what prayer is about?
Events for your diary:
23 Feb. Pathfinders Walking Group 10am
15 Mar. First Ecumenical Lent Meeting at St. Andrew’s 7.30pm
29 Mar.Pathfinders Walking Group 10am
Please watch our Notice Board for more details.
Methodist Church Notes
The Pathfinders Walking Group continues to flourish and welcomes anyone who enjoys an easy walk with good company. Don’t forget to bring a packed lunch. Meet at the Chapel - dates and times as above.
Don’t forget that there is a Mums and Toddlers Group which meets every Wednesday between 1.30 and 3pm in school term time.
There is a Sunday Morning Sunday School at 10.30am for children of all ages during normal term time. Fun is guaranteed!
Happy New Year to all from Heddon First School PTA.
Christmas events went well for our school. We all enjoyed our visit to the Panto at the Theatre Royal to see Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The children were incredibly well behaved and were a credit to the school and staff. I’m sure they will remember the occasion with happy memories (I certainly will)
The Production of Hosanna Rock was brilliant. A lot of very hard work went into the show and everything was perfect in both performances. Well done to all involved.
The visit of SANTA on his sleigh was a huge success. We collected £476.09 around the village which was tremendous. We have since been given a donation of £24 to make a grand total of £500. £200 will go to the school and £300 to Cystic Fibrosis as we have a child in school suffering from this condition. Many thanks to everyone for your generosity.
Also, thanks to Arthur Watson who stored the sleigh last year, to Jim Paterson who stored the sleigh over the Christmas period and to Robert Young who will store the sleigh until next Christmas.
Thank you to the Fathers and PTA members who helped with this event.
The school is again collecting tokens. Please send any you have to the school.
Our next event is a DISCO on 30th March. This will be a celebration OFSTED DISCO - the school has an inspection during the last week of February.
Forthcoming events include our TALENT SHOW on a night to be arranged in June. If you have a talent which you would like to share please let me know (01661 852432). We already have a few bookings.
PONTELAND PROMS 2000
As part of the Ponteland School Partnership Heddon First School will be taking part in the Ponteland Proms 2000 at the City Hall, Newcastle on 24th Feb. 2000 at 6.30pm.
Children from Heddon’s 3rd & 4th years will be representing our school. The Partnership ranges from 1st to High Schools.
Music and songs will be from the last century, including war songs, pop songs and local songs (Blaydon Races included).
This is a wonderful night of music and song ...come along and enjoy the evening and appreciate the talent we have in our local schools.
Tickets .. Adults £4, children & OAP’s £2.50 ..from Heddon school or from Linda Paterson, 01661 852432.
The Annual Triples Competition was held at Wylam at the end of November. The team from Heddon were runners up and each member received a very nice trophy.
Our Christmas Dinner was at the Swan in the village this year, cold and ‘flu depleted our numbers but 22 members enjoyed a lovely night out.
Our usual Club Nights are back in action at 7pm each Monday in Heddon First School
Heddon is now back to one Brownie Pack. Lesley Weatheritt decided the time had come for her to ‘retire’ as Brown Owl. I know the girls were sad to see her leave and we would all like to thank her for the brilliant job she made of running the Brownies. Our thanks also go to Christine Smith who gave up her time to be Unit Helper.
Heddon Brownies have moved to the Knott Memorial Hall. We continue to meet on a Wednesday evening from 6pm to 7.15pm. Heddon Methodist Chapel have been very supportive of our Pack but, unfortunately, we were no longer able to meet in the Chapel due to the large increase in numbers of girls.
A Blue Peter Bring and Buy Sale was held on Wednesday, 2nd Feburary. Refreshments were served and some of our Brownies took their Hostess Badge that evening.
The girls have made ‘time’capsules in which they have written about themselves. Heddon Brownies of the future will be able to learn what the Pack was like in the year 2000.
Our next meeting sees us all attempting to do our Cooks Badge - sandwiches and fruit salad will be on the menu and we will be learning about kitchen safety.
Jan Liddle and Wendy Ryan.
On Millennium Eve I went to Newcastle with my cousins, Scott and Samantha, and my Gran to see the millennium celebrations at the Haymarket. We saw the millennium beacon being lit on the top of the Civic Centre. When the Transe Express Parade came it was very noisy with lots of red smoke. The biggest drum being played by two people on a see-saw passed followed by eighty drummers and then the Big Heads models. They included Alan Shearer, Jimmy Nail, Sting, George Stephenson, Bobby Thompson and Emily Davidson.
During all this time a human mobile suspended from a very large crane played music above the crowds. Then there was a fireworks display which was very loud and bright. After all this we went home.
At midnight we went to the bottom of the street to see all the fireworks from Hexham to Newcastle. At half past midnight we went next door and had a miniparty/disco with three other children and did a conga around their house.
On New Year’s morning it was such a nice day we took my Aunty Anne to see the Butterfly Haven on the Common before she went home. At noon we listened to all the church bells in the area ringing to celebrate the Millennium.
Ben Thompson aged 12 years
For our Millennium celebration a number of families from the village hired the WI Hall and held our own party. We had music and karioke, fireworks and champagne and party games. When we came out of the hall at 12 o’clock to set off our fireworks the sky was lit up which was quite a sight to remember.
In total there were about 70 adults and children at the party and I’m sure everyone has memories of a very happy night.
Thank you to the WI for allowing us to use the Hall.
Linda Paterson ... on behalf of all who were there.
A group of families, about 30 adults and children, had been saving for a while for a party suitable for a millennium celebration. Everyone attended in fancy dress, the food was special and there was champagne. Everyone ‘did a turn’, the 12 drinks of Christmas, who wants to be a millionaire and a modern day nativity play with the Angel of the North descending. At 12 o’clock we all went into the garden of the house on Heddon Banks which had a magnificent uninterrupted view up and down the Tyne valley to set off fireworks but the atmosphere at that particular moment was very special. It was felt by adults and children alike and I am sure that moment will stay with everyone for the rest of their lives. The valley was alive with fireworks from the organised display on the Newcastle Quayside to diplays in gardens right around the valley, our fireworks contributing to the display. A memorable millennium evening.
The Web Site continues to attract a steady stream of visitors, including ex Heddon residents from afar afield as the South of England and Canada. Closer to home a number of people have signed up to 'local's corner', by submitting their e-mail addresses. This enables us to see whom in the village in on the Internet.
The site is continuing to be developed, as more information is unearthed. It is hoped to add new material on the Knott family shortly and the village show results, back to 1989, have been added to the archive area.
Internet access is now available in the village library. The library service has very kindly made the village Web Site available free of charge.
How can you help to develop the site?
Have you any old photographs of the area?
Have you any interesting facts, stories or information about the area?
Could you supply details of any village groups that you belong to?
Have you an e-mail account that we could list in the "locals corner".
If the answer to any of the above is yes, please help by supplying the information to me, (852355), handing it to Ann Lockey or leaving it for collection in the library.
In connection with Heddon Website and the information on it, it is hoped to run a section in Heddon Gossip relating to the history of Heddon. This issue gives information which is an historical extract from Heddon Website on SCHOOLING IN HEDDON. If you have any interesting memories of Heddon Schools please let us know so that we can document them for the future.
SCHOOLING IN HEDDON
The first school to be built in the Parish of Heddon was built at Houghton in 1814 by Mrs. Margaret Bewicke of Close House for the children of the Close House estate. It remained the only school in the Parish until the Church of England established the first "voluntary" school in Heddon in 1852. The land opposite the Swan Inn was donated and the buildings were erected at a total cost of £732.4s.7d., including the schoolmaster’s house.
Initially, the school had two classrooms with a third added at a much later date. The first schoolmaster was a Mr. Scott, whose annual salary was £55 per annum. The schoolmistress was a Miss Wilkinson whose salary was £8 per annum - so much for equality.
By 1888 attendance was averaging 133 children. When free elementary education was introduced in 1891 the average attendance increased to 152. In 1902 the government took over the financial responsibility of the running expenses of the school. During the period 1905 - 1932 private schooling was also given at the vicarage for those children who wished to receive a higher secondary education.
In 1952 the Church handed over financial responsibility for the village school which, therefore, ceased to be "aided" and became "controlled". In 1959 the older children were transferred to the new school campus at Walbottle and only infants and juniors were educated in the village.
The current school was started in 1962 and completed in 1963. The building work being delayed by the severe winter. The old school was used as a meeting place for the village Scout group and was eventually sold and converted into a private home.
Pat Farnaby
(email .... enquiries.heddon@virgin.net)
A new year! A new start! Spring around the corner! Heddon in Bloom hope that many people around the village have made a new year’s resolution to help the group in some way. You could join others to look after a tub or paint a shelter. You do not need any gardening knowledge just a will to improve your village. Also, if you are a handy person we would like to hear from you to help out in occasional projects such as building a new wooden plant container to replace the one which has seen better days outside the shops.
Use the dark nights to plan your own garden or business displays for summer judging. Made the year 2000 a very special year in Heddon with all businesses competing in our Best Kept Business Competition with a chance of progressing into the Regional Northumbria in Bloom Competition.
Why not nominate a business or garden for the competitions. Entry Forms will be available soon or enter/nominate now via the email address given above. Full details are on the Heddon Web Site.
Castle Morpeth Citizens Advice Bureau has recently started a Rural Stress Initiative to make their range of services more accessible to people who may have difficulties travelling to their office in Morpeth.
The Citizens Advice Bureau may be able to help you with such matters as housing, employment, debt, consumer rights and social security benefits (including those for the self-employed)
For example, it is not widely known that anyone on a basic state retirement pension of £66.75 for a single person or £106.50 for a couple and with little or no income or savings, will now be entitled to Income Support.
As well as giving them extra money this will automatically entitle them to full Housing Benefit, full Council Tax, free dental check-ups, treatment and dentures, help towards the costs of glasses, access to the Social Fund and other benefits.
Income Support has to be claimed and, unfortunately, it often goes unclaimed because people are not aware of their entitlement or do not know how to claim.
New funding for the service has enabled Bureau staff to visit people in their own homes if they are unable to travel and often advice can be given over the telephone.
The service is completely free and confidentiality is ensured.
For further information you can contact Nicola Bateman or Brian Smith on 01670 505015.
Now that the holidays are well and truly over we must get on and complete the Butterfly site. The requirements of the original grant state that we (I) must spend the entire £10,000 by early March and a recent meeting of the planning team means we know exactly how we are going to do that. We have kept to our original planning schedule and budgeted spending and are happy we will meet the target date.
Those of you living near or visiting the site regularly will know that the BTCV team have been in on several occasions since the turn of the year and have completed the antenna on the butterfly and are well on in the process of creating a seating area at the north end of the site, cut into the existing bank. That is really going to be a lovely place to sit with great views and well sheltered from the cold winds.
Our planning meeting was also used to sort out the dates for the next Community Days when we intend to keep you very busy. We are aware that on some of the other Community Days we did not have enough work for everyone who turned up and we are sorry about that. The simple fact is that the numbers turning up for this project in Heddon took the BTCV team totally by surprise, being well in excess of the usual volunteer turn-out at other projects they are involved in. Thank you again for being so enthusiastic and we look forward to giving you the chance to work off some of that enthusiasm at our next two Community Days.
COMMUNITY DAYS
Sat. 12 Feb. 10.30am - 3.30pm. The entire meadow will be SEEDED and TREES will be PLANTED
There will be something for everyone to do! (In case you are wondering if we are planting the seed too early the expert advice we have been given is that the seeds will benefit from been frosted and will give us a better meadow in the long run)
Sat. 25 March. 10.30am - 3.30pm ....... the various sections of the BUTTERFLY will be planted and the MEADOW PLANTING will be reinforced.
PLEASE SPARE US AS MUCH TIME AS YOU CAN .... there is a lot of work to be done, it will be greatly appreciated.
We are speaking to artists who specialise in producing splendid seats and other objects in situations such as ours with particular emphasis on the design of the seat at the north end of the site. We have ideas for work on other parts of the Common and we will again be asking for your views.
It’s about time we all got together to go over everything that has happened during the past year so you are all cordially invited to a WINE and CHEESE EVENING in the KNOTT MEMORIAL HALL on WEDNESDAY, 22nd MARCH at 7.30pm when the year’s work can be reviewed and the artists will be there to hear your ideas on appropriate designs for the seats.
We look forward to seeing you at the ‘21 Ton Butterfly’ on 12th February and on the 25th March for as long as you can manage on each of those days.
Ian Armstrong