Tag: waggonway

The Charming Village of Wylam

The village of Wylam is an unassuming little place, quiet, friendly and with a village shop, a pub and a small restaurant together with the usual village amenities including the pretty St Oswin’s Church. However there’s so much more to this village than meets the eye as Wylam has a rich industrial heritage and played a significant role in the development of the coal and railway industries in the 19th century and was the birthplace of none other, than George Stephenson, the main inventor of the railroad locomotive and of course the iconic Stephenson’s Rocket.

white washed cottage and red tiled roof George Stephensons cottage at Wylam
The Birthplace of George Stephenson

Visiting Wylam is easy and there is parking both in the village and at Wylam Riverside Park and from there it is ideal to find the route of the old Waggonway to enjoy the riverside walk that passes George Stephenson’s cottage. The cottage can only be accessed on foot and this humble little birthplace and once home to ‘the Father of Railways’ now sits quietly amongst nature on the historic Waggonway on the banks of the River Tyne. It’s hard to imagine that this idyllic little spot was once a hive of industry that saw coal transported from Wylam Colliery to the staiths at Lemington for shipping down the Tyne. The cottage is maintained by The National Trust but it is only open to the public for special events however Wylam has a small railway museum which is packed with interesting artefacts and exhibits. The museum is free to enter and is located in the village library but is only open on certain days so please check beforehand.

For a little more railway heritage head west of Wylam on the same pathway and you will come across Hagg Bank bridge which is a single span arch bridge that was originally built in 1876 as a railway bridge. The railway closed in 1968 and the rails were lifted in 1972 and it is now only enjoyed by pedestrians, joggers and cyclists and if you’re a ‘Vera’ fan you may just have spotted this impressive structure in one the episodes!

Hagg Bank single arch bridge over the river tyne near Wylam
Hagg Bank Bridge

If you’re up for a longer walk then there’s a linear route which takes you from Wylam station to Prudhoe and if you wish, a change of history with a visit to Prudhoe Castle before then catching the train back to Wylam. Even Wylam railway station itself holds it’s own place in the history books, it was constructed in 1835 and is Grade II Listed and is one of the earliest train stations that is still in use in the world today.

Northumberland has some of the most lovely villages and many are steeped in history, some have a fascinating heritage, some have weird and wonderful local traditions but without doubt they will all greet you with the friendliest of welcomes. When you visit Northumberland be sure to take in some of our charming villages, you never know what hidden treasures await!