ide by side so you can overtake - but not if it is a lorry. These are only allowed for access. In the end you reach a length of single track road, the latter half of which is lined on one side by old sycamores and ash trees. The ash trees are gradually disappearing, but the sycamores will last a year of two yet. These trees run up the side of the Show Field - a very uneven area that you would never expect to find a Show on! At the end, you arrive at a medieval village green.The Green is large and has dwellings on 3 sides, all but one of which has been there since time immemorial. The show field is to the East. North Side is what it says it is and has 9 dwellings - houses and cottages. The latter are rapidly being up-graded, but it won't be for the first time! They were all here in 1800 and had been for long before that and none are now one room only! They have lean-to's on the back and some went upwards long ago. As you come into the village, the first was a farm once upon a time. Now it is a farmhouse type building, and is a haulage business. The man who lives there is the son of a lady who was born and lived all her life here. Her father founded the haulage business with a horse and cart going to Hexham on market day, along a road that is now only partially traceable and partly lost in a huge quarry. The family were in the Parish in the 1800 census. The old lady's husband still lives in a cottage in the middle of the Green. He is about 85. The next house up is quite big (comparatively). Further up there is another farmhouse. In amongst them are cottages.
Across the west end are a brand new house and a small cottage of the same sort of age as all the rest, which belongs to us. Then, set back a bit, behind a tall stone wall is our house. From the Green, you just see a grey square building with 2 large windows. It is the 1740's addition to a bastle house. These were fortified houses, built to keep the stock down below and the family upstairs, with a pull-up ladder, for when the Scottish Reivers came marauding, raping and thieving! It is a bit different now, with its "new front" put on in about 1620!!!
The south side of the Green has 2 farm houses and 2 cottages. These were originally 6 one-roomers, one of which was the Pub at some past time!
Once upon a time, there was quite a large population (comparatively speaking), with shoe makers, a school and chapel as well as the church. The dentist came and set up on the Green every now and then. Think he probably just removed teeth!
Nowadays, there are 5 properties that are let, which does not make for a settled population, in such a small place. Currently we are lucky that they are all nice people except one who we never see. But it has become a commuter village, like so many. Two of the farms
are still functioning and the haulage business. The saving grace of the place is the Show. This pulls everyone together once a year. Nearly everyone helps in one way or another and lots of lovely people from round about come and help too. Having lived here for 27 years now, I am considered to belong! Because we are in the Manor, we are expected to play the appropriate part! The old timers call me Mrs.... in spite of all my efforts to make them use my Christian name! 
What else do we have here? One Victorian post box, in our garden wall. One church which has been there since the 13th Century, but Victorianised by a vicar in 1860. Very much loved by many but supported by a tiny number. A WI Hut, which is falling to pieces. A mobile library which I have not seen for some time, so it may have stopped. 3 wind turbines up the lonnen (track). Except when the farmer is driving about or the RAF are low flying and when there is no wind (rare) we have silence. At night, apart from bad light pollution to the SE, we have wonderful stars on a clear night. No through traffic - the road stops outside our house.
There is the odd evening, particularly in the summer, when you can go outside and listen to the silence - only broken by the baaing of sheep. That is magic.
There are moderately good walks and if you go up to the top, where the turbines are there are fantastic views - The Durham hills to the south, the Pennines to the West, Cheviot and Simonside to the North and nearly to the sea to the East.
However some of this may sound, I love it here and would hate to have to move - though I know the time will come when we cannot manage here any more. But I know I will never get G to move!
Across the west end are a brand new house and a small cottage of the same sort of age as all the rest, which belongs to us. Then, set back a bit, behind a tall stone wall is our house. From the Green, you just see a grey square building with 2 large windows. It is the 1740's addition to a bastle house. These were fortified houses, built to keep the stock down below and the family upstairs, with a pull-up ladder, for when the Scottish Reivers came marauding, raping and thieving! It is a bit different now, with its "new front" put on in about 1620!!!
The south side of the Green has 2 farm houses and 2 cottages. These were originally 6 one-roomers, one of which was the Pub at some past time!
Once upon a time, there was quite a large population (comparatively speaking), with shoe makers, a school and chapel as well as the church. The dentist came and set up on the Green every now and then. Think he probably just removed teeth!
Nowadays, there are 5 properties that are let, which does not make for a settled population, in such a small place. Currently we are lucky that they are all nice people except one who we never see. But it has become a commuter village, like so many. Two of the farms
are still functioning and the haulage business. The saving grace of the place is the Show. This pulls everyone together once a year. Nearly everyone helps in one way or another and lots of lovely people from round about come and help too. Having lived here for 27 years now, I am considered to belong! Because we are in the Manor, we are expected to play the appropriate part! The old timers call me Mrs.... in spite of all my efforts to make them use my Christian name! 
What else do we have here? One Victorian post box, in our garden wall. One church which has been there since the 13th Century, but Victorianised by a vicar in 1860. Very much loved by many but supported by a tiny number. A WI Hut, which is falling to pieces. A mobile library which I have not seen for some time, so it may have stopped. 3 wind turbines up the lonnen (track). Except when the farmer is driving about or the RAF are low flying and when there is no wind (rare) we have silence. At night, apart from bad light pollution to the SE, we have wonderful stars on a clear night. No through traffic - the road stops outside our house.
There is the odd evening, particularly in the summer, when you can go outside and listen to the silence - only broken by the baaing of sheep. That is magic.
There are moderately good walks and if you go up to the top, where the turbines are there are fantastic views - The Durham hills to the south, the Pennines to the West, Cheviot and Simonside to the North and nearly to the sea to the East.
However some of this may sound, I love it here and would hate to have to move - though I know the time will come when we cannot manage here any more. But I know I will never get G to move!
