Kirknewton, Northumberland
Historical Description
Kirknewton, a village, a township, and a parish in Northumberland. The township lies on the river Glen, under the Cheviots, 3¾ miles E of the boundary with Scotland, and 5½ WNW of Wooler, with a station on the N.E.E. Acreage, 2026; population, 68. The parish contains also the townships of Howtell, Kilham, Pawston, Coldsmouth-with-Thompsons-Walls, Greys Forest, Heathpool, West Newton, Crookhouse, Lanton, Yeavering, Conpland, Selbys Forest, Akeld, and Milfield, the last of which has a post and money order office under Wooler; telegraph office, Crookham. Acreage, 37, 752; population, 1234. The surface includes much mountain pasture, and contains a fine variety of scenery. Coupland Castle is a Border tower, with additions of 1614, belonged to the ancient family of Coupland, passed to the Wallaces, and belongs now to the Culley family. Milfield was a residence of the kings of Bernicia, was also the scene of a contest which preceded the battle of Flodden, and now has a handsome mansion, the seat of the Grey family. Yeavering was a residence of the kings of Bemicia prior to Milfield, or till the death of Edwin. At Howtell, Akeld, and Heathpool are fragments of Border towers built into farmhouses, and at Akeld there is a small ancient burial-ground. Lanton Hill is crowned with an obelisk monument, erected by the late Sir W. Davidson. Vestiges of ancient camps and extensive earthworks are on the hills, and various relics of the ancient Britons and the Romans have been found. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Newcastle; net value, £480 with residence. The church is very ancient, shows traces of Norman architecture, and was restored in 1859. Probably the first church was built in the 8th century soon after Paulinus converted the Northumbrians to Christianity, as it was at the palace of Yeavering, near to Kirknewton, that he stayed. At Howtell there is a Presbyterian church, and at Milfield a chapel belonging to the Primitive Methodists.
Civil Registration
For general information about Civil Registration (births, marriages and deaths) see the Civil Registration page.
Land and Property
The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Northumberland is available to browse.
Maps
Online maps of Kirknewton are available from a number of sites:
- Bing (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
- Google Streetview.
- National Library of Scotland. (Old maps)
- OpenStreetMap.
- old-maps.co.uk (Old Ordnance Survey maps to buy).
- Streetmap.co.uk (Current Ordnance Survey maps).
- A Vision of Britain through Time. (Old maps)
Newspapers and Periodicals
The British Newspaper Archive have fully searchable digitised copies of the following newspapers related to Northumberland online: