Etal, Northumberland

Etal ( EE-təl) is a small village in the far north of the county of Northumberland, England, in the civil parish of Ford. It lies on a bridging point of the River Till ten miles south west of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and includes the substantial ruins of the medieval Etal Castle, now owned by English Heritage. It has just one residential street, and has a population of less than fifty.

1. Buildings

The village is centred on a now ruined castle, which over the years has seen much conflict between England and Scotland. The large majority of the buildings in the village are traditional and are owned by Ford & Etal Estates. Also there is Northumberland's only thatched pub (The Black Bull) and next door is the village hall. Hiding discreetly behind the magnificent Lavender Tearooms and a few more 'picture postcard' houses is an expansive walled garden. Used extensively by the late Lady Joicey for the training of dressage horses, it is now used intermittently for Icelandic Horse events and features a grass oval track.

1. References


1. External links

Ford and Etal travel guide from Wikivoyage The Ford and Etal Estate website Northumberland Communities (Accessed: 19 November 2008)

Nearby Places View Menu

Etal Castle

Etal Castle is a ruined medieval fortification in the village of Etal, Northumberland, England. It was built around 1341 by Robert Manners, and comprised a residential tower, a gatehouse and a corner tower, protected by a curtain wall. The castle was involved both in local feuding and the border wars between England and Scotland. There was a battle between the rival Manners and Heron families outside the walls in 1428, and in 1513 it was briefly captured by King James IV of Scotland during his invasion of England. The castle passed into the hands of the Crown in 1547 and was garrisoned as part of the border defences, but fell into disrepair and was abandoned as a military fortification after 1603. In the 18th century it ceased to be used as a domestic dwelling and became ruinous. In the 21st century the castle is owned by the Joicey family, but managed by English Heritage. Open to the public, it is protected under UK law as an ancient monument and a Grade I listed building.

Castle Historic Site

1.1 km

Ford Forge

Ford Forge (Ford Mill), Northumberland, England is located on the River Till between the villages of Ford and Etal. Buildings housing a water-powered forge were constructed at this site by 1770. Throughout the nineteenth century the forge was used to manufacture shovels for Northumberland collieries. William Hutchinson, a contemporary author writing about Sir John Hussey Delaval's Ford estate which included Ford Forge, commented as follows. About a mile down the river, a Plating Forge was erected in 1769, where a large quantity of shovels, spades and other plate-iron works are made, as well for home consumption, as for exportation at the ports of Berwick, Newcastle, etc. The scheme, when carried to its intended extent, will be of great consequence to this part of the country. (from SINE project)

Historic Site Landmark

Heatherslaw Mill

Heatherslaw Mill is a water mill situated on the Ford and Etal Estate, 7 miles north of the town of Wooler in the English county of Northumberland. It is a restored 19th century water driven cornmill. Traditional methods and original machinery powered by the River Till are used to grind locally grown wheat into wholemeal flour. Its huge water wheel, mill stones and gearing are all visible. Freshly milled flour and local "Berwick Biscuits" are on sale in its gift shop whilst the mill cafe serves country fare.

Historic Site Landmark

Crookham, Northumberland

Crookham is a village on the River Till in Northumberland, in England. It is situated approximately 8 km (5.0 mi) to the east of Coldstream and 14 km (8.7 mi) northwest of Wooler. It has three farms, Crookham Sandyford, Crookham Eastfield, and Crookham Westfield. Recorded as "Crucum" in 1244, the village name derived from the Old English for "Settlement at the Bend" (of the River Till).

Neighbourhood