The Whin Sill: Craster’s Ancient Spine
By Crasterfarian As a born and bred Crasterfarian, I’ve always wondered about the history of where I was brought up. The very fabric of the village… Read More »The Whin Sill: Craster’s Ancient Spine
Penbal Wizard
Northumbrian History Theory Time: Benedict Biscop and the Origins of Bedlington
By Tim Lewthwaite Benedict Biscop — international book collector, influential architect, founder of Jarrow-Monkwearmouth monastery, mentor to the Venerable Bede, latter-day patron saint of Sunderland… Read More »Northumbrian History Theory Time: Benedict Biscop and the Origins of Bedlington
Nova Scotia: Dunstanburgh’s Sea-Gate
By Crasterfarian Tucked below the Great Keep and South Wall of Dunstanburgh Castle lies an inlet locals call Nova Scotia, the Castle’s little harbour. Visitors’ eyes… Read More »Nova Scotia: Dunstanburgh’s Sea-Gate
Tynemouth Borough Planning Scheme 1925
By Gary Holland This post relates to a plan of several areas of North Tyneside from 100 years ago. The plan, dated October 1925 shows… Read More »Tynemouth Borough Planning Scheme 1925
Roman Pragmatism and Experimentation in the North
By The Crasterfarian When people picture a Roman fort, they often imagine the neat, playing-card rectangle that appears in every textbook. It’s a shape built on… Read More »Roman Pragmatism and Experimentation in the North
The Coquet Roman Complex: A Forgotten Artery of the Frontier
A Theory by The Crasterfarian and Anthony Simm Background The River Coquet is absent from conventional accounts of Roman military infrastructure in Northumberland. Yet when… Read More »The Coquet Roman Complex: A Forgotten Artery of the Frontier
The Story of The Lifeboat “John Foster Spence”
And more lifeboat lore from old newspapers… By James Linkleter In 1905 my great-grandfather, W. Dalton Linkleter, wrote this stern letter to the Shields Daily… Read More »The Story of The Lifeboat “John Foster Spence”
Peel Gap: The Oddball Turret of Hadrian’s Wall
By Crasterfarian The original layout of Hadrian’s Wall is famed for its order, or it was until they decided to add the forts but, in its… Read More »Peel Gap: The Oddball Turret of Hadrian’s Wall
Housesteads: How Rome Changed the British Diet
By Crasterfarian We’ve read a lot recently in articles I’ve written about the importance of water to the Romans. The aqueducts at Cilurnum (Chesters) and Aesica… Read More »Housesteads: How Rome Changed the British Diet
Seven Castles in One View — Ros Castle Trig Point and Hillfort, Northumberland
By Crasterfarian This first picture is looking south into the low winter sun, down over Blawearie and several other Iron and Bronze Age hillforts. Fascinatingly, the… Read More »Seven Castles in One View — Ros Castle Trig Point and Hillfort, Northumberland