Bink Moss & Hargill Beck (Durham 2000ft Hills)
Filed under: Durham 2000ft HillsDistance: 12 miles
Map : Explorer OL31 
Start: Car park at the west end of Grassholme Reservoir (GR NY929216)
Click to View Start Position on Google Maps
Grade: Hard
This walk continues the programme started in 2006 to walk all the 2000ft hills listed in The Mountain Summits of England and Wales by Chris Buxton and Gwyn Lewis.
In their list are 11 hills within County Durham, in some cases actually on the border.
For your records the full list is
- Mickle Fell 2591 ft (790 metres) GR 805245
- Burnhope Seat 2447 ft (746 metres) GR 788375
- Dead Stones 2326 ft(709 metres) GR 793399
- Great Stony Fell 2322 ft (708 metres) GR 823359
- Chapel Fell 2298 ft (701 metres) GR 875346
- Fendrith Hill 2283 ft (696 metres) GR 876333
- Newbiggin Common 2214 ft (675 metres) GR 923325
- Killhope Law 2207 ft (673 metres) GR 819448
- Three Pikes 2132 ft (650 metres) GR 833343
- Viewing Hill 2099 ft (640 metres) GR 788332
- Bink Moss 2027 ft (618 metres) GR 876342
- Middlehope Moor 2001 ft (610 metres) GR 862432
The walk starts at the car park at the west end of Grassholme Reservoir which is 120 ft deep when full and was constructed in 1915. A visitor centre was built at the eastern end in 1993 and this has an exhibition on the Dales reservoirs. The road bridge was built at the same time as the reservoir and replaced an old two arched bridge which can be seen when the water levels are low.
We follow the road up the bank to Grassholme Farm and follow the Pennine Way signs through the farmyard into some beautiful meadows which are maintained in an environmentally conscious way to preserve the meadow flowers. The route is clear up to the B6276 road to Brough and the farm track to Wythes Hill taken. We continue past the farm to GR924233 where we go through a gate. Here we quit the Pennine Way and take the shooters track in a north-west direction up Rake Gill passing some grouse butts and eventually reaching a wall at the summit.
Here the path descends to Holwick. Our route however maintains our height by following the boundary to the west. These moors are considered the best grouse moors in the country and over the years have been host to many famous people – until recently they belonged to the Earl of Strathmore but in 2006 they were purchased for £5.25 million by Michael Cannon. They had been in the Strathmore Estates family for 444 years. The new owner, who also has extensive moors in Wensleydale, has invested big sums into grouse shooting and the results in Wensleydale have been very beneficial not only for grouse but for many other waders and ground nesting birds. The level of sheep grazing has been greatly diminished. Recently the figures have been released on the black grouse population and although the figures in Scotland are still weak those in England have seen a substantial improvement and this is due mainly to the efforts on the Wensleydale Estate.
Other birds to benefit here are meadow pipits, skylark, whinchat, twite, curlew, lapwing, redshank and snipe. There is also a chance to see merlin as well as the ring ouzel which breed in this area.
It is about two miles before we get to the top of Bink Moss which is marked by a pole near to a peaty pool. This area has carboniferous limestone underneath hence the number of swallow holes formed by water draining away. You are walking the watershed of the Lune and the Tees and you continue down a peaty depression and onto Hagworm Hill near to a cairn. The name of this hill is derived from the old dialect of the region and signifies the presence of adders (vipers).
The water descending to Teesdale enters the Tees by Bleabeck Force, our route is to the south gradually descending for two and a half miles following Hargill Beck to arrive at the B6276. The road must now be followed back to the start passing Wemmergill Farm. There is a wide verge and there are fine views of Selset Reservoir built in 1960. This is the largest of the reservoirs, having a surface of 107 hectares and is at a height of 310 metres. In winter it is a habitat for mallard, teal and whooper swans whilst it is also visited by goldeneye, tufted duck and goosander. The woods hereabouts have breeding spotted flycatcher and redstarts both quite difficult to find. The reservoir has the reputation of being the best in the north of England for wind surfing.
This walk has been in quiet places but a visit to the website V-G.me.uk will show you that you are not alone in visiting these parts although you will still be very much in the minority – I regard this as a bonus and hope you feel likewise.
Page Bank to Bishop Auckland (Weardale Way)
Filed under: Weardale WayDistance: 11 miles
Map : Explorer 305
Start: River Wear at Page Bank (GR NZ234355)
Click to View Start Position on Google Maps
Grade: Medium
The Weardale Way has existed in several forms for a long time in various guises. A route was established by Alan Earnshaw who was an early member of the DCRS service around 1973. He started at the developing site of Killhope Wheel and ended his route, which involved a substantial amount of moorland walking, at Sunnybrow near Willington which we pass today. The next guide was a Dalesman Guide by Ken Piggin published towards the end of the 1970`s which started at Sunderland and finished at Killhope which I believe is the natural finish. This route was waymarked by DCC and shown on OS19. In the mid 1990s a further guide to the WW, partly sponsored by DCC, was written by Alastair Wallace and this route is shown on the current OS Pathfinder maps. It follows Piggin’s route from Sunderland to Witton-le-Wear but thereafter concentrated on a lower route omitting Knitsley Fell and the elephant trees and terminating at Wearhead where the river first becomes the River Wear. In 2008 the WW has been altered again climbing back to Knitsley Fell. A new updated guide by Wallace is to be published soon. In my own view I would like to see a High Route and a Low Route close to the river but in the meantime be aware that the waymarked route may differ from that on your map
Page Bank bridge, as shown on the plaque, was opened by Tony Blair, as this is part of the Sedgefield constituency, and replaced an older bridge which had strict weight restrictions. Up the hill to the north was the village of Page Bank which was a coal mining settlement. The mine opened in 1853 and closed in 1930 although in its latter days it produced fireclay only for the brick business. This area has many brickworks due to the extensive clay deposits hereabouts. Page Bank was designated a Category D village in the mid 1900s but unlike Woodland, Victoria Garesfield, Waldridge and the nearby Oakenshaw it did not get a reprieve and the village was erased from the map.
The way follows the left bank of the Wear closely and like the previous section from Sunderland Bridge there is normally a good variety of birdlife to be seen around here. After 2 miles Jubilee Bridge is reached and the path goes through Sunnybrow Country Park mentioned in the introduction as the first finish for the Weardale Way. Just up the hill is the township of Willington. At the start of the 20th Century this was a very small village whose population expanded from about 150 people to nearly 9000 in 10 years due to the opening of coal mines. The village on the south is Newfield with its large brickworks. The path crosses Helmington Beck and then Hunwick Gill (which is shortly after Furness Mill Farm) to reach the Bishop Auckland to Brandon Railway Walk developed by Durham County Council. This was the site of Hunwick Station and the nearby pub called the New Monkey now sadly defunct. The last passenger train on this railway was in 1964 and at this station in 1869 was a serious accident. Waggons which were being shunted further up the line broke loose and gathering speed they crashed into a train which had stopped at the station en route from Bishop Auckland killing the driver and fireman.
During this walk there has been good views across the valley which is our return route. From Hunwick Station there is the choice of continuing on the railway but the preferred option is to stay on the Weardale Way over the Haugh. This is a Northumbrian word for flat, generally wet land, in the bend of a river and is common in Northumberland but I am not aware of it occurring any further south than here. We continue to pass under Newton Cap Viaduct which was converted to use as a road bridge in 1995. The old way across the river which we use is a beautiful 14th century bridge still in use as a road bridge although it is now bypassed by most of the traffic except during periods of high winds when the viaduct can be closed to certain vehicles.
After crossing the bridge we descend via some stairs to go alongside the river through the Batts where in times past the area was used for archery practice. Other Batts or Butts can be found in Stanhope and Alston. After approximately half a mile we pick up the minor road from Bishop Auckland to Binchester and walk along the riverside to Jocks Bridge. To the right is the wall of Auckland Park Jocks Bridge crosses the River Gaunless which joins the Wear here after a comparatively short journey of about14miles and we here take the path on the right into Hazel Bank Plantation. This was very much Roman country with the fort of Binchester (Vinovia) down to the left after the bend in the Wear and we now cross the line of the old Roman road of Dere Street which extended north all the way to the Forth valley in Scotland.
We have a choice of two routes here depending on ground conditions. We can continue past the west of Lodge Farm to join the Auckland Way near the present day village of Binchester or alternatively we can head uphill due east to join the Auckland Way near to a path leading to Park Head Farm. Auckland Park and Palace is the home of the Bishop of Durham who in times gone by was a very powerful person (hence the Prince Bishops). The Auckland Way railway ran from Spennymoor to Bishop Auckland and was built in two stages. The section from Spennymoor to Byers Green belonged to the Clarence Railway Company and was built to transport coal to Port Clarence on the River Tees in 1841 from where it went to London. Over 40 years later the line was extended to Bishop Auckland by the North Eastern Railway (NER) and this linked Bishop Auckland to the east coast mainline near to Cornforth. The NER became the LNER in 1923 after the grouping when all the countries railways were amalgamated into four companies (LNER,LMS, SR and GWR).
If the route avoiding Bellburn Wood is taken you arrive on the railway next to a cutting and thereby hangs a story. Bishop Lightfoot who was bishop when the line was being constucted insisted that he did not want to see the line passing through the park and therefore the line went through a cutting. The associated bridge was made especially wide so that trees could be planted to hide it.
Heading towards Spennymoor the village of Binchester is passed and at Station Cottages the alternative route is joined. At Old Park a footpath to the left, sometimes overgrown, is taken which goes towards Byers Green and before getting there we go on another path to the right past Hagg Farm to emerge onto Hagg Lane which takes you to Whitworth Hall. This is now a very good hotel with its grounds converted to a Country Park and if time permits a visit to the lake and grounds is worthwhile.
Whitworth Hall was rebuilt following a fire in 1892 and is in the late Georgian style. Its attendant church is in the Early English style and was built in 1850. This was the home of the Shaftoe family who owned a lot of land in both Durham and Northumberland. The most famous Shaftoe is he of silver buckles fame although there is no evidence that he ever went to sea . He did not marry the lady of the song but changed his affections for a wealthier woman who was Lady Feversham of Duncombe near Helmsley. She in later life inherited land at Downham in Wiltshire on the death of her father and the latter part of their lives were spent there where he was the local MP for a “rotten borough”.
It is now a straightforward walk down Whitworth Bank back to the start at Page Bank Bridge.
Teesdale Way – Winston to Piercebridge
Filed under: Teesdale WayApprox. Distance: 13 miles
Map: Explorer 304
Start: Piercebridge Village (GR NZ211159)
Click to View Start Position on Google Maps
Grade: Medium
By the time that the Tees has reached Winston it has reached middle age and consequently features such as waterfalls have all but disappeared as you will note in the latter stage of the walk. This is a land of trees and fields although there is still a good variety of birdlife to be seen.
We start at Piercebridge which is full of interest. The village lies mainly within the confines of the 11 acre roman fort erected circa AD 300. The north-west corner has been excavated and we pass this noting the sewerage system. Piercebridge lies on Dere Street and the Romans had a bridge here to cross the Tees and this led to enhanced development of the fort. The bridge is now long gone but records indicate that some of the structure could be seen as late as the early 1700s before the great flood of 1771 removed the traces. Its location is easy to see as one only has to follow the straight lines of Dere Street. The church of St Mary is modern dating back to 1873 but staying with the roman theme, accidental excavations revealed another structure which was thought to be another bridge a further 200 metres downstream and the question of why there had been two bridges presented a problem. The local archaeo;ogist Raymond Selkirk formulated a theory that this structure was a quay and that the Romans had used the Tees for navigation up to that point and indeed there is a great deal of evidence to back up the theory. Mr Selkirk has extended the theory that the Romans also navigated the River Skerne and the Ferryhill levels to reach the Wear near to Croxdale and his books on the theory make an interesting read.
We cross the Tees by the new bridge of 1789 to pass through Kathleen’s Wood (which is straight ahead) to reach a road where we turn right to pass Cliffe Hall and its lovely cricket ground, close to the site of a deserted medieval village where the OS map shows that the market cross still survives and the mounds of earth indicate the location of the buildings. For anyone interested in lost villages, which were lost for a host of reasons, the book “The Lost Villages of Britain” by Richard Muir is an excellent book and well worth having. The route now follows a succession of footpaths and bridleways past Allan’s Grange and Low Field to reach Chapel House and here the navigation needs care as the waymarking is poor. Pass by Chapel House on your right and through the gate ahead into a field and at the end of this, heading west, go right through a gate and then immediately left to follow the same hedgeline on the other side. At the end of this field cross back to the original side of the hedge. The route here now follows the hedge west and at the end of this field heads north for a short distance before going west to reach Boar Lane. Turn right and follow the good bridleway bending to the west to reach St Lawrence Chapel. Of interest throughout in this section are the fine views over the Tees valley to Gainford and just after passing Low Field you would have crossed the long disused private railway line which linked Forcett Quarry to the Tees Valley Railway Line to the east of Gainford.
St Lawrence Chapel dates from the 12th Century and also of note here is the medieval bridge nearby. We now descend to Barford Hall and the site of another lost village although there are now houses here. This hamlet goes back to the Doomsday Book when it was known as Bereford and this probably scuppers the old tale that the locals on both sides of the river fought for control of the ford. The north bank won, hence Gainford whilst the south who had attempted to barricade the ford, became Barford. Probably a nice story! Pass in front of the cottages and at the end take the bridleway to the left on a clear track which after about half a mile reaches the River Tees which is followed upstream past Hedgeholme to arrive at Winston Bridge.
This superb bridge was built over the gorge in 1764 and was one of the few to survive the floods of 1771 and boasted the biggest single span in the area. Some time ago around 1950 a fighter pilot flew his plane (Hurricane or Spitfire) under the span and there is now a model of one fixed to the parapets. A very daring feat!
At the end of the bridge we turn downstream on the Teesdale Way into a meadow. Above us is the village of Winston, which is not visited on this walk, although you get fine views of the church of St Andrews. This site of the church goes back to the 13th Century although the church was substantially modernised and rebuilt in 1848 to the design of John Dobson, the famous Newcastle architect. He was the main inspiration in the massive development of the same period in Newcastle which resulted in the fine city it is now. His Grey Street is often considered to be the best architecturally in the country. The meadow through which we are now passing has another feature of interest, this being a large glacial erratic of shap granite brought down to this area by a glacier in the last ice age.
It is straightforward down the riverside noting the large group of butterburr early on to the site of the old railway bridge over the river. On reaching this climb up to the top of the embankment and follow the old trackbed to the main road A67. This railway (the South Durham and Lancs Union) has been met on earlier walks notably West of Staindrop and was used frequently by the Queen Mother on her regular visits to to family home at Streatlam and they even had their own station. The line closed in 1964. On the A67 we cross Alwent Beck and after about 400 metres on the road take the Teesdale Way path down to the Gainford Spa. The well was discovered by miners digging for coal and led to the development of Gainford as a much bigger village. Take time to taste the sulphur laden water which on a hot day can be refreshing. Continue along the riverbank path to the A67 which is followed into Gainford.
The discovery of the water and not the coal changed Gainford to a spa and not a coal village. The arrival of the railway in 1856 brought more visitors and led to the development of housing to accommodate them but before that Gainford had a long history. The ford here was used by the Brigantes to their fort at Stanwick to the south and there was a ferry here until the 1950s which like the one at Wycliffe fell into disuse. The site of this was behind the 13th Century church of St Mary’s built with stone salvaged from Piercebridge Roman Fort. We enter Gainford passing Gainford Hall built in in 1603. The house was in ruins in the 19th Century but has now been restored. Note the big circular dovecote and the Tuscan Column originally at Stanwick Hall which was built as a memorial to the Peace of Aachen of 1748. The village deserves time to look at so walk towards the cemetery and follow the river to the rear of the church to arrive at the superb village green. The village is bypassed by the A67 which follows the route of the old back lane. A particular interesting building is the bow fronted Gainford Academy founded by the minister Wm Bowman in 1818. Its most famous pupil was Arthur Stanley Jefferson who achieved fame as Stan Laurel! There are other Laurel connections in the north of England notably at Ulverston where there is a museum dedicated to him and also there are links to North Shields.
Wm Bowman, along with the vicar, built a gas works on the river bank which lit the village until 1950. The vicars son became the British Consul to San Marino and had the title Baron Montalbo, hence the appearance of that name at Barnard Castle and also in the village itself where his sister donated a building used as a village hall.
The large derelict building as you leave Gainford on the A67 was built in 1900 as a Roman Catholic orphanage and known as St Peter’s School and it later became an Approved School for wayward youths. It is now a straight forward walk along the Teesdale Way, recrossing the Forcett Line, and above the riverbank past Snow Hall back to the start at Piercebridge.
Sunderland Bridge to Page Bank (Weardale Way)
Filed under: Weardale WayApprox. Distance: 12 miles
Map : Explorer 305
Start: River Wear Bridges, near Croxdale (GR NZ265377)
Click to View Start Position on Google Maps
Grade: Medium
The Weardale Way has existed in several forms for a long time in various guises. A route was established by Alan Earnshaw who was an early member of the DCVRS service around 1973. He started at the developing site of Killhope Wheel and ended his route, which involved a substantial amount of moorland walking, at Sunnybrow near Willington. The next guide was a Dalesman book by Ken Piggin published towards the end of the 1970s which started at Sunderland and finished at Killhope which l believe is the natural finish and it was this route which was waymarked by DCC and on OS 19. In the mid 1990s a further guide to the Weardale Way, partly sponsored by DCC was written by Alistair Wallace and this is the route shown on current OS maps. It follows Piggins route from Sunderland to Witton le Wear but thereafter concentrated on a lower route omitting Knitsley Fell and the elephant trees and terminating at Wearhead where the river first becomes the River Wear. In very recent times the Weardale Way has been altered again climbing back to Knitsley Fell, although I am not aware whether this amendment is on the OS maps.
A new and updated publication (2012, Durham Cow) called “The Weardale Way Guide” by Joe Watson contains some excellent photographs. In my view I would like to see a High Route and a Valley Route maintained, but in the meantime be aware of possible differences between waymarking and what is on the map.
Sunderland Bridge (meaning southland of Durham) is an interesting place and along with Croxdale and Holywell (where we visit later) is in a Conservation area designated as long ago as 1976. Prior to the bridge being built access to Durham was further downriver towards Shincliffe via a ford near to Low Butterby. There was a skirmish in this area on the morning of the battle of Neville’s Cross where the Scots by all accounts suffered significant losses. Just to the North of the start is Burn Hall, also in the conservation area, which was built in 1821 by the Salvins of Croxdale. This later passed into the hands of the RC Church and was eventually converted into housing in 1995. It is more than half circled by the River Browney (brunea meaning brown water) and a feature of the property was that the owner in earlier days was responsible for the upkeep of the Great North Road which passed through the property. A few years ago the land on the opposite side of the A167 was purchased by the Woodland Trust and they have made a superb job of developing an extensive new wood called Burnhall Wood, which is well worth an extended visit.
The route of the Weardale Way follows the North bank of the Wear closely passing under the massive brick viaduct carrying the main line to London and then crossing the Holystone Burn on the plank footbridge erected by Durham County Council in 2010. The whole route to Page Bank has soft sandy soil and is a good area for birdlife particularly waders such as Curlew and Lapwing. After about 3 miles we arrive at Page Bank Bridge opened by Tony Blair. Page Bank was a coal mining settlement with the mine opening in 1853 and closing in 1930. In its latter days it produced fireclay only. The village was designated a Category D village and unlike some of the others such as Woodland, Waldridge and Victoria Garesfield did not survive and was demolished.
We continue upriver on the Weardale Way before turning uphill to the site of Tilery Cottage. A wood and tin cottage stood on this site until Oct 2001 when a fire destroyed it. Due to its remote location there was no electricity, with candles being used for light and it was one of these that caused the fire. The residents had been an aged mother and son for over 50 years and the mother had loved the views so much that special permission had been given for her to be buried on the site. It is now a modern residence.
We cross the A690 to pick up the Brandon to Bishop Auckland Walkway and head back towards Durham noting Stockley Gill Wood to arrive at the site of Brancepeth Station. Brancepeth is thought to be derived from Brawns Peth which will be explained later. We go to the village to visit Brancepeth Castle which at one time had been owned by the Nevilles. This name is a corruption from Gilbert de Neuville who had arrived and fought with William The Conqueror but the property was confiscated in 1569 by the Crown for his part (along with the Percys of Northumberland) in plotting against Elizabeth I. In the Rising of the North it remained in Crown hands for a long period before being acquired by Robert Carr (Earl of Somerset) who was subsequently found guity of the murder of Sir Thomas Ovebury. After several other changes of ownership it was purchased by William Russell, a Sunderland banker and one of the four Grand Allies who owned most of the coal in the North East. His son became the richest commoner in England.
The church here was badly damaged by fire but has been sensitively restored. The Wordsworths visited and wrote well of Brancepeth, and Tennyson found inspiration to write “Come into the Garden Maude” here.
Returning to the Walkway we proceed to the edge of Brandon before turning down the edge of a wood to the A690. The Morley Wood pub here was originally called The Brawn’s Den which was named after a legendary massive wild boar which terrorised the area around 1200. Many people tried to kill it and one man was successful. He was Roger de Ferry from Ferryhill. On his first attempt his horse reared up frightened but in any case its hide was very difficult to pierce with arrows, and he would probably have been unsuccessful. He then proceeded to track the animal which he peceived to follow definite tracks one of which led to its base at Brawns Den, which is North of Brancepeth on the site of an Iron Age settlement. He noted that in late afternoon it went towards Ferryhill where there were abundant acorns (pannage) and he dug a pit and covered it with branches and leaves. The animal fell into the pit where after repeated lancings he killed it. The spot at Cleves Cross Farm had a cross built where the incident occurred and although the cross has now disappeared there is a plaque in the wall which states “The large Stone just above part of Cleves Cross marks the spot where by tradition the Brawn of Brancepeth was killed by Roger de Ferry about 1200”. However another account names a man called Hodge as the killer of the Brawn.
We now follow the lane to Holywell Hall noting the excellent care put into the farming hereabouts and the wide variety of birds to be seen on the farmland and the lakes. The house was owned by Cuthbert Morley Headlam who was a senior Tory MP in the Wartime WW2 government and who wrote the Headlam Diaries. The politicians were even writing memoirs then although he needed to as by all accounts he flirted with bankruptcy several times. Prior to him the Hall was owned by CS Steavenson (1825 -1910) who was the most eminent Mining Engineer in the North East as well as a gadget man. In 1929 he owned the first caravan in the Darlington District and created quite a stir when taking it on touring holidays. We continue past the hall on the bridleway to arrive back at the start of the walk.
Burnopfield to Lintz (Co. Durham Border Walks)
Filed under: County Durham BorderApprox. Distance/Time: 10 miles 5.5 hrs
Map: Explorer 307
Start: Layby off A692, East of Burnopfield (GR NZ 183572)
View Start Position on Google Maps
Grade: Medium
This walk finds us on the border of Tyne & Wear and County Durham, and begins in the village of Burnopfield.
Leaving the layby to the east, we cross the main road to take the lane running to the South of Byermoor. This village has a long history going back to medieval times and in 1183 it was called Beechermoor meaning ‘bare moor’. The village existed as a hamlet until the mid 1700s when the first mines were opened. In the 1800s stone rows of pit cottages were built, followed in 1869 by a temporary church where in 1871 a school was established. The bulk of the workers were Irish escaping the potato famine and the church was run by the main church at Brooms near Leadgate. In 1880 the Sacred Heart church was built. The colliery was owned by John Bowes and incorporated 156 coke ovens similar to the ones we saw at Inkerman near Tow Law, as well as some earlier ones constucted by Germans and known as the German Ovens. Output was circa 500 tons per day and a further 350 tons was contributed from the nearby Andrews House pit which was to the east. The pit closed in 1968 before which had been built the council houses further up the hill. These were known as the Dolly houses and that area as Dollytown. Regretably all the old pithouses were bulldozed at the same time that the pit was demolished.
We walk east towards Longfield House on the Gateshead side of the border and at a crossroads of tracks turn north back towards the main road, up to Blackmoor Hill and the mast. On a clear day the views here are extensive across the Northumberland plain and past the Simonsides to Cheviot and Hedgehope. On certain days it is possible to see Peel Fell North of Kielder which is supposed to be the only place in England where you can see both the Irish Sea and the North Sea. Heading north over the field, we head for Fellside Farm and take the bridleway through the farm. We now cross the main road to pick up the footpath almost opposite which picks up an old paved way here. The origin of this route is not known although it could be an alternative back way into the nearby Gibside Estate. After crossing a field, we enter Burnopfield by Sheephill.
The very small stream here called Leapmill Burn is the border and we walk on the Durham side down to Derwent Bridge. There are no footpaths here and this was the place where the red kites were kept prior to release. We turn left just before the bridge through Friarside Plantation on the other side of the River Derwent which is now the border. Rowlands Gill is an attractive suburb infamous for an unsolved murder in 1855 when the local doctor named Dr Stirling was murdered and to this day this is one of the few unsolved murders in Co Durham. There is a great deal on this on the web and there were three suspects of which one known as Whiskey Jack appeared responsible. He still had relatives in the area recently. The motive appeared to be robbery but the case was never proved although it is interesting that many years later Dr Andy Smith, the father of the much loved Dr Andy Smith Jr was given an expensive watch by a descendent of one of the suspects which bore the initials of the departed doctor.
The derelict building in the field to the west is Friarside old hospice. This path is on the route of the old way between Jarrow Monastery and Blanchland Abbey and when built in the 11th century was known as Frere Johanside . It was inhabited by a recluse who had obtained a licence to build a habitation of solitude. We proceed through Scaifes Wood to Middle Friarside, which is also an old settlement site, before crossing the Derwent Walk to go down to Lintzford.
In 1695 there was a cornmill here which in the 1800s was converted to a paper mill. This area had many paper mills with the most famous being at Shotley Bridge. In 1923 the mill became Richardson’s Ink factory and this produced ink for many of the schools in the country as well as having three other factories in India. There are old grindstones in the gardens of the houses near by and in recent times the complex has been converted into housing.
We now climb back to the Derwent Walk at Lintz Green station and curiously this is the scene of another Durham unsolved murder on 7/10/1911 when the stationmaster Joseph Wilson, aged 60, was shot dead. Four passengers who had alighted heard the shot as well as and the porter and the booking clerk who all rushed out. If the motive was robbery there was no gain as the days takings had been put in the safe unusually early that day. Suspicion fell on the relief porter (all these staff for a quiet rural station!) and he was charged but on the day of the trial the police sensationally withdrew the charges and the case remains unsolved to this day.
If you have time you may go along to see progress on Ajax Wood which is a Woodland Trust project to commemorate the battle of Trafalgar and is a new wood to link up other woods that they own.
You now cross the main road and make your way up Lintz Lane towards Pickering Nook. Taking the first path on your left, you now head east through some narrow woods and return to Burnopfield passing Burnopfield Cricket Club (the home club of the late Colin Milburn, the opening batsman for England and a prodigious hitter of the ball!) before entering the village high street. Following the high street east you will soon arrive back at the start of the walk.
Addendum – The Lintz Green Murder
(by Terry Middleton, O.B.E.)
Lintz Green Station should have been the perfect spot for a quick robbery. Very isolated, mid-way between Newcastle and Consett on the North Eastern Railway’s Derwent Valley Branch in County Durham. There was not much there – the stationmaster’s house and, about 400 yards away behind the down platform, four railway houses occupied by platelayers. The station itself had two platforms, a mere shelter on the down side, small but more substantial buildings on the up. It was situated three miles from Burnopfield, two miles from Rowlands Gill and a mile from the tiny hamlet of Lintzford. The insignificant station was surrounded by trees and shrubs and was well-hidden from sight and sound.
The stationmaster, Joseph Wilson, was a man of regular habits. Aged 60, quiet and respectable, he was a life long Methodist, a man in the words of the Preacher at his funeral “who wore the white flower of a blameless life.”
Why he met his death on the night of Saturday 7th October 1911 remains a mystery to this day, as does the identity of his assailant. Theories abounded, but no satisfactory explanation was ever forthcoming despite one of the most intensive murder investigations ever carried out in the North East of England.
The night in question was very dark moonless and cloudy. Three men waited at the station for the last train from Newcastle. Joseph Wilson, the stationmaster, Fred White, booking clerk and the porter, John Routledge. There were no passengers, but that was not unusual. Routledge had finished his duty and was waiting for the train to take him home. White had extinguished the lights on the up platform leaving a solitary lamp burning in the booking office across the tracks.
The down platform was lit and the train was late. That sometimes happened on a Saturday night, one of the busiest in the NER’s schedules, running extra trains taking late-night revellers home from the pubs in Newcastle to the surrounding mining districts.
When the train eventually arrived at 10.42 pm four passengers alighted. Samuel Elliott, Robert Wailes, Thomas Middleton and Charles Swinburne. Swinburne waited on the platform for Fred White to finish his duties before accompanying him down the narrow lane to Lintzford. Elliott, Wailes and Middleton made their way to the east end of the platform, crossed the line and took a footpath to their homes at Low Friarside, a mile away.
Wilson handed the driver the token for the single track section just to the west of the station, crossed the line under the bridge and entered the booking office. White extinguished the lamps on the down platform, crossed the tracks and joined the stationmaster in the booking office. Wilson wished White “good night”, left the office by the back door and made his way the 50 yards to his house. White was in the process of locking the booking office when he heard a loud shot. Accompanied by his friend Swinburne he ran out of the office, towards the direction of the shot. Because of the pitch black night, they could barely see to run, but they hurried towards the house, where they saw a light burning in the stairhead window. Bertha Wilson, the stationmaster’s daughter, emerged from the gloom shouting “Fred, they have shot at my father.” White and Swinburne were by this time petrified by fear, but help was at hand. Middleton, Wailes and Elliott had stopped a little distance down the path to Low Friarside to obey a call of nature. They, too, had heard the shot and had quickly returned to the station.
Middleton stumbled across the body of Joseph Wilson just inside the gate leading from the rear of the station to the house. He and Elliott carried the still breathing body into the house and laid him on a sofa. Middleton was well experienced at handling bodies; as well as being traffic manager at Low Friarside Colliery, he was a trained and skilled ambulanceman. He knew what to do in an emergency but all his years of experience had not prepared him for the sight of sheer horror that he encountered in the light of the Kitchen that night. The body was covered in blood, still alive, but only just. Middleton loosened Wilson’s tie, gave him a sip of brandy and said, “Mr Wilson, speak, speak, say who did it.” However, according to the accounts of the time, Wilson “gurgled” and expired.
In a panic White ran to the Booking Office, and made two telephone calls, one to the Police Station at Consett and another to Dr. Boland at Burnopfield. Within the hour, Superintendent Dryden arrived from Consett and the doctor from Burnopfield.
The next morning, Sunday, saw feverish activity. Chief Constable Morant of the Durham Constabulary arrived to take charge of the investigation, passengers on the Derwent Valley Branch trains strained their necks to catch a glimpse of the scene and dozens of local residents peered over the bridge at the west end of the station. While Dr. Boland conducted his post mortem, the police investigation began. The doctor concluded that Mr Wilson had been killed by a single bullet from a large calibre revolver. The police search discovered the bullet, fifteen yards from the body, a small bag containing sand, footprints in the garden and a linen cloth shaped in the form of a gag.
The motive appeared to be robbery – there could be no other, for Mr. Wilson did not have an enemy in the world. Anyway, everyone knew that he was a creature of habit. Every night, after the last train had gone, he would take the day’s takings from the Booking Office to his house in a leather pouch. Every night except this last night.
For some reason, that night he had taken the money to his house after the last up train had gone, an hour earner.
The inquest was opened on the Monday morning in the First Class waiting room. Coroner Graham of Consett heard evidence of identification from Thomas Shotton, Mr. Wilson’s uncle, and from Dr. Boland. He then called Fred White, who gave am outline of the events leading up to the murder. Ironically, the room in which the inquest was held was decorated with certificates awarded to Mr. Wilson as winner of the North Eastern Railway’s ‘Best Kept Station’ award for several years past. Mr. Graham adjourned the inquest until 8th November to allow the police time to conclude their investigations.
By now, over 200 police officers were involved in the biggest murder hunt in the North East for many years, but to no avail. The local press became restless – why was there no progress, no clues? The Durham County Advertiser was particularly scathing – why were bloodhounds not employed, surely they could have picked up something. Anyway, everybody knew that Lintz Green was in a mining district, populated by rough elements; surely somebody local must have done it?
On the Tuesday after the murder the sun shone as crowds turned out for the funeral. They brought Joseph Wilson’s body out of his house and laid the coffin on two chairs outside his front door, just a few yards from the scene of his murder. The Rev. J. Griffin Hodson from Hexham conducted the service, while the stationmasters of Rowlands Gill, Scotswood, Ebchester and Shotley Bridge acted as pallbearers. Hundreds of local people attended and followed the cortege the three miles to the cemetery at Leazes for the interment.
The police hunt continued. They drained a well at the rear of the station buildings, scoured the countryside for miles around, questioned hundreds. Then suddenly, on the Wednesday, action. At 9.00 pm, they made a positive move. Inspector Gargan from Consett, Detective Inspector Tate and Detective Sergeant Gibson from Newcastle called at 138 Kirk Street, Byker, Newcastle. They wanted to interview Samuel Atkinson, aged 25, the relief porter at Lintz Green.
Family members present said that he was not in, could they call ten minutes later. Not satisfied, the police officers forced their way into the house, climbed the stairs and found Atkinson asleep on a bed in the kitchen. The questioning that followed was to be of great significance at the subsequent trial. With their suspicions well and truly confirmed, the three officers arrested Atkinson, detained him overnight in the cells at the police station in Pilgrim Street, Newcastle, and conveyed him by car to Consett the next morning.
Atkinson was placed on an identity parade in the yard of Consett Police Station in Parliament Street. He was clearly identified by three of the four witnesses called as having been seen hanging around the station long after he had claimed to have left work and gone home. The fourth witness was not sure, but felt that it could have been him.
The same evening, Atkinson was accused of the wilful murder of Joseph Wilson before Magistrate Potts at Consett Police Court. His solicitor, Mr. Clark, closely questioned Supt. Dryden about the circumstances of the arrest and especially at what stage had Atkinson been cautioned. During questioning, it emerged that the suspect had not been cautioned at all and that any statement made by him as to his whereabouts on the evening in question must be inadmissible in court. Despite this the magistrate remanded Atkinson in custody for a period of seven days.
A week later, Atkinson appeared again before Consett Magistrates when Mr. Clark returned to the question of the lack of caution at the arrest. Atkinson’s statements to police at Newcastle and Consett could not be introduced as evidence and without them the police had no definite reason to charge him with murder. However, a further remand was granted, this time to the Assize Court in Durham on 9th November.
The day before Atkinson’s appearance at Durham, the resumed inquest into Wilson’s death was held at the Temperance Hall in Burnopfield. After hearing the evidence from the doctor who attended the scene of the crime, he concluded by saying “It is a murder most foul, most horrible. But murder will out, and sooner or later, the halter will be placed around the neck of him who committed this dastardly act”. He finished the hearing by hoping that such a satisfactory conclusion would be reached at the Assizes in Durham on the morrow.
The next day, Atkinson was brought into the dock of the court at Durham where, much to his astonishment, Chief Constable Morant appeared, saying that he was to offer no evidence against the accused and requesting that Atkinson be discharged. Mr. Clark, for Atkinson, then requested a sum in compensation for his expenses in preparing a defence that was now to be unnecessary. He had no criticism of the police; they had performed their duties well, but his client had suffered great distress and deserved compensation from the court. This plea was rejected and the case dismissed.
That was to be the end of the case. The police quite deliberately stopped the investigation and, after a while, the rumours and gossip subsided. Joseph Wilson’s brutal murder was forgotten and the guilt or innocence of Samuel Atkinson was never satisfactorily resolved.
The scene of the murder remains; Wilson’s house is very much as he would have known it. The platelayers’ cottages across the way remain, but improved and extended under their new private ownership. But of the station, very little is left. The Derwent Walk passes through it, the platforms just visible to either side, but the buildings, the booking office, the waiting rooms are all gone. There are rumours locally of the ghost of a tall man with a lantern, suddenly struck down behind the station. But that is all.
© Copyright John Terence Middleton 1991, 1999