Guyzance Bridge has been chosen as the main logo for the
parish website as it epitomises the very strengths and
qualities this website is aiming to achieve.
The bridge.....
• is at the heart of our parish
• links the northern and
southern areas of our
parish which are divided by
the River Coquet
• aids communication
between the two villages
in our parish - Acklington
and Guyzance
• is strong, reliable, stylish
and supportive
• is used frequently and
serves our parish well
We hope, given time, that this website will be
regarded as having qualities to match those of Guyzance
Bridge.
Above all, we will strive to ensure that Acklington
Parish Website always serves our community well.
THE RAILWAY INN
The Railway
Inn is our only pub in the parish. It has been
newly refurbished and is serving the parish well.
We are very happy to recommend the inn and to help
promote its events.
FOOD is served from:
12-2pm 6-9pm Mon
to Fri
All Day
Sat & Sun
Serving home cooked food by owner chef....
...using local produce.
Children eat free from
the children's menu, Monday to Friday, 5.00pm - 6.30pm,
with every paying adult.
REAL CHIPS, REAL ALE,
AND A REAL FIRE
REGULAR EVENTS INCLUDE:
NORTHUMBRIAN MUSIC NIGHTS -
3rd Monday of each month from 8.00pm
QUIZ NIGHTS - every Tuesday at
9.00pm
STEAK NIGHTS - every Wednesday from
£20 per
couple - including glass of house wine
CURRY NIGHT - every Thursday....
£9.95 only, and this includes a free drink.
ACKLINGTON VILLAGE HALL
The Village Hall is available for hire seven days a week
for fund-raising events, private hire, social events,
etc. The fee is £8 per hour.
The Village Hall Committee is trying to raise
substantial funds through various projects to expand and
improve facilities. You can help by such simple
things as saving newspaper tokens, sponsoring a brick
for the new extension or attending fund-raising events.
Further information about
village hall bookings
or fundraising can be obtained from
Alison Sharpe on
01670 761451
DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know this tree (situated in the NE corner
of the playing field at Acklington First School) is very
special? Not only is it a rare Black Poplar, believed to
be the most northerly in the British Isles, but it is more than
likely the oldest thing living in our parish.
Black Poplars can grow up to one hundred feet tall and appear in
many of Constable's paintings, including the Hay Wain.
The Black Poplar is one of Britain's rarest native trees and it
is also one of the most endangered. Without active
conservation the Black Poplars could soon become extinct in this
country.
Did you know the RAF
Station at Acklington played a major part in the history
of our parish and indeed the history of the country?
The first enemy aircraft to crash on English soil was
shot down in 1940 by pilots from RAF Acklington.
For more information press the RECENT HISTORY link
button
below.
Did you know we have
a new priest serving here in Acklington Parish?
On Sunday 3rd July Bishop Frank White travelled
to Acklington for an evening service to ordain June
Barras. The
church of St John The Divine was full for the
occasion and it was a really special and moving service.
June is now officially an "Ordained Local Minister in the parish of
Warkworth with Acklington".
Pictured here, after the service, is
June with Bishop Frank.
Did you know Acklington has given its name to a
style of men's trousers? They are produced
by the outfitters Jack Wills and cost the pricely sum of
£119.00
Well... they often say you "pay for the name"
Fancy a pair?
Did you know we have
a talented young budding photographer in the parish?
Adam Moffat certainly has an eye for a good
photograph. Below are just a few of his many shots
which have been taken from the Flickr website where
users have their own "photostreams" to show and share
their images.
Most of all Adam likes to take pictures of farm
machinery and farmers at work. Maybe one
day he will end up as a farmer..... or perhaps a
famous photographer!
If you wish to see even more of Adam's stunning photo's,
you can visit his flickr photostream by
clicking on the
link below:
Did you know
more and more steam trains
are passing through Acklington Station these days.
If you would like to see one then it is worth clicking on the
little engine below to check out the timetables.
Did you know
we have some really talented artists who attend
Acklington Art group every Thursday morning? If you wish to see some of their fine
work, click on the link below.
Welcome to
Acklington Parish Website
This website has been
designed to provide a central source of information for
Acklington Parish. You can navigate the website by
using the blue menu bar above
or via the sitemap at the bottom right of this page.
You are visitor number :
WEATHER FOR THE NEXT FIVE DAYS
A five-day forecast
for the parish of Acklington
as summarised in the latest BBC weather news.
26 Jan 27 Jan
28 Jan 29 Jan
30 Jan
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Acklington Community Team
is
organising a Family Games Night. Come along to the
village hall at 7pm on Saturday 28th January. Try
your hand at carpet bowls, darts, snooker, table tennis,
giant jenga, dominoes, card games (including whist) plus
lots more! Admission £1.00
Teas and
coffees available. All welcome.
A number of
people have expressed a wish to
celebrate the Diamond Jubilee in June, possibly
incorporating celebration of the Olympic Games.
Individuals and representatives from parish clubs,
groups and organisations are invited to attend an
open meeting on Thursday 16th February at 7pm in the village hall to share ideas for what
promises
to be a great fun-filled village weekend to be
enjoyed by ALL members of our community.
Please pass the word around and come along
...... the more the merrier!
The annual
Parish Litter Pick is being organised for Saturday 24th
March. We need willing volunteers to come along
and help us keep our lovely parish tidy.
Please come along to show your support for the community
and help make a real difference to your local
environment.
We’ll be
meeting at Acklington Village Hall at 10.00 a.m. All are
welcome, including children! Refreshments will be
available.
Although the council will be lending us all the
equipment we’ll need, including grabbers and bags,
you’ll need to wear sturdy footwear and clothing
appropriate for the weather. You can spend as little or
as much time as you want and you limit yourself to the
easy paths, or go hedgerows and cross-country for some
extreme picking!
Pictured
(above) welcoming the Duchess of Northumberland to the
church of St John The Divine, Acklington, are
churchwardens Bill Rowntree and Ken Denholm. You
can see more pictures of the 150th anniversary
celebrations by clicking on the red balloon.
ACKLINGTON PLAY AREA OFFICIALLY OPENED
The Right Honourable Sir Alan Beith MP visited the parish on 8th
October to open an impressive new play area in Acklington.
After having to be prized away from riding the zip wire he
eventually cut the yellow ribbon and (to the delight of the
gathered company - particularly the children) declared the
"Play Space" officially open.
A big thank you to members of Acklington Parish Council who have
worked long and hard to secure this much needed and requested
amenity, and to the local children who were involved in its
planning and design.
SAINT OSWALD'S WAY
St. Oswald’s
Way
is a long-distance walking route, exploring
some of the finest landscapes and
fascinating
history of Northumberland. Walkers find
castles, coastline, islands, scenic river
valleys, hills, attractive villages, forest
and farmland on the walk.
From Holy Island (Lindisfarne) in the north,
St. Oswald’s Way follows the stunning
Northumberland coast, before heading inland
across beautiful countryside to Heavenfield
and Hadrian’s Wall in the south, a distance
of 97 miles (156 km). The route links some
of the places associated with St. Oswald,
the King of Northumbria in the early 7th
Century, who played a major part in bringing
Christianity to his people.
Half way along the route walkers get to pass
through our lovely Acklington Parish.
Indeed the mid-point of St Oswald's Way is
believed to be that point in our parish
(pictured opposite)
where Rake Lane footpath passes under the
main London to Edinburgh railway line.
Walkers take note:- Rake Lane is a beautiful
stretch of the walk when the weather is dry
and fine but it can be extremely muddy and
challenging during wet weather.
SEND US YOUR PARISH
PICTURES
If you have any photographs taken in our parish
that you would like to see on this website,
please forward them to us. We will be happy to include them, especially any
interesting or unusual shots such as the view of
Acklington Village opposite.
WEBSITE INFORMATION
This
website is maintained by members of Acklington
Community Team (ACT).
The picture below shows a group of parishioners
enjoying an evening website training session led
by
website designer Brett Grieves.
The training took place in Acklington School and
was funded by ACT.
Any feedback or constructive criticism of this
website would be very much welcomed. Also
any contributions (news, parish information,
articles, stories, photographs, etc.) which
could be included on the website would also be
gratefully received.
To make contact, please click on the CONTACT
US button below and you will see the various
ways
in which you can get in touch.
A wintery blast delays Santa’s
visit to Acklington
STORMY weather wreaked havoc across north Northumberland
this week.
Roads were left strewn with branches and electricity
supplies were cut as gusts of up to 75mph were recorded
across the region. Trees were blown onto many roads
around north Northumberland.
The windy weather even grounded Father Christmas and his
sleigh.
Santa was due to make a visit to Acklington on the night
of Tuesday 13th December, courtesy of the Rotary Club of
Amble and Warkworth, but was halted because of the
conditions.
Youngsters in the area will still get the chance to tell
Santa their Christmas wishes though, after he decided to
reschedule and visit the village on Wednesday 21st
December between 5.30pm and 8pm.
The Met Office is forecasting a 70 per cent chance of
severe cold weather with some snow and icy conditions
until Monday.
------------------------------
HAPPY BIRTHDAY NELLIE
Nellie Priest was born in Acklington in 1909.
On 3rd November she celebrated her 102nd birthday in
Amble's Dolphin View Care Home.
Surrounded by family and friends she was treated to a
birthday cake with candles and sparklers. Nellie still
had enough puff to blow out all the candles in one go.
She is pictured above with carers Kizzy Henderson and
Jodie Taylor.
Nellie's father was a railway worker. When he died
the family moved from Acklington to Amble.
Asked what was the secret for a long life she answered,
“I’ve worked hard all my life.”
Daughter Audrey confirmed that Nellie lost her husband
quite early in the marriage and she had to work to
support all her children, Billy, Allan and Audrey.
She was at one time manageress of the Co-op cafeteria
which was located above the bakery, now the site of
Co-op Funeral Care.
As well as her three children, she has five
grandchildren and seven great grandchildren, many of
them still live locally.
------------------------------------
POLICE FORUM PUTS THE FOCUS ON
RURAL CRIME
The following article was
published in The Morpeth Herald
on
5/10/2011.
POLICE in north
Northumberland are holding a special rural crime event
in Acklington next week.
The third rural forum in the last two years will be held
at Acklington Auction Mart on Monday, November 7,
between 11am and 3pm.
The event will allow rural communities to meet local
officers and discuss crime issues, concerns or problems.
Neighbourhood officers will be on hand to give advice
and speak to residents about issues such as Farmwatch,
fuel thefts, quad and farm equipment security and
marking techniques to deter metal thefts.
Northumberland Area Command Chief Superintendent Mark
Dennett said: “Rural crime and protecting our rural
communities remains a priority for all my officers.
“We have a number of operations currently running in the
more rural areas where we are visiting farms daily and
sharing information with them, giving crime prevention
advice and letting farmers, landowners and residents
know we are here for them.
“Rural residents are our eyes and ears on the ground and
we need them to continue to report suspicious vehicles,
people and keep us informed about what’s going on in
throughout the county.
“By raising awareness of rural crime and how to prevent
it, we can help keep this area a great place to live and
work.
“I’d urge as many people as possible to take advantage
of the roadshow and come along and speak to police on
the day.”
Alnwick Neighbourhood Police Inspector Sue Peart said:
“We are actually going to them (farmers) where they can
do their business and hopefully see us at the same
time.”
The main concerns for police and rural communities at
present are:
Metal thefts – the demand for scrap metal continues and
thieves from outside the area continue to travel into
Northumberland to commit crimes.
While officers have had some success, they still want
people to be vigilant, particularly in the early hours
of the day. Recent trends suggest a number of thefts are
happening overnight.
Animals – rustling is not a common crime, but it does
occur and it is distressing for those affected.
Regular attention needs to be given to livestock, with
up-to-date records of numbers and regular checks on
fencing and animals.
Fuel – most heating fuel thefts occur in autumn and
winter and are easy to commit because the tanks often
have poor quality locks. The summer is a good time to
check tank security because a loss of fuel in midwinter
may mean going without for several weeks
Travelling criminals – many people who commit rural
crimes in Northumberland do not live there.
Everyone is encouraged to report suspicious vehicles and
people to the police as soon as possible either through
Farmwatch, or through the 999 system.
Vehicles – although it is common practice to leave
ignition keys in farm vehicles, thieves are aware of
this and will take advantage.
Anyone with a vehicle that more than one person needs to
drive should use spare keys rather than leaving a set in
the vehicle.
-------------------------------------
A FEAST OF FIDDLES AT FIRST
MUSIC FESTIVAL
The following article was
published in The Morpeth Herald
on
24/10/2011.
LOVERS of traditional Northumbrian
music are in for a treat this autumn. Both the
Northumbrian Ranters and local duo Northumbrian Pipes
and Fiddle have confirmed they will take part in the
first Northumberland Music Festival.
Both groups will be performing their own unique take on
traditional Northumbrian music in the magnificent
setting of Guyzance Hall, one of the county’s finest
Georgian homes.
The Northumbrian Ranters will perform at 6.30pm on
Monday, October 31, and Northumbrian Pipes and Fiddle on
Thursday, November 3, at 6.30pm.
Formed in 2006, The Northumbrian Ranters are a group of
enthusiastic musicians, aged 10 to 18, who come from
schools across the region.
At Guyzance, they will play a programme of Irish reels,
Scottish marches and a selection of traditional
arrangements on fiddles, Northumbrian pipes, harps,
flutes, guitars and keyboards. They will also perform a
piece especially written for them by well-known fiddle
player Roddy Matthews.
Tickets for what is guaranteed to be a lively and
enjoyable performance are £10 and include wine and a
selection of local cheeses.
Popular duo Northumbrian Pipes and Fiddle are also keen
ambassadors for the music of Northumberland.
Husband and wife team Andrew and Margaret Watchorn have
been performing for more than 20 years, honing a sound
which combines dance tunes and slow airs with stunning
harmonies and lively rhythms.
Andrew first became inspired to learn the small pipes
after hearing recordings of Joe Hutton, George Atkinson
and Billy Pigg, and also Anthony Robb playing at
Newcastleton Festival in the mid 1970s.
Margaret grew up in Northumberland steeped in its
heritage of tunes, songs and stories. She learned to
play the smallpipes with Joe Hutton, and took a degree
in music at the University of York, where she studied
piano and singing. Both now play a variety of
instruments and have won numerous competitions for their
performances and compositions.
Their repertoire is extensive and includes tunes from
Northumberland, Scotland, Ireland, Scandinavia and North
America.
At Guyzance Hall they will be performing their concert
of Northern Airs which combines music from the 17th
Century through to the present day taking in rants,
jigs, slow airs and waltzes, hornpipes and reels and
traditional Northumbrian songs.
Tickets cost £12.50 including a canapé reception.
To book tickets, visit www.nmfestival.com or telephone
01668 283100.
The festival is being sponsored by the Morpeth Herald.
A donation from ticket sales will be made to the Great
North Air Ambulance, Macmillan Cancer Support and
HospiceCare North Northumberland.
SITE MAP
You can explore the full parish website by clicking on
the following links:
