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.
04 Feb 05 Feb
06 Feb 07 Feb
08 Feb
PREMATURE DEATH OF OUR PARISH PRIEST
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
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.
ARTIST CHARLIE EVANS COMBINES
LOVE OF FOOD AND PAINTING
The following article was
published in The Newcastle Journal
on 27/01/2012.
Artist Charlie Evans from Acklington, Northumberland,
is launching a new monthly food and painting series in
the Taste section in Culture magazine, the first of
which is out next week. KATHARINE CAPOCCI finds he’s a
dab hand in the kitchen.
ARTIST Charlie Evans is currently tucking in to a Scotch
egg and really relishing the experience, the yolk deemed
beautifully runny and the sausagemeat an elevated
offering.
Charlie’s foodie radar can detect something different in
the encasing meat, though, and sure enough, when the
waiter is quizzed, it turns out there’s some haggis in
the mix. He then tries one of my cauliflower fritters
dipped in curry sauce and judges it very tasty.
Charlie, 58, from Acklington, Northumberland, is a
charismatic figure, easy to warm to, and someone who
stands out in a crowd with his wavy locks and earring.
The location for our lunchtime chat is the first-floor
restaurant at the Broad Chare pub on Newcastle Quayside,
where the colourful and hugely likeable artist is
regaling me with tales of his life. Painting a picture,
if you like. And the Terry Laybourne establishment’s
Scotch eggs more than pass muster, reckons Charlie.
Charlie’s been dubbed the Jamie Oliver of the painting
world for his terminology and technique, which is big on
demystifying the art of watercolour painting, which goes
a bit like this ... Whack a bit on here, daub a bit on
there, then a dollop of this.
“Bash this on here and bang this on here – that’s the
terminology I use on stage,” he says. “People are scared
of painting because of the complexities. I make it sound
achievable. I do it in a light-hearted way. Demystify
it, that’s always been my approach. “It’s such a
beautiful hobby, so relaxing. Nine times out of 10,
people wait until they are retired but you should be
painting when you are working because it’s absorbing and
a real de-stresser.”
Charlie has made his name through art but maybe less
well-known is the fact that he used to work in catering
for 22 years, principally as a chef, and owned several
eateries in Cumbria and Leeds in his time.
And it is his love of painting and food which is the
basis for his latest project. He is launching a new
monthly foodie and painting series in the pages of Taste
in Culture magazine, combining his two great loves.
February’s magazine is out with The Journal on Tuesday,
when readers can catch the first in his series.
Each month he will sample and review the food at a
gastropub or restaurant in our region and also rustle up
a watercolour of a view from said establishment,
including tips on how to recreate the painting. Readers
also have the chance to win the finished stunning
watercolour; this month’s is valued at £220.
Charlie kicks off with his review of dinner at his
local, the Cook and Barker inn at Newton on the Moor,
Northumberland. His stunning watercolour captures the
view from the door of the pub looking towards Hampeth.
See Culture magazine on Tuesday for details on how to
enter.
Charlie’s captivating paintings sell for anything from
£150 up to £1,500 and he has a collection for sale at
the North East Art Collective gallery in Eldon Gardens,
Newcastle. He has written at least nine books,
“how to” guides to painting, has numerous DVDs on the
subject and notched up hundreds of TV appearances over
the years, including most recently two series on the
Discovery Channel. Many will recall his Tyne Tees
programmes Watercolours with Charles Evans,
part-travelogue, part-demonstration, which brought him
legions of fans. He also had his own “how to” painting
series in The Journal’s Culture magazine.
He is a demonstrator for Winsor & Newton, manufacturer
of fine arts products, and travels the country giving
talks and showing people how to master the art of
watercolour painting.
Charlie clocked up 54,000 miles in his Range Rover in
the last year.
“I do big shows for them, like giant workshops. People
sit and are entertained for a while. I tell a few
stories and do a painting.” Being centre stage is
Charlie’s thing. “You are standing on stage and telling
them a few stories but they are soaking up what you are
doing.”
As well as talks, doing stage shows, workshops and
demonstrating to art societies all over the country, he
holds painting holidays in the UK and Europe.
“Last year I was in France four times and Tuscany and
Switzerland and all around the UK. I can be in Scotland
one day and Bournemouth the next day.
“January is a fairly quiet month, thank goodness.”
Originally from Yorkshire, the twice-divorced and now
single artist, has lived in Acklington for 21 years.
“What brought me up here was my wife was governor of
Acklington Prison.”
Home is two stone cottages knocked into one, and a bit
of land, plus two stone buildings which serve as art
studios in the grounds.
He adds: “The North East has been so good to me. I
couldn’t do anything else but live here.
“I’m spoiled for choice. I have got the sea a mile and a
half away, the Cheviots are five miles away, Druridge
Bay is one and a half miles away and lovely villages and
rural landscapes in between. You cannot go wrong.”
He says he enjoyed the privilege of a childhood spent
playing in the fields and woods, rivers and lakesides
around the farm where he was born and brought up. “This
fuelled an already inbred appreciation of the
countryside, and the wonders and workings of it.” Much
of which is depicted in his captivating artwork. His
current stomping ground has proved very fruitful.
Charlie studied at Lincoln College of Art and turned to
the medium of watercolour. Watercolour is the
traditional English medium, he says, “as it captures the
beautiful sense of atmosphere, haziness, dampness and
watery skies of the British landscape”.
“I went to art college in the 70s but in those days you
had to get a proper job. I spent 22 years in catering,
principally cheffing, in places like Yorkshire, Bologna
and Cumbria. It was more restaurant and country club
stuff.” He even had a stint of catering in the RAF where
they take food very seriously.
He adds: “I opened up my own bistro. I had five places
in Cumbria and Leeds.” He has a fine appreciation of all
things culinary. All the while he was cheffing and busy
in the food business, he never stopped painting though.
“I love food,” says Charlie, as he tucks in to his main
of steak and kidney pudding, with potatoes, Savoy
cabbage, swede and carrot mash. The dish is declared
pretty as a picture, the pastry light and lovely, the
meat really tender, substantial and filling. The swede
and carrot mash is described as really buttery and
delicious. My steamed leek and onion pudding with
Montgomery cheddar is hearty, filling, stick-to-the-ribs
delicious fare.
As mentioned, his first subject for his food and
painting series is the Cook and Barker at Newton on the
Moor, a cosy and convivial setting.
“All the fish is sourced locally, the owner has his own
farm in Amble, the rare-breed ham is from his own farm.
“I think we have got some of the best eating places up
here. Bearing in mind I have eaten in restaurants all
over.
“Down South they still think we are the starving North
and it really annoys me.
“Newcastle is one of the richest places I know – the
money, the bars and restaurants.
“I do courses from home. They come from all over the
country. They have no idea how beautiful it is or the
quality of living up here.
“These days people go out more than they ever did. When
I was a kid if you went out it was a special treat.
These days the vast majority of people are eating out
very regularly. Around here on a Friday or Saturday the
place will be heaving.”
On his own foodie tastes, Charlie says: “I love Italian
but I’m open and flexible to good flavours, fresh food,
good-quality meat and veg. I cannot see the point of
frozen produce.
“I don’t like fast food, burgers, etc. They can do as
much advertising as they like, I cannot see the point. I
will go to a pub and have a beef burger, freshly-chopped
beef, seasoned beautifully and cooked rare.”
When he gets the time he likes to make fish dishes. “I
make a nice trout dish. I’m a shooting man so I like
game. I’m a member of a couple of shooting syndicates in
Northumberland. Everything I shoot I use. I’ve got a
couple of pheasants hanging up on the back door.
“I was born and brought up a country lad in Yorkshire. I
firmly believe townies should not interfere with country
pursuits.”
We finish off with sweet treats. For me it’s lemon
puddle pud with its fresh citrussy lemon curd-type base
and dollop of vanilla ice cream.
Charlie’s choice is a baked rice pudding with a dollop
of apple and blackberry compote. It’s such a generous
dishful he reckons he won’t need to eat the rest of the
day. “Gorgeous and creamy, not too solid, moist, and not
over-sweet.”
A satisfying end to a satisfying meal, as Charlie heads
back to his beloved Northumberland. And work on another
art commission that evening.
See February’s issue of Culture magazine, out with The
Journal on Tuesday, for Charlie’s new food and painting
series. Readers also have the chance to win one of
Charlie’s stunning watercolours. See Culture magazine
for details on how to enter.
For painting projects, hints and tips, art materials and
online videos, visit www.charlesevansart.com or his
twitter page #charlesevansart
SITE MAP
You can explore the full parish website by clicking on
the following links:
