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ALLENHEADS Location ~ Approx. 18 miles south of Hexham, follow the B6305, B6304 and B6295. The village is at the head of the valley surrounded by the high moors covered in heather and rich in wild life. Weardale is only a few miles away to Stanhope or Cowshill. The borders of Cumbria and County Durham are only a few minutes drive. The only way out, is up! For more information see the maps page. Like Nenthead close by in Cumbria, Allenheads claims to be the Highest Village In England, but one fact is certain, this is very definitely An Area Of Outstanding Beauty and that's official! This area is also know locally as The High Forest and was in the midst of the great lead mining industry of the 19th Century. In 1985, the Sunday Times Colour Supplement described Allenheads as "a dying village", but over the past decade there have been many changes. A Heritage Centre has been built with it's own audio-visual presentation telling the story of the mining boom. The Centre boasts the last known example of a hydraulic engine built by the great W.G. Armstrong. The engine was one of several commissioned by the Blackett Beaumonts for duties such as pumping and line winding in the mines. Power for the engine was readily available from water held in reservoirs on the hills above the mine. Not far away is the blacksmith's shop which has been restored with an exhibition in the hayloft. The village is small, but has an Inn, shop, post office, cafe and craft shops. A short walk along the road from the centre is a small group of houses known as Dirt Pot where you will find the studio's of local artist Bob Maddison who's work has been purchased by collectors from all over the world, well worth a visit. The past ten years has also seen a sizeable influx of new residents, with former empty houses now refurbished and living again. As the main commercial centre of the Northeast, Newcastle is only an hour's drive away, the village is now in the commuter belt for Tyneside. These newcomers are important to the local economy. Shops, schools, doctors, pubs and the level of public services have all benefited from this extra level of people. BUT, the main economy of the area is still farming. There are many small hill farms which work mainly with sheep and some cattle. The conditions for farmers is very difficult especially in winter. While visitors can be seen looking for snow with ski's strapped to the tops of cars, farmers can be seen with feed strapped to their tractors as they search out their sheep. The television documentary "A Winter Too Many" about the amazing Hannah Hauxswell was made in nearby Teesdale, but is a brilliant example of the harshness of winters in this region. Despite these difficulties, Allenheads is extremely beautiful. The valley is rich in rare and special flowers and grasses. Several fields are designated as Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA). Farmers can use traditional methods of farming which supports the wild flowers and bird life in exchange for small rural management payments. If you would like to know more about the this special area, please contact us by Email. A couple of miles back down the valley from Dirt Pot is the small hamlet of Sparty Lea, home of a very small post office and many Chapels. Taking the back road, leads to the smaller Swinhope Valley which has several traditional stone built homes scattered around the hill sides. This eventually brings you back to Allenheads. ALLENHEADS CHAPELS The lead mining boom began in the 18th Century and brought with it, people. The established church was not geared up to deal with large new numbers of working class people, but Methodist preachers like John Wesley headed for the region. Large crowds came to hear the preaching in the open air and by the 1830's the first chapels appeared in the Allen Valley. Some of these chapels are very small (smaller than a house) and played an important part in the local community. Reading rooms, Sunday Schools, social outings and cooking were very much part of the chapel. Hard working miners and their families relied heavily on their religion and there was always a chapel close by. Visitors to Allenheads can see chapels at Sparty Lea, St Peter's Church, Swinhope Chapel and two at Dirt Pot and Allenheads. |
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