The King Of The North

[Maggie/915]

Max Adams has a biography out about Oswald of Northumbria who ruled AD634 to 642.

He claims Oswald and his brother Oswiu laid the foundations for our nation as we know it today.

It seems Oswald was seen as a Beowulf style figure and maybe even an inspiration for Aragorn in Lord of the Rings

The book is published by Head of Zeus

[johndawsonjune1955]

Max Adams has a biography out about Oswald of Northumbria who ruled AD634 to 642.

He claims Oswald and his brother Oswiu laid the foundations for our nation as we know it today.

It seems Oswald was seen as a Beowulf style figure and maybe even an inspiration for Aragorn in Lord of the Rings

The book is published by Head of Zeus

ye ya right there Maggie Edited August 15, 2013 by johndawsonjune1955

[Maggie/915]

Now here's the thing.

I have bought the book and on page 12 mention is made of the city of Bebba.

It is extremely well fortified but not large.

The space of three or four fields , one hollowed out entrance ascending by steps, you reach the summit of the hill and there is a wonderful church.

On the west there is a well of sweet water.

This is recorded in the Historia Regum and attributed to the Symeon of Durham.

It would be nice if our town was recorded in a similar way.

We have been connected to Durham since the Dark Ages.

After that there could have been steps up to Hollymount, we have the church and behind the Red Lion there appears to be an amount of water which could be a fountain.

Fountain Hall has been mentioned in other posts.

Time team where are you?

You cannot say I do not try even though at times I am trying

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Hi Maggie,there used to be a reservoir behind the Red Lion,but I don't know which source of water you refer to.

Was/is there an ancient well up there?

As a kid we played all over Bedlington,knew every apple orchard,all the little short cuts..etc,but I don't know of any old wells there,though there well might have been an ancient one,and you could be spot on in your theory!...keep investigating!!

[Maggie/915]

On one thread someone was asking where Fountain Hall was HPW.

It is a pity we have not got time travel to find out.

Our town has so many interesting places that could benefit from investigation.

Sadly records could be anywhere.

Durham from the church records, but even then these records could be in the South.

When the Lindisfarne Gospels went to London, other records may have gone with them.

One Vicar gives a view of our town that has been forgotten.

Osgathorp quotes him in a history of the church he published in 1949.

Others in later books have ignored these facts.

I wonder were the evidence disappeared to.

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Hi Maggie,that one beats me!

I will do a bit of research and see what I can find out.

John.....!,Alan....!where are ye's,ye bugga's,we need help here!!

Billy the barbers,in Bedlington,[when aa was a bairn],had a marra,[or it might have been his Brother],called Olwen,and He was noted for being thi local historian,unless my memory fails me this time.....

Noo,my barber,Harry,at the Top-end,aside Forrester's,helps oot at John,and Alan's barber shop.

SO?!....HE served he's time wi Allsop's barber's doon thi street,so He might have a bit of knaa-hoo,aboot this Fountain Hall....through general conversation wi customers over time.

[Maggie/915]

HPW, I think we are basically looking for evidence that is not there in living memory.

We need someone with access to the vaults of knowledge that maybe still exist somewhere in the country.

Then again do we just look for evidence in names that have been passed down for generations.

The stones used for our town, particularly East Bedligton, ( walls, church and some houses) all look to me from that Anglo / Saxon period.

Early recycling.

Apart from Bede nothing much was recorded.

Evidence could be none existent even to an investigative dig.

[mercuryg]

"Was/is there an ancient well up there?"

 

I tried to post a picture of a map I found online that shows an 'Old Hall Well' to the South of Front Street in the mid 19th century, but it didn't work. Can I attach documents on here? Am I stupid?

[Malcolm Robinson]

Make them PDFs Merc.   

[mercuryg]

Malcolm, the main item is a PDF but it's massive! I'll see what I can do.

[Maggie/915]

Like Morpeth,and the artesian well that Waters and Robson cashed in on, I wonder if the water that collects behind the Red Lion is from a ground source .

Would be interesting to know if it is fresh water.

Details of other water sources are documented in a health report and survey.

With the influx of population in the 19th century more needed to be done for the health of the town.

Bottling pop, invalid stout etc, there must have been many water sources.

Bedlington has a history just waiting to be investigated.

I can feel it in my water!!!

[mercuryg]

"wonder if the water that collects behind the Red Lion is from a ground source ."

 

Maggie, I'm sure I read somewhere that the water was pumped from Humford, but may be wrong.

[mercuryg]

Ok, let's see if this works.......there should be a rather large PDFattached...........

Bedlingtonthing.pdf

[Malcolm Robinson]

I have that Merc, sure I posted it up before somewhere?  

 

Use it for some of the Development Trust time line.  

 

Anyway your PDF works for me!  

[mercuryg]

Yeah, I thought you might already have it, I didn't see it when you posted it. Interesting document.

[Maggie/915]

The water could be pumped from Humford Malcolm.

It could be just part of our water supply from further afield now.

Would be interesting to know details.

The water supply failed a few years ago to the West of Bedlington and I think it was said to come from up country.

In the Dark Ages people ,it seems, knew more about how to get fresh water,

Now we just turn on the tap and do not think to much about the how and where

[mercuryg]

Maggie,

 

Just re-read, the water was pumped up from Humford to the reservoir, the old pumping house was closed and replaced by the swimming baths so if there's still water in there, it comes from somewhere else now. I remember the great water shortage!

 

I would like to know more about 'Old Hall Well' if anyone can shed light on it.

[Maggie/915]

Fontburn Reservoir seems to come to mind, could be totally wrong.

Another King in dangerous times.

Never heard of this one.

The Border Reivers needed to be as hard as nails.

Hartley Pans for Sailers.

Bedlington for Nailers

[mickypotts]

This PDF is really great, Thank you

[Maggie/915]

The book is now being sold in paperback in Morpeth Waterstones.

Pity because it took some tracking down in hardback .

It is however

'The King In the North'

[HIGH PIT WILMA]

Like Morpeth,and the artesian well that Waters and Robson cashed in on, I wonder if the water that collects behind the Red Lion is from a ground source .

Would be interesting to know if it is fresh water.

Details of other water sources are documented in a health report and survey.

With the influx of population in the 19th century more needed to be done for the health of the town.

Bottling pop, invalid stout etc, there must have been many water sources.

Bedlington has a history just waiting to be investigated.

I can feel it in my water!!!

Maggie,aam a bit late o' cottoning on ti this one,but wat is "Invalid Stout"?

Me Wife and me met a really canny couple doon the Furnace bank,"Black Path",thi other day,and thi canny young lass mentioned finding thi remains of old bottles,wi thi writing on them,[stone bottles...],saying "Invalid Stout".......had me puzzled,and I never thought of it till reading your post!

[Maggie/915]

My guess is that Invalid Stout would be a little like Guinness but sweeter.

To be taken for medicinal purposes only.

That is until you got the taste for it and then who knows.

Perhaps to chill at the end of a long day.

Wonder what the alternative would be now in The Red Lion.

I simply cannot think of it as 'Spoons'

[pilgrim]

at one time Guinness and stout were prescribed for pregnant women and those who had just given birth -- see how the NHS has gone down hill!!!

[Pete]

at one time Guinness and stout were prescribed for pregnant women and those who had just given birth -- see how the NHS has gone down hill!!!

They used to give Guinness or Mackeson to blood doners at one time, mind that was a while ago.

[pilgrim]

a pint for a pint - seems  a fair swap to me !!!