Hexham

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).
See also Hexham, New South Wales, and Hexham (constituency).
Hexham

Coordinates: 54.97° N 2.1° W

Hexham (United Kingdom)
Hexham
Population 11,139
OS grid reference NY937638
District Tynedale
Shire county Northumberland
Region North East
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town HEXHAM
Postcode district NE46
Dial code 01434
Police Northumbria
Fire Northumberland
Ambulance North East
UK Parliament Hexham
European Parliament North East England
List of places: UK • England

Hexham is a large market town in Northumberland, England, located south of the River Tyne. Hexham is the administrative centre for the Tynedale district, although in terms of population, Prudhoe is now Tynedale's largest town. In 2001, it had a population of 11,139.

There are many smaller towns and villages that surround Hexham, such as Corbridge, Riding Mill, Stocksfield, Wylam to the east with Haydon Bridge and Bardon Mill to the west. The closest major city to Hexham is Newcastle upon Tyne and is approximately 25 miles (40 km) to the east.

Contents

[edit] History

Hexham originated as a monastery founded by Saint Wilfrid in 674. The crypt of the original monastery survives, and incorporates many stones taken from nearby Roman ruins - probably Coria or Hadrian's Wall. The current Hexham Abbey dates largely from the 11th century onward, but was significantly rebuilt in the 19th century. Other notable buildings in the town include the Moot Hall, the covered market, and the Old Gaol.

The name of Hexham came from Anglo-Saxon Hagustaldeshām = "Hagustald's home" or "the hedge-warden's home", although it is often incorrectly regarded to mean "land or settlement of witches".

Like many towns in the North of England, Hexham suffered from the border wars with the Scots, including attacks from William Wallace who burnt the town in 1297. In 1312, Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland, demanded and received £2000 from the town and monastery in order for them to be spared a similar fate.

In 1715 the 3rd Earl of Derwentwater raised the standard for the Old Pretender in Hexham Market place, however the rebellion was unsuccessful, and the Earl was captured and beheaded after the battle of Preston.

Hexham was the county town of the former county of Hexhamshire.

[edit] Governance

Hexham is part of the parliamentary constituency of Hexham. The current MP is the Conservative Peter Atkinson.

[edit] Local media

The local newspaper serving Hexham and Tynedale since 1864 is called the Hexham Courant. It was first launched by J. Catherall, and at that time espoused the Liberal cause. In 1977, CN Group had taken over the business and has since continued to grow.

Hexham has a town website called HexhamNet managed by the Hexham Courant. It was first launched in October 2003 and continues to serve both the local community as well as to visiting tourists to the Tynedale area.

[edit] Transportation

The town is served by Hexham railway station on the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway. As well as this, Hexham is bypassed by the A69 road, linking it to Newcastle and Carlisle.

[edit] Awards

Hexham won the Town award in the 2005 Britain in Bloom awards. In the same year Hexham was also named *'England's Favourite Market Town' by the magazine Country Life.

[edit] Industry

In Hexham the Subskimmer was first designed and made, by Submarine Products Ltd.

[edit] Twin towns

[edit] List of people from Hexham

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Major settlements in Northumberland
Alnwick | Ashington | Bamburgh | Bedlington | Berwick-upon-Tweed | Blyth | Cramlington | Haltwhistle | Hexham | Morpeth | Newbiggin-by-the-Sea | Ponteland | Prudhoe | Rothbury | Seahouses | Wooler
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../h/e/x/Hexham.html"
In other languages