Barrasford

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Barrasford
Barrasford shown within Northumberland
OS grid reference	NY915735
District	Tynedale
Shire county	Northumberland
Region	North East
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	HEXHAM
Postcode district	NE48
Dialling code	01434
Police	Northumbria
Fire	Northumberland
Ambulance	North East
European Parliament	North East England
UK Parliament	Hexham
List of places: UK • England • Northumberland

Coordinates: 55°03′18″N 2°08′02″W / 55.055, -2.134

Barrasford is a village in Northumberland, in England. It is situated to the north of Hexham, on the North Tyne.^[1] Barrasford is an ancient village that lies within the shadow of Haughton Castle. The village is notable for being the location of a Bronze Age burial site where the The Reaverhill Dagger was excavated in 1964. The village was for many years the home of Cabinet Minister Geoffrey Rippon who had responsibility for negotiating Britain's entry in to the Common Market. Today Barrasford is noted for its quarry.

[edit] Early area history

The settlement of Barrasford is located several miles distant from the course of Hadrian's Wall, one of the most significant Roman monuments in Britain. Hadrian's Wall was constructed in 122 AD. The extent of Hadrian's Wall is 117 kilometres, spanning the width of Britain; the wall incorporated Agricola's Ditch and was constructed chiefly of stone in the eastern reaches^[2] such as at Barrasford. The wall was designed mainly to prevent raids by small Pictish bands or unwanted immigration from the north, not as a fighting line for a major invasion.^[3]