Pictures of Allendale Town

About Allendale Town

This picturesque Northumberland village enjoys a lovely location in the fine hill and dale countryside of the beautiful East Allen Valley.

It is a great place to be summer or winter, for there is always a lively 'buzz' in the air. New Years Eve is particularly eventful, everyone joins in the celebrations with real enthusiasm. A huge bonfire is lit at midnight, and this is followed by a procession of men parading through the streets in costume, carrying tubs of blazing tar on their heads. Curious, but fun, it follows a custom thought to originate from Norsemen, who practised fire worship.

This is a solid village, with attractive stone-built properties. There is a stone-built market place, and the main street is softened by trees and green verges. The 14th-century church stands in a lofty position on the wooded banks of the River East Allen, and as if to substantiate Allendale's claim to be the centre of Britain, a sundial set into the church tower records longitude and latitude. Another claim to fame for this enchanting little place, is that it was once a prosperous centre for the lead-mining industry.

The village fortunes these days are firmly linked to tourism, it is superbly situated as a touring centre and many of it's hotels and guest houses attract the same visitors every year. Allendale Town, set as it is, in the midst of magnificent countryside, with sweeping views and desolate silence, is a magnet for walkers, who take pleasure in tramping the moors during the day. After a hard day's trek, well what better than a glass or two, in a friendly pub among cheerful locals who quite quickly become new found friends.

Allendale Town has shops, tea-rooms, pubs, hotels and friendly cottages offering bed and breakfast. At Allenheads there is a Heritage Centre and the historic town of Hexham is within easy driving distance.