Pictures of Ford

About Ford

It is Lady Waterford who is responsible for much of Ford as it is today. In 1859, owing to the tragic loss of her husband through a riding accident, the Marchioness of Waterford set about rebuilding the village as a memorial. A tall column of polished Aberdeen granite carrying the figure of an angel also commemorates the Marquis of Waterford.

Interestingly, Lady Waterford was a painter, she painted in the Pre-Raphaelite style, and between 1861 and 1882 she painted biblical scenes on paper which were then transferred to the walls.

Ford's most interesting building is the old school, now called Lady Waterford Hall, which has a room decorated with water-colour frescoes painted by Lady Waterford.

The parish church of St.Michael and all Angels dates early 13th-century. A remarkable feature of this lovely church is the original bell-cote. Considerable restoration work was undertaken in 1853 by John Dobson, designer of Newcastle-upon-Tyne's streets and many of it's buildings.

Ford lies in an area of great natural beauty. It is in close proximity to the beautiful coastline of Linisfarne and Holy Island and is surrounded by old and pretty villages. The close-by village of Etal, has a street of thatched and pantiled cottages that runs the length of the village. In summertime, their gardens are a blaze of colour and make a cheerful approach to the entrance to the ruins of Etal Castle, built in the 14th-century but destroyed by James IV of Scotland in 1496.

This area has a rich variety of archaeological and historic sites and there is evidence of people from the Mesolithic period. This is borne out by the finding of flint tools and blades. Also, discovered in the area are ritual and burial monuments from the Bronze Age.

Ford grew out of ancient and humble beginnings but it is the romantic period of the Marquis and Marchioness of Waterford, and particularly the achievments of Lady Waterford that draw visitors, time and time again

Other places of interest - Flodden, a famous battle site, a nearby hill fort - Yeavering Bell, and the Heatherslaw Light Railway.