Pictures of Kirknewton

About Kirknewton

The great mass of the Cheviot itself rises 2,676 feet from the doorstep of this little village which was once the centre of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria and a plaque pays homage to the place where there was once a Royal palace. The grandeur of the scenery all around is to the eye's what a rapturous symphony is to the ears, even when snow-clad the dramatic hills of the lonely Cheviot range, set your senses reeling. In summer time the grassy banks of the surrounding hills are roamed and worn smooth by hardy Cheviot and Black Face sheep, these animals are adept at finding food in high crevices and survive for the most part without the hand of man. From Kirknewton village, the valley of College Burn leads to the summit of The Cheviot.

The church dedicated to St.Gregory is Kirknewton's dominate feature, and it is believed a church has existed here since the 11th-century but it is thought the present church was built during the 13th-century, its spacious proportions giving rise to the theory that it was used not only as a place of worship but gave sanctuary to those fleeing the mauraudering Scots during centuries of unrest. The church possesses amazing treasures, included in these is a statue of the Adoration of the Magi said to date from around 1220. In the peaceful churchyard lie tombs and graves covering many hundreds of years. One, is the grave of Josephine Butler, a lady famed for her endeavours as a social reformer for the rights of women during the Victorian era.

Today, this appealing village has become a tourist destination to which travellers and holiday makers are drawn for the dramatic landscape and spectacular views. Grouse and pheasant flourish here making the area popular with shooting parties. Walkers love the peace and solitude of the landscape, for whatever the weather, be it sun, snow or rain, this is countryside which is best enjoyed on foot!