What To See When Visiting Hexham
Hexham is one of the most important towns in Tynedale and is in the county Northumberland. This is a market town near the Tyne River and its history can be traced back to 674 when the first Abbey was constructed. The crypt of the original Abbey is still present though the current Abbey was finished in the 1800s. Much of the original stonework is form older roman ruins.
Hexham was attacked several times during the border wars and William Wallace actually burnt the town at the end of the 1200s. The Battle of Hexham was fought in 1464 just to the south of town and the Duke of Somerset was executed in the town's marketplace. There is a famous legend involving Queen Margaret of Anjou in that she took refuge in a nearby cave known as the Queen's Cave.
Moot Hall is a famous building in town as this was once a gatehouse and is listed as a Grade 1 building. Today the Hall is home to the Museums department and the Council offices. The ground floor holds an art gallery. Behind the Hall is the Old Goal and is a monument. Today is houses a museum with information about the goal as well as local notable families.
The Old Bridge was built to allow river crossing though there was two ferries that crossed the river. This old bridge is about a mile away from the newer automobile bridge. The old bridge took several attempts to build as it was washed away by a flood in 1771. Today the old bridge is actually the fourth bridge built in this spot.
A tributary of the Tyne River is the devil's Water. This water was important in the Battle of Hexham. This water is formed by several streams and bynes and is a lovely spot to visit.
You can easily reach Hexham by car, train and air. Hexham is linked on the main road fining from Newcastle to Carlisle and there are many buses to Newcastle. The Hexham railway station lies on the Newcastle and Carlisle railway. The railway line travels along the Tyne River. You also can reach Hexham by flying into the Newcastle Airport.
Some of the main industries are tanning and leather manufacturing. Tanning and leather craft always tend to shoot up next to each other. Through time Hexham was once home to several master hatters and woolen manufacturers. There were several mills along the river as well as a windmill that is still in use.
