Haltwhistle

Area Attractions Click on Map.

The image top is of the Railway Hotel at the West Entrance to Haltwhistle, with the Railway Station close by.

The second image is of the Memorial Garden between the Railway Hotel and Haltwhistle centre on the Main Street named Westgate.

Westgate / Main Street is where most of the Shops and Cafes are situated.

The Market Square is on Westgate, centre of Haltwhistle with a large stone with a plaque showing the main attractions in the town such as the 1200s Church by the Market Place, and Bastles (Defensive Houses) in the Town.

The location of Haltwhistle saw Scottish and English Armies passing through during the Scottish Wars of Independence from the late 1200s to mid 1300s.

The Border Raiders / Reivers, Scottish and English, raided Farms and Towns along the Borders from the 1200s to the 1600s. From the early 1700s, the area became a safer place.

The Market Square used to hold the Town Gallows. There is another Plaque here stating there was a young Local Girl hung at this location for marrying a Scotsman in 1597, the Scotsman was also hung.

The Centre of Britain Hotel is next to the Market Square.

The Manor House Inn is also next to the Market Square.

The Brew Bar/Cafe and Sandwich Shop are also at the Market Square.

Haltwhistle History

400s - the Roman's left England leading to much of Hadrian's Wall along the Border with Scotland used for buildings in Towns and Farms. The sections of Hadrian's Wall in this area are the best preserved, as they run over Hills where it was not so easy to take the stone from.

The earliest recorded history of Haltwhistle is of Paulinus (Roman missionary and the first Bishop of York) who tried to to convert the inhabitants of Haltwhistle and surrounding area to Christianity between 625 and 632.

1100s - the earliest parts of the Church of the Holy Cross are built in the Town centre. The Church holds the Tomb of the Crusader Thomas de Blenkinsopp, who died in 1388.

1200s - Haltwhistle and surrounding areas are regularly attacked by Border Reivers or Raiders. These Raiders were Scottish and English, raiding Farms and Towns over the following 4 hundred years.

Many Houses built in Haltwhistle up to the 1700s have fortifications.

1207- Haltwhistle is granted the right to hold weekly markets by King John. The Market Place becomes the centre of Town, used for Bull Bating, also with Gallows for Public Executions.

1306 - King Edward I, stayed in the Town while leading his Army into Scotland to try and defeat Robert the Bruce, who had just claimed himself King of Scotland during the Scottish Wars of Independence.

1597 - a young local Woman and her Scottish husband are Hung at the Market Square, as Marriage between English and Scots was seen as unacceptable at the time.

1598 - Haltwhistle is raided by the Scottish Border Reivers - the Armstrong's of Liddesdale, in daylight, burning houses, killing many residents, and making off with cattle.

1603 - King James VI of Scotland is crowned King of England, becoming King James I of England, the start of the Stuart dynasty that ruled England and Scotland until 1714.

King James I put an end to the Border Reivers, making the area a safer place.

1707 - Queen Anne manages to pass the Acts of Union, that sees England and Scotland united as a single sovereign state known as Great Britain.

The Acts of Union see Scotland and England become safer places, leading to more travel between the two countries, with greater wealth for the border towns.

1838 - the Newcastle to Carlisle railway reached Haltwhistle.

1861 - the Town Hall was built, now used by the County Police.

1944 - a large Military Base is opened at Featherstone Castle by Haltwhistle for American Troops during World War Two 1939 - 1945. These Troops were amassing in England for the invasion of France in June 1944.

1945 - 1948 - the Military Base at Haltwhistle is used as a German and Italian Prisoner of War Camp, holding around 7,000 officers and men.

Today - Haltwhistle is a quiet scenic Town popular for tourists visiting Hadrian's Wall, or stopping off for a break while traveling between Carlisle and Newcastle.