Hexham

July 2009

It was Hexham that I chose as the starting point for my journey along Hadrian's wall.  This charming town was awarded "Country Life's Best Market Town" in 2005 and still seemed deserving of that title during my visit in 2009.  There appeared to be many good choices of Bed and Breakfasts along Hadrian's Wall if you are walking or driving, but, in the end, I chose practicality to maximize my limited time: the trains run from Newcastle and the official  AD122 Hadrian's Wall Bus stops at the Visitor's Center near the train station.  I selected the old stone Beaumont Hotel (no elevators, but helpful staff and only three floors), conveniently located within blocks of the historic Hexham Abbey, medieval Moothall, Old Goal and Market Square.

Hexham has not always been a quiet English town.  It fell victim to Viking raids and over 300 years of border fighting between England and Scotland.  It was burned by William Wallace (Braveheart);  forced to pay ransom to Robert the Bruce; attacked in the Battle of Hexham in the War of Roses (1464);   raided by the infamous, lawless Border Reivers in the 16th century; and bloodied in a riot against the militia in 1761, leaving 51 dead in Market Square. No wonder England chose this town to build its first real prison (not just some castle dungeon).  The Gaol has exhibits about those who "fought, kidnapped, blackmailed, and killed each other in an effort to exercise control over a lawless track of land"--hardly the tranquil Hexham I saw. (Lonely Planet, Great Britain)

Although it had been a long day since I had left Whitby in the morning, I decided to take an "amble" around town after I arrived in the light rain.  Even though it stays light in summer until after 9 pm this far north, most places keep their year-round hours, closing at 5-6 pm.  Still, there was much to see in this very walkable town--a lovely park with folks bowling in the rain (they don't seem to cancel much for rain in England), medieval buildings, a 13th century bridge nearly hidden by ivy, and the statue of a very determined local hero from the Boer Wars.

 I had been disappointed that I hadn't arrived in time to see the inside of the 12th century Augustinian Abbey with its Saxon crypt, but, as I was later returning to the hotel in heavier rain,  I joined a small group (some locals, some tourists) for an Evening-song service in the chapel.  The choir consisted of the young and the old, singing with their hearts, even if some high notes eluded them.  It reminded me of LDS ward choirs I have sung in.  I felt snug and at peace as I watched evening come through stained glass windows and listened to holy melodies accompanied by rain on the roof.  I was glad I had only to hurry in the storm down the street to my hotel to enjoy a delicious dinner served with classical music.
 Click link for slideshow:
Hexham

Music: Butterworth, English Idyll No. 1, Visions of England--Our Green and Pleasant Land
More Information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexham
http://www.bw-beaumonthotel.co.uk