Hexham

About trip

Distance: 3.5 Miles Time: 1.75 Hours Terrain: Moderate Description: A historic market town on the banks of the River Tyne, Hexham has many sites of interest. Its railway station is one of the oldest in the world, operational since 1835; the oldest ‘Goal’ in the country now tells the story of Hexham’s past. The dominating building, however, is the 13th Century Hexham Abbey built on the site of an earlier church and monastery dating back to AD674. The Battle of Hexham in 1464 was regarded to be one of the decisive events in the War of the Roses but the exact position of the skirmish is in question. The popular view is that it took place on the Hexham Levels but an alternative suggestion is that Swallowship Wood was the more likely site being strategically placed on the crest of Swallowship Hill along the southern edge of this walk.