Ninebanks is a small village in south west Northumberland

Northumberland

Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 in the North Pennines

North Pennines

The North Pennines is the northernmost section of the Pennine range of hills which runs north-south through northern England. It lies between Carlisle to the west and Darlington to the east...

 Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty 8 miles (12.9 km) north-east of Alston

Alston, Cumbria

Alston is a small town in Cumbria, England on the River South Tyne. It is one of the highest elevation towns in the country, at about 1,000 feet above sea level.-Geography:...

 by road. It is noted for the early sixteenth century Ninebanks Tower, sometimes described as a pele tower

Peel tower

Peel towers are small fortified keeps or tower houses, built along the English and Scottish borders in the Scottish Marches and North of England, intended as watch towers where signal fires could be lit by the garrison to warn of approaching danger...

, but possibly built as a watchtower. It is made of sandstone and has four floors, the lowest of which is now below the level of the road. YHA

Youth Hostels Association (England & Wales)

The Youth Hostels Association is a charitable organisation, registered with the Charity Commission, providing youth hostel accommodation in England and Wales...

 Ninebanks is a youth hostel situated outside the hamlet at the settlement of Mohope about 1 mile (1½ km) away.

Notable people

Isaac Holden, was born at Redheugh, Mohope around 1804 and baptised nearby at St. Mark's church, Ninebanks in 1805. He was a local philanthropist and a Methodist. His working life began in the lead mines of Mohope and the West Allen, later on he became an itinerant tea seller around the North Pennines. It was a livelihood he combined with community fund raising by selling poems, tracts and even his own portrait. Evidence of his contribution to community life can be seen in the old hearse house at Ninebanks. This was built to keep the "Holden hearse", which he presented to the people of the West Allen valley in 1856. It was his final act of generosity, as he died the following year. The stone built hearse house can still be seen past St. Mark's Church and the old school at Ninebanks and on the same side of the road to Carrshield. There is also a commemorative memorial to Isaac Holden in St. Cuthbert's churchyard in Allendale. The 36 miles (57.9 km) Isaac's Tea Trail is a circular walk named after him - Isaac's Tea Trail. This passes near the hamlet of Ninebanks.

External links

• GENUKI (accessed: 26 November 2008)