Woodhorn is a village in 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...

 about 2 miles (3 km) east of Ashington

Ashington

Ashington is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England with a population of around 27,000 people; it was once a centre of the coal mining industry. The town is located some north of Newcastle upon Tyne off the A189. The south of the town is bordered by the River Wansbeck...

. The village is sometimes identified with Wucestre, given to St Cuthbert

Cuthbert of Lindisfarne

Saint Cuthbert was an Anglo-Saxon monk, bishop and hermit associated with the monasteries of Melrose and Lindisfarne in the Kingdom of Northumbria, at that time including, in modern terms, northern England as well as south-eastern Scotland as far as the Firth of Forth...

 by King Ceolwulf

Ceolwulf of Northumbria

Ceolwulf was king of Northumbria from 729 until 737, except for a short period in 731 or 732 when he was deposed, and quickly restored to power. Ceolwulf finally abdicated and entered the monastery at Lindisfarne. He was the "most glorious king" to whom Bede dedicated his Historia ecclesiastica...

 when he gave up his throne in 737 to become a monk at Lindisfarne. A medieval bell at Woodhorn, inscribed "Ave Maria", is said to be one of the oldest in existence.

Economy

The main employment was at the coal mine. The mine has since closed and the site has been landscaped incorporating a lake and known as Queen Elizabeth II Country Park. Some of the mine buildings have been retained and are used as a visitor centre.

Landmarks

Woodhorn Colliery Museum is situated in a country park with a 40 acres (16.2 ha) lake. With sound effects, models, paintings, working machinery etc, the museum gives an insight into life in a local coal mining community.

The site of the old pit is now the location for Northumberland Record Office, a purpose built building having been constructed to replace the two previous buildings at Morpeth

Morpeth, Northumberland

Morpeth is the county town of Northumberland, England. It is situated on the River Wansbeck which flows east through the town. The town is from the A1, which bypasses it. Since 1981, it has been the administrative centre of the County of Northumberland. In the 2001 census the town had a population...

 and Gosforth

Gosforth

Gosforth is an area of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom, to the north of the city centre. Gosforth constituted an urban district from 1895 to 1974, when it became part of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne. It has a population of 23,620...

.

External links

• GENUKI (Accessed: 27 November 2008)
• Experience Woodhorn (Woodhorn colliery museum and country park, and the Northumberland archives)