BRIGANTIUM  on the A68 just north of Otterburn

Located some 15 miles north of the Wall, Brigantium is an archeological centre with reconstructions of a Roman & British farm and round house; a Mesolithic hunting camp and rock shelter; Roman defenses and a Roman road; and a bronze age burial and stone circle.

The Otterburn Moors over to Alwinton in the Coquet Valley towards Rothbury are used for Military training and not always accessible to the public, please observe the RED flags when on display.

Elsdon

William Winter was hung from this Gibbet in 1791 in sight of where he had murdered Margaret Crozier. It is also the highest point of an ancient Drove Road down which cattle were driven from Scotland. Located nearby was a Smithy were the cattle were shod, before they reached the metalled road on their journey to market in England

The Battle of Otterburn

Otterburn situated in the Rede Valley within the Northumberland National Park is almost entirely surrounded by Ministry of Defense moorland training areas and only 15 miles south of the Scottish Border.

It took its name from the Old English “Oterburn”, meaning an otter stream and became famous after a battle  on the 19^th August 1388 which was historically of little importance, as according to C. W. Steel it had no military or political results. Had it not been for the high loss of life, it would have simply been considered as another glorified Border foray.

The Scots were 4,000 strong and led by James, Earl of Douglas who had taken advantage of the troubled state of England and were making their way back to the Scottish Borders, when they were involved in a minor skirmish outside of Newcastle.

As they left Newcastle, Sir Henry Percy (Hotspur) decided to follow them with a superior force of 8,000 infantry and 600 spearmen,  reaching Otterburn by nightfall and found the Scots had rested 1½ miles north of Otterburn, in a valley formerly used as a British encampment.

Although Sir Henry’s men were weary, he made the fatal mistake of launching a nighttime attack on the Scots and instead of attacking the main Scottish troops, inadvertently made their onslaught on the area occupied by the camp followers and as a result a fierce battle developed.

The Scots realising what was happening, seized their chance and attacked the English flanks with their main forces and completely defeated the English and captured Sir Henry Percy.

The Scots lost only 100 men including James, Earl of Douglas and returned victorious over the border, whilst the English lost 3,000 men with over 1,000 severely wounded casualties to whom a stone known as Percy’s cross was later erected and marks the site of the battlefield.

Otterburn Tower built by the Umfraville family, was once a fortress and pele tower dating back to the 13^th century, which had held off a siege by the marauding Scots just prior to the battle of Otterburn.

It remained generally unchanged until the mid 18^th century when much of the old building was pulled down and rebuilt in castellated fashion with a farmhouse and in 1944 it was converted into a quiet and peaceful hotel

Otterburn is also famous for  its early 18^th century woollen mill, powered by water from the “Otter Burn” which produced thousands of woollen blankets and rugs  from the Cheviot sheep that grazed on the surrounding moors.

Historical records show that there was a mill at Otterburn in 1254, which was then likely to have been used for grinding corn, the Otterburn Mill as such, is no longer in use, but its museum and saleroom attracts a large number of visitors.

Approaching Otterburn from the south and crossing over the bridge the once  Coaching Inn ‘;Percy Arms’ stands immediately on the left of the roadway,  it was always busy  in the 1800’s when the Newcastle and Edinburgh coaches changed horses there.

Otterburn  and the Percy Arms Hotel along  with the charm of surrounding scenery has more to offer than the fact that it is simply a delightful and peaceful port of call on the road to Scotland.