There are several possible starting points for this cache. The
closest, which also has the nicest walk, is opposite Beamish Hall
at N54.53.298 W001.40.066. There is only room for a couple of cars
at this parking location as it is next to an access gate, which
needs to be kept clear at all times. There is however plenty of
room on the verges just over the little stone bridge (known as
Starling Bridge).
Beamish Hall
The land on which Beamish Hall now stands was originally given
to the powerful Saxon families of Lumley and Birtley by William the
Conqueror and was called the Manors of Witton and Tanfield. From
1068 until 1268 the Manors stayed in the de la Leigh family. In
1268 a great-grandchild married a Norman knight and the bride's
father, Philip de la Leigh, gave them the Manor of Tanfield as a
wedding present.
From 1268 until 1884 ten different families lived at Beamish. In
1884, the Shaftoe family took possession and lived there until 1952
when death duties led to the sale of the Hall. During WW2, Beamish
Hall was the base for American Forces in the area.
It was taken over by the National Coal Board who used it as a
regional headquarters from 1953. In 1970, Beamish Hall was
converted into a residential college and over the last few years it
has been used as a venue for weddings, receptions and conferences.
The oldest surviving part is the central east wing was built in
1620. The nearby golf course was originally a huge deer park and
the stables for the Hall were located at ‘Home Farm’, now a part of
Beamish Museum.
For some excellent photos of Beamish Museum, check out this
site: http://www.bpears.org.uk/Beamish/
Ghosts
Beamish Hall is reputed to have several ghosts, including the
Grey Lady who fell in love with a man who lived in nearby Pockerley
Manor. Legend has it that a tunnel stretched the mile-and-a-half
between the two properties. She is said to appear near Beamish
Burn, after she suffocated in a trunk she was hiding in to avoid an
arranged marriage.
The Sun Inn at nearby Beamish Museum is said to be haunted by
Wandering Willie, who hanged himself after a broken love affair. He
allegedly moved with the pub when it was dismantled and taken from
Bishop Auckland and then rebuilt at the museum.
Other Stuff
The remnants of Beamish Corn Mill can be found at N54.53.398
W001.39.460. I haven’t been able to find much info on this, so if
you have any, please let us know.
I have seen many red squirrels in this area, particularly in
Mill Wood to the left of the bridlepath on the way to the cache.
Please note though that Mill Wood is private and no access is
allowed. If you are wondering what the metal construction is just
before you turn off the bridlepath, it’s part of a Scout camp.
There are also deer in the woods – I’ve found that the best time to
see them is either early or late – they seem to be more elusive in
the middle of the day. Kingfishers have also been spotted further
along the burn.
At the moment, blackberries are everywhere - if you want some,
don’t forget to take something to collect them in. The whole area
also smells of sweet cherries, what are those plants called? They
are really tall with pink flowers similar to snapdragons.
If you plan to cycle to this cache, there is one stile to
negotiate (dogs can get underneath).
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