Northumberland Yesterday and To-dayTerry, Jean F. (Jean Finlay)
History
Northumberland Yesterday and To-day
Terry, Jean F. (Jean Finlay)
Northumberland (England) -- Guidebooks; Northumberland (England) -- History
Farther eastward down the Coquet are two places pre-eminently noted
as centres for the sport for which the river is famed above all
other Northumbrian streams, though some of them are worthy rivals.
These two places are Weldon Bridge and Felton; the old Angler’s Inn
at the first-named is a favourite rendezvous of the fraternity of
rod and creel. Fishermen have long known the fascination of these
two places, and I quote from the “Fisherman’s Garland” two stanzas
written by two enthusiastic anglers in praise of them. The writers
are Robert Roxby and Thomas Doubleday.
“But we’ll awa’ to Coquetside, For Coquet bangs them a’; Whose
winding streams sae sweetly glide By Brinkburn’s bonny Ha’!”
_Written in 1821_
“The Coquet for ever, the Coquet for aye! The _Woodhall_ and _Weldon_
and _Felton_ so gay, And _Brinkburn_ and _Linden_, wi’ a’ their sweet
pride, For they add to the beauty of dear Coquetside.”
_Written in 1826_
Felton, a charmingly placed little village, on the banks of the
river where they are overhung by graceful woods, and diversified by
cliff and grassy slope, stands just where the great North Road
crosses the Coquet. By reason of this position it has been the
scene of one or two events of historical interest, notably those
connected with the “Fifteen” and the “Forty-five.” On the former
occasion, the gallant young Earl of Derwentwater, with his
followers, was joined here by a band of seventy gentlemen from the
Borders, and they rode on to Morpeth to proclaim James III. And
thirty years later, the soldiers of George II. passed over the
bridge from the southward, led by the Duke of Cumberland, and
pressed on towards the Scottish moor where they dealt the final
blow to the Stuart cause at Culloden. The interesting old church at
Felton, dating from the thirteenth century, is well worth a visit.
After leaving Felton behind, the Coquet enters on the most marked
windings of all its winding course, until, when it enters the sea
at Warkworth Harbour, just opposite Coquet Island, it has contrived
to lengthen out its journey to a distance of forty miles.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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