Matfen
Encyclopedia
Matfen is a village and a civil parish in Northumberland
, England, near the towns of Hexham
and Newcastle upon Tyne
. It is an example of an eighteenth-century planned estate village
. It was the birthplace of the nineteenth-century Premier of British Columbia
, William Smithe
. The children's writer Lorna Hill
was a long-term resident while her husband was rector.
is operated as a hotel and country club. The Grade II* listed building was built c.1828 by Sir Edward Blackett
to replace an earlier 17th Century house.
The Devil's Causeway
passes the village less than 2 miles (3 km) to the west. The causeway is a Roman
road which starts at Port Gate on Hadrian's Wall
, north of Corbridge
, and extends 55 miles (89 km) northwards across Northumberland to the mouth of the River Tweed
at Berwick-upon-Tweed
.
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, near the towns of Hexham
Hexham
Hexham is a market town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, located south of the River Tyne, and was the administrative centre for the Tynedale district from 1974 to 2009. The three major towns in Tynedale were Hexham, Prudhoe and Haltwhistle, although in terms of population, Prudhoe was...
and Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
. It is an example of an eighteenth-century planned estate village
Model village
A model village is a type of mostly self-contained community, in most cases built from the late eighteenth century onwards by industrialists to house their workers...
. It was the birthplace of the nineteenth-century Premier of British Columbia
Premier of British Columbia
The Premier of British Columbia is the first minister, head of government, and de facto chief executive for the Canadian province of British Columbia. Until the early 1970s the title Prime Minister of British Columbia was often used...
, William Smithe
William Smithe
William Smithe was a British Columbia politician.Smithe was born William Smith in England and moved to Canada in his youth, settling on Vancouver Island in 1862 as a farmer. In 1871, he ran in BC's first election and won a seat in the new provincial legislature...
. The children's writer Lorna Hill
Lorna Hill
Lorna Hill , was a British author of over 40 books for children.-Life and works:...
was a long-term resident while her husband was rector.
Landmarks
Matfen HallMatfen Hall
Matfen Hall is a 19th century country mansion in Matfen, Northumberland, England the seat of the Blackett Baronets and now also an hotel and country golf club. It is a Grade II* listed building....
is operated as a hotel and country club. The Grade II* listed building was built c.1828 by Sir Edward Blackett
Blackett Baronets
There have been two Baronetcies created for members of the Blackett family, both in the Baronetage of England. One creation is extant as of 2008...
to replace an earlier 17th Century house.
The Devil's Causeway
Devil's Causeway
The Devil's Causeway is a Roman road in Northumberland, in North East England. It branches off Dere Street north of Corbridge and can be traced through Northumberland for about north to Berwick-upon-Tweed.-Description:...
passes the village less than 2 miles (3 km) to the west. The causeway is a Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
road which starts at Port Gate on Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall, lesser known of the two because its physical remains are less evident today.The...
, north of Corbridge
Corbridge
Corbridge is a village in Northumberland, England, situated west of Newcastle and east of Hexham. Villages in the vicinity include Halton, Acomb, Aydon and Sandhoe.-Roman fort and town:...
, and extends 55 miles (89 km) northwards across Northumberland to the mouth of the River Tweed
River Tweed
The River Tweed, or Tweed Water, is long and flows primarily through the Borders region of Great Britain. It rises on Tweedsmuir at Tweed's Well near where the Clyde, draining northwest, and the Annan draining south also rise. "Annan, Tweed and Clyde rise oot the ae hillside" as the Border saying...
at Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed or simply Berwick is a town in the county of Northumberland and is the northernmost town in England, on the east coast at the mouth of the River Tweed. It is situated 2.5 miles south of the Scottish border....
.