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Coordinates: 55°02'53?N 1°44'50?W? / ?55.048, -1.7472
Ponteland is a large village that is situated in Castle Morpeth, Northumberland, and it is located close to Newcastle Airport on the north-west side. The name means island in the Pont (the river which flows through the village), as the area consisted of a small piece of solid ground around St. Mary's church and the old bridge, surrounded by marshland. This marshland is now drained, with housing built on top of it. The Pont river joins the Blyth river further downstream.
Ponteland is notable for its Pele tower, the Diamond Inn, its bridge, and the churches of St Mary's and St Matthew's. It is also notable for an affluent residential area, Darras Hall. Ponteland previously boasted a small castle, which was destroyed by the Scottish army under the Earl of Douglas the day before the Battle of Otterburn. The Blackbird Inn now stands on the site and is rumored to contain an old tunnel connecting it to St Mary's church. The tunnel is supposedly bricked up behind the fireplace in The Tunnel Room.
Ponteland was once served by a branch line of the North Eastern Railway (later part of the LNER) from Newcastle upon Tyne, with a short spur to Darras Hall, but this line was an early casualty, losing its passenger services in 1929. However, a substantial part of the branch has since been resurrected as part of the Tyne and Wear Metro system, to serve Newcastle Airport.
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The affluent housing estate of Darras Hall is a popular choice for many of the north-east's wealthy residents and many people associated with Newcastle United Football Club live on the estate including Alan Shearer, Peter Beardsley, James Milner, Obafemi Martins, George Hall and Terry McDermott. Myth has it that Old Man Moogan once resided in Ponteland but this has never been substantiated with any solid evidence.
In December 2005 the estate was the focus of considerable media attention when convicted rapist Iorworth Hoare moved to the estate after purchasing a house with his National Lottery winnings. After months of purchasing his house, he was bombarded with threats and constant media exposure.
One of the first houses, or farms as it was at the time, situated in the Darras Hall area, was Little Callerton House. The Old Mill, the house where Alan Shearer used to live, and various other dwellings in the area, belonged to Little Callerton House. Little Callerton House is approximately 450 years old and is standing as one the oldest buildings in the area.
(Source: Wikipedia) |