Discover Glanton – Village History and Countryside

Glanton combines a distinctive landscape with an unusually vivid village history. The village lies on a south-facing spur of Glanton Hill and offers views across the Vale of Whittingham. To the north, the valley is framed by the Cheviots, to the south by Simonside and to the west by the Otterburn Moors. This gives you a clear choice when planning your trip: you can discover Glanton as a base for enjoying the scenery or explore the village’s historical traces in greater depth.

Landscape and Character of the Village

A large part of Glanton is designated as a Conservation Area. The first recorded mention of Glanton appears in the Assize Rolls dating from 1198 to 1272. The history of the surrounding area reaches back even further: the Roman road known as Devil’s Causeway ran towards Glanton and crosses the village road from the A697 about 70 metres east of The Juries.

Historic Buildings in the Village

One of the village’s most distinctive buildings is Branton and Glanton United Reformed Church. It was built in 1783; the porch and stair extension were added in 1912 to a design by George Reavell of Alnwick. The building is considered a simple rectangular preaching hall. Anyone interested in regional architectural history can see this building style here, along with the two later additions.

Town Farmhouse is a Grade II listed house dating from the mid-18th century and was altered in the early 19th century. Glanton House is a mid-18th-century house described as a new build in 1763/64. The garden walls south of Glanton House are dated 1740 on the lintel of the western doorway. The building of the World Bird Research Station is also part of the village’s history: it was built in 1796 for Richard Hatkin and has an older rear wing dating from the early 18th century.

Special Details for Your Tour of Discovery

Glanton Hill is home to a Jubilee Pole with a brass plaque commemorating Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897, as well as plaques commemorating the Silver and Diamond Jubilees of Queen Elizabeth. Another chapter in the village’s history is told by the long-abandoned quarry on the south side of Glanton Pyke. The rock there shows characteristics of cementstone; plant fossils known as calamites have also been found. Such details give a stay in Glanton a historical and geological dimension that goes beyond the first impression of the landscape.

When to Travel and Choosing Your Accommodation

The Glanton Show is a regular fixture in the local calendar. This annual event, organised by the local community, takes place on the second Saturday in August. If you would like to plan your trip around this date, you should factor your choice of holiday apartment into your plans at an early stage. For other stays, the landscape around Glanton Hill, the village’s history or its historic buildings can determine your focus. This allows you to choose accommodation based on the experience you want to shape your trip, without reducing Glanton to just one aspect.

For more travel ideas, you can also visit the pages for Greenhead, Bamburgh, Wooperton, Hexham, Belford, Embleton, Ilderton and Shilbottle.

For the overarching travel overview: Northumberland.