Beach Court
Harbour Road
Beadnell
Northumberland
NE67 5BJ
T: +44(0)1665 720225
F: +44(0)1665 721499
M: 07703 555125
Email:
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About Beadnell village...
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Visitors to the tiny fishing village of
Beadnell on the rugged yet beautiful
coastline of North Northumberland, perceive
it as an unspoiled and timeless idyll; but a
great many changes have taken place over the
centuries. |
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There has been human
habitation here for thousands of years and
in fact Bronze Age cists have been
discovered along the shore. The earliest
written reference to Beadnell (pronounced 'Beadlien'
by older residents) dates from 1161, whilst
the ruined chapel at Ebb's Neuk on the Point
dates from the 13th century, although there
was probably a chapel on this site from the
7th century soon after the beginnings of
Christianity in Northumberland.
For many centuries agriculture was the
principle source of income as demonstrated
by the ridges and furrows of former arable
land whilst fishing was also important from
early times. A further illicit source of
income lay in smuggling: in 1762, customs
seized 2700 gallons of brandy, more than
1000 of wine and 400 of rum and gin, the
'haul' landed at Beadnell by a Scottish
band.
In the 1700's and 1800's limestone was
quarried near the village and a tramline
carried it along what is now Harbour Road to
the limekilns at the harbour (the only one
on the East coast of England to face
Westwards). Corn grown on the surrounding
land was also carried from Tuggal Mill along
the beach to the harbour.
In the early 19th century, herring fishing
and curing became the major source of local
income. Everyone was involved - men, women
and children. Ten 50ft herring boats sailed
from the harbour and there were about 60
fishermen from 15 families, all of whom were
interrelated. Boats from Scotland, Ireland
and Cornwall docked at the harbour; salted
herring were sent to the Baltic; fishermen
followed the shoals to Yarmouth.
Nevertheless, the village remained tightly
knit, retaining its distinctive dialect and
family names.
Then, just before World War 1, the herring
fishing ended. Shoals grew scarce and the
Beadnell fishermen could not afford the new
methods - principally steam vessels - which
were revolutionizing the industry. The huge
fishing boats were sold or broken up and
several families moved, whilst some
concentrated on other kinds of fishing.
Today only 8 Beadnell men (dressed summer
and winter alike in navy blue 'ganseys')
make their living from the sea in
traditional Northumbrian cobles. Lobster and
crab are hauled in from shots of pots or 'creeves'
whilst seasonal trout and salmon are taken
from the 'heuk net' close in to the beach.
You feel that this is fishing as it has
always been: slow, unmechanised, dependent
on the skill of hand and eye.
Words by Katrina Porteous, Beadnell poet and
historian.
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