Hexham
A market town with roots in the Age of Saints
Hexham sits in the heart of the Tyne Valley, a quiet market town that belies its extraordinary past. In AD 674, St Wilfrid founded a monastery here, building his church with stone plundered from the nearby Roman fort at Corbridge. The crypt he constructed — using dressed Roman stonework — still survives beneath Hexham Abbey and is one of the oldest intact structures in England.
The town grew around the monastery and became a centre of learning and faith in the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria. Hexham's bishops held considerable power, and the town's importance is reflected in the scale of the Abbey, which was rebuilt in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries into the beautiful Augustinian priory that stands today.
Hexham's position near Hadrian's Wall meant it was never far from conflict. The town was raided by the Scots multiple times during the medieval period, and its Old Gaol — built in 1332 — is thought to be the first purpose-built prison in England. The market place, granted a charter in 1239, remains the beating heart of the town.
Today Hexham is a gateway to the wild landscapes of Northumberland. Its independent shops, traditional pubs, and the atmospheric Abbey make it a perfect pause on the journey between York and Edinburgh.