Prudhoe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Prudhoe | |
|---|---|
| <tr><td colspan="2" align="center"> | |
| Statistics | |
| Population: | 11,500 |
| Ordnance Survey | |
| OS grid reference: | NZ096629 |
| Administration | |
| District: | Tynedale |
| Shire county: | Northumberland |
| Region: | North East England |
| Constituent country: | England |
| Sovereign state: | United Kingdom |
| Other | |
| Ceremonial county: | Northumberland |
| Historic county: | Northumberland |
| Services | |
| Police force: | Northumbria Police |
| Fire and rescue: | {{{Fire}}} |
| Ambulance: | North East |
| Post office and telephone | |
| Post town: | PRUDHOE |
| Postal district: | NE42 |
| Dialling code: | 01661 |
| Politics | |
| UK Parliament: | Hexham |
| European Parliament: | North East England |
| Image:Flag of England.svg | |
Prudhoe is a small town in the southern part of the English county of Northumberland in the district of Tynedale, close to the border with Tyne and Wear and just south of the River Tyne. Prudhoe is officially the largest town in Tynedale with a population of over 11,500.
Prudhoe can be reached from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the closest city, by rail, and by road via the A695, or from the A69 Carlisle-Newcastle trunk road, via Wylam or Ovington, crossing the river Tyne. Its neighbouring towns and villages are Ovingham, Ovington, Wylam, Stocksfield, Crawcrook (in Tyne and Wear), Hedley on the Hill, and Mickley.
The town is sited on a north-facing hill in the Tyne valley with a relatively steep slope. Prudhoe means "Proud Hill", and has was once a popular coal mining town.
It is served by Prudhoe railway station, and has direct bus links to Newcastle, Hexham and the MetroCentre. It is twinned with Mitry Mory, near Paris, France.
Prudhoe has two large factories - SCA Hygiene (formerly Kimberly-Clark) which makes paper products such as tissues at their Prudhoe Mill factory, and Hammerite Products, an ICI owned factory producing paints for Cuprinol, Hammerite and various brands as well as thinning products.
The site where SCA stands was first used by ICI for producing agricultural fertiliser (sulphate and sulphate of ammonia). In 1963 this plant closed leaving behind the chalk "Spetchells". which have attracted some natural chalk-loving flora and fauna and it is proposed that they be made 'sites of scientific interest'. After ICI closed the site was owned by Cleveland Engineering which producing automobile parts. Following its closure in 1969 Kimberly-Clark opened.
Prudhoe Bay, an area of Alaska containing the largest oil field in the USA is named indirectly after Prudhoe. The explorer, John Franklin, who discovered the area, named it after his good friend, Baron Prudhoe of Prudhoe.
[edit] History of the Castle
It has a Norman castle which was for a long time involved in the border wars between England and Scotland. For much of its history the castle was owned by the Percy family, who in the person of the present Duke of Northumberland still own it.
The majority of the surviving building work dates from the 12th century, although the site of Prudhoe Castle has strong Norman origins. in the 14/15th century the tower was extended. To provide an extra level with turrets, only the south west turret survives to this day.
[edit] External links
- Prudhoe Online Community Website
- Prudhoe Castle
- Prudhoe Dolphins Local Swimming Club
| | Image:Flag of Northumberland.svg |
|---|---|
| Alnwick | Ashington | Bamburgh | Bedlington | Berwick-upon-Tweed | Blyth | Cramlington | Haltwhistle Hexham | Morpeth | Newbiggin-by-the-Sea | Ponteland | Prudhoe | Rothbury | Seahouses | Wooler | |
