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Good Morning to you all

I have to say that i have never been to Bamburgh Castle, but with all the talks i had before my darling grandmother passed away, it feels like i have a home there.  My gradmother spent all her early life there, born and raised, and left after meeting a handsome Australian Army man (my grandfather).  All the storys she used to tell about her home land, The pride in her voice when she used to talk at her time in the village and her time working in the castle.  There will be a time in my life that i hope to stand in the same street and look out over the pitch and she the sight of the most amazeing castle that the UK has to offer.  Beeing there will bring back so many found memores of one of your most proudest residents.  Hope to see you soon.   Brett Australia

 

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Hi, Just to say I was surfing the internet and on typing in Bamburgh came across this site.

I have and always will have fond memories of the North East with summers as a child spent there and now as a parent myself bringing my children to their granparents in Bamburgh. I am proud to say I am one of Judy Cowen’s children and I was amazed and delighted to read of mum’s abseiling down the castle

Philippa Hinks (Mrs).

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Hello, I stumbled across your site after looking for information
regarding the Stag Rock and Lighthouse there.

My name is Isa Henderson and my father was Charlie Hood, who
lived at Budle New Town for many years. He went to school in Bamburgh
and to St. Aidan's Church where he sang in the quoir. He also was a
caddy way back, I think about 1915. He caddied for 1/- a round doing
as many as 3 rounds per day. He became very keen on golf and, indeed,
very proficient at it. I recall names such as Ernie Johnston, who
lived in the cottage at the corner of the Wynding, James McDougal
(village shop), the name George Dunlop rings a bell as does the name of
Lattimer. Dororthy Littlefair was one of his teachers. There was
Willie Rogerson of the Armstrong Cottages, Eddie McDougal, the Garage
and his daughter Aileen. Gordon Aldred, Butcher. Also Jimmy and
Nellie Skillen. Jimmy and my Dad went off to Canada as young lads of
17. Betty Dixon of Nun's Raw, I think, the big house about opposite
the school. Clarks gardens, these are a few.

Dad, Mum and I were at the Golf Club doing the catering, etc.,
from 1969 - 1976.

Like everyone else, Bamburgh has very special memories for me
and, as someone has already said, the view up the hill round the corner
and that has to be the most spectacular view ever.

I don't know if you are interested in this or not. I also have
some tapes which my dad recorded of some of his memories of Bamburgh.

My dad died in 2001 aged 94.

I live in Lauder and do occasionally visit Bamburgh.

I hope you don't mind my writing, it was just after reading that
you were looking for memories I thought I would do so, Isa

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I Read your guest book letters with interest. I was friendly with the Lattimers who had a caravan on Budle many years ago. George the father and daughters Sheila,Eileen and young George. We used to visit their home in Clara Vale. Doug Dunlop was Best Man at my wedding and I spoke to him last week when I attended Jim Thompsons funeral in the village. I left Bamburgh many years ago as you will see by an earlier letter I sent (below) but return regularly.  Remember Fred Lattimer.    Alan Jones

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My great aunt (grans sister)lived down the wynnd in the 40s and during the school summer holidays my cousin and I with  Gran would travel to Bamburgh on the United bus from Amble!The best holidays ever!To run free as we did then at 6/7 years old without a care !My great uncle Edward Littlefair was a church warden and also made coffins in a small workshop which if I remember was somewhere behind the Victoria hotel?Now I am almost retired and living in Asia and hope to once again make the pilgrimage to Bamburgh for a holiday and also visit all my ancestors in St Adains churchyard (Weatherstons) and walk the places I walked as a child.

Regards, Ken Rochester, Superintendent

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I am ashamed to admit that I discovered Bamburgh by accident when driving up the East Coast heading for Edinburgh.  Glad I did though as I have now returned on purpose on many occasions, usually with different friends in tow to show them the beautiful village and impressive Castle.  Just returned from my last trip there and have to say how magnificent The Grace Darling Museum is now it has been renovated.  How fantastic to see National Lottery money being spent in a small village but on such an important piece of history.  My very best wishes to the volunteers at the museum and to all the friendly villagers of Bamburgh. Joanne Byers Wigan, Lancs

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My family have had a caravan at Glororum for over 40yrs, the site was once owned by the Drydens. My father Fred Lattimer had relatives from Bamburgh and Buddle Bay and he spent his summer holidays as a kid staying with his Uncle Les and Aunty Hilda Dunlop and cousin Doug. They still have the odd pint or two when they meet up.

I remember playing in those 'massive' dunes and sitting going down the 'Winding' beach all day, regardless of weather with a camping stove where my mam would do cups of tea and even cook us a meal at lunch time. I remember Hilda playing darts in the Vic one Sunday afternoon and winning the game with a bulls eye!

As a teenager / young lad I remember a barn dance opposite the green and going home with straw all over. Think it was coz the seats were bails mind! going through to Seahouses for the Sat discos with local lads and drinking in the Foxhunters which was the 'Trendy bar for the young'n's

Since I married in 1990 me and my family have visited every year, when they were younger, in prams etc, we used to call in the 'Middle' with the kids or out the back when we had the dog! We used to love calling in on the Mizen on the way back to van for a final drink as we walked home. Once we even sent kids back with a Pizza saying we would finish our drinks and follow them up, (they were old enough, don't worry!) and we did follow them however after we had another couple of drinks! Bless them they even left us a slice of pizza.

Last year me and my daughter who was 15 at the time! joined in the village cricket match which was great fun and it's nice to see the football getting back underway.

We are up again Easter weekend and some time over the summer, Dave Lattimer

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Hello. My name is Julie.

I'm from the US I visited November 2006 and stayed in Nevill Tower.

It was the most peaceful and most beautiful place I've ever been.

Almost like a dream, not only to see such beauty but to be able to stay in the castle .

Thanks to my dear friend Mr Crockett. The thing I noticed most was the people.

so friendly. we walked the beach visited Holy Island.

It was like a fairytale. I hope all people with dreams could visit Bamburgh.

I think of my trip daily and hope to come back one day soon  thank you ...Julie

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Lived and grew up in Bamburgh, First in the Village House and then moved up the village to Lucker Road (the house was then called BRYNGARTH). Memories of the village school, dreadful school dinners, dances in the Pavilion where our feet hardly touched the ground being whirled off our feet by Jean, learning to swim in the Egg Pool...a case of sink or swim when we were thrown in by the bigger lads. Happy days. Alan Jones, not too far away in Cullercoats and sister Pat now living in Cheshire.


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This is a very impressive website. Easy to navigate and very relevant information. Having spent some time wading through other sites it is good to find one that really works well. Chris and Lisa 

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BAMBURGH

I remember Bamburgh, a place of childhood dreams
The sun, the sand and our excitement, bursting at the seams.
We'd take the car, a two hour drive, but worth it I may say
We'd always stop at Morpeth for sweets along the way.We parked by the dunes and walked to the shore, our picnic we would carry
The grass was sharp and cut at our toes, we didn't want to tarry.
We found a spot that was out of the wind and staked our claim on the sand
We quickly changed into our bathing suits and said goodbye to the land.
The sea was cold but the pools were warm and we played about in the water
We splashed and paddled and shouted and sang, the long beach rang with our laughter.
It was always cold when we came out of the sea, the North East wind was keen
Our shivering bodies Mum wrapped in a towel, our faces glowed with a sheen.
She covered us all in calamine lotion to limit the damage from sun
Three pink little girls but happy were we, we'd all had a great deal of fun.
Our Dad would build sandcastles complete with a moat and we'd watch the water invade
We then dug a hole, covering him up with the sand.   He shouldn't have lent us his spade.
Our picnic commenced, banana sandwiches consumed and Lucozade drunk by the yard.
But soon twas time to go home again, we were tired, we'd played very hard.
All this happened half a century ago, now tis my grandchildren I watch on the beach.
Will their memories, like mine, be stored in their hearts, never too far out of reach?
It was such a special place you see, the family all playing together,
The laughter, the sun, the buckets and spades, fond memories will linger forever.

Pauline Neale  Now living in Suffolk but never too far from the sea

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Long sunny days, two hours in the car, buckets, spades and a picnic packed about our ears, three very excited little girls, inlet pools warm from the sun, rolling down the sand dunes, jumping the waves and sand in our sandwiches. All happened 40 odd years ago but remembered deep in my heart forever. Bamburgh, a magical place.

Sue Stokes

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Oh...Bamburgh.... I'm now 37 years old and have lovely memories of Bamburgh. My mum, Dad and us 4 children used to holiday here. We live in Grimsby, N.E Lincolnshire so it was quite a journey but just loved it. The beach, the castle, sea houses, Berwick, Alnwick (especially the fair in 1980!) and is Keilder Forest not too far away too?! All very best memories - wish I could turn the clock back as now one of my sisters and my dad are no longer alive. I'm coming to Bamburgh for 2 day's in August and can't wait to run down the dunes near where the lifeguard box is/was.  Kind Regards & Best Wishes, I'd encourage everyone to visit this lovely place.

Rachael

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Bamburgh a Special Village

Up the hill and round the corner on an early May evening and 'Wow' there it is the view everyone associates with Bamburgh.  "The Castle" in all its magnificent splendour, sun radiating off the walls with all the spring freshness at its feet.  The village nestling in its shadow sees all aspects of life in one yearly cycle, drawing people back time after time looking for their little haven of peace.  In the Church, or walking on the beach entertaining children with our yearly fetes and show, with long trailing walks and running races all for a good nights sleep.

A good choice of hostelries, tea rooms and shops for food and gifts to satisfy any of our thousands of visitors in the summer months.

At Christmas all lit up, crisp frosty evenings, the lights twinkling and church bell ringers practising.  Village numbers swelling for the New Year Celebrations; to the quietness and time for ourselves.  Until we hear again the raucous cry of our resident rooks in the Grove to herald again the start of a new year. 

Yes Bamburgh Village has it all; saturated in history, surrounded by nature, peace and tranquillity with a dash of the unexpected.

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I visited Bamburgh Last year in Easter week, and was very taken with the cross made out of the previous years Christmas tree, which was decorated with greenery and eggs. I am now very keen to do something similar at our local Church. We hope to visit Bamburgh again in the not too distant future. Many Thanks Pam Young.

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Excellent website Sarah, very useful information even to someone who lives in the village (sometimes).  Well done. Tony & Chris Baldwin

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Bamburgh is on a grand scale--everything. The castle, the beach, the vicissitudes of everyday life is a great deal more vivid and dramatic than in the everyday world. It's impossible to be bored in Bamburgh (but quite possible to be exhausted) It also happens to be one of the most beautiful places on earth.  Susan Skipper

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re 'Stags Rock'

Stag Rocks was always a familiar landmark when I holidayed (every weekend in the summer months) in Bamburgh as a child. We never knew why the stag was there or who had painted it but it was always a curiosity to children with fertile imaginations. What was more spooky was the monkey's face made in the cement on the south wall on the adjoining rock pool, whether this was done at the same time as the stag I don't know, but it adds to the mystery. Bamburgh is an absolute favourite with our family. My family had a caravan at Bradford Kaims till about 1984 and now my nieces and nephews also holiday in Bamburgh each year...we can't get enough. New generations of the family have of course been introduced to stag rock and the monkey's face at the rock pool by the lighthouse. Childhood memories of my own of Bamburgh include (apparently) being taken to Bamburgh just after being born in the red hot summer of 1976 and my mother said she had to push me round and round the campsite to get

me to sleep due to heat. Also meeting the cast of Blake Seven filming on Bamburgh beach in about 1980, it was our favourite programme on telly at the time and it was a great thrill! Also being photographed in the sea at Bamburgh beach for a 'Bourne Leisure' holiday brochure when I was about 5, only to find when the brochure was published my photo was advertising a campsite in Wales!!

Happy days.

Ruth Mulgrew