In modern contexts Northumbria usually refers to the region of
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
between the
Tees and
Tweed
Tweed is a rough, woollen fabric, of a soft, open, flexible texture, resembling cheviot or homespun, but more closely woven. It is usually woven with a plain weave, twill or herringbone structure. Colour effects in the yarn may be obtained ...
, including the
historic counties of
Northumberland
Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey.
It is bordered by land ...
and
Durham Durham most commonly refers to:
*Durham, England, a cathedral city and the county town of County Durham
*County Durham, an English county
* Durham County, North Carolina, a county in North Carolina, United States
*Durham, North Carolina, a city in N ...
, but may also be taken to be synonymous with
North East England. The area corresponds to the rump lands of the historical
Kingdom of Northumbria
la, Regnum Northanhymbrorum
, conventional_long_name = Kingdom of Northumbria
, common_name = Northumbria
, status = State
, status_text = Unified Anglian kingdom (before 876)North: Anglian kingdom (af ...
, which later developed into the late medieval county of Northumberland or ''Comitatus Northumbriae'', whose original southern boundary was the River Tees. A representative provincial flag of Northumbria is registered for the area.
Definition
Precise definitions vary but typically centre around the historic counties of Northumberland and Durham; the ceremonial counties of Northumberland,
Durham Durham most commonly refers to:
*Durham, England, a cathedral city and the county town of County Durham
*County Durham, an English county
* Durham County, North Carolina, a county in North Carolina, United States
*Durham, North Carolina, a city in N ...
and
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear () is a metropolitan county in North East England, situated around the mouths of the rivers Tyne and Wear. It was created in 1974, by the Local Government Act 1972, along with five metropolitan boroughs of Gateshead, Newc ...
; or the
North East England region. Parts of historic
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...
and ceremonial
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by National parks of the United Kingdom, national parks, including most of ...
are however included in these areas, respectfully. It is in the title of several institutions and companies:
*
Northumbria Police
Northumbria Police is a territorial police force in England. It is responsible for policing the metropolitan boroughs of Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and the City of Sunderland, as well as the ceremonial c ...
and
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner
The Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) is an elected official in the United Kingdom. The post was created in November 2012 following the enactment of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. The PCC is tasked with the ...
: Northumberland and Tyne-and-Wear
*
Northumbria University: non-geographic
*The
Natural History Society of Northumbria
The Natural History Society of Northumbria (NHSN) is a voluntary organization to promote the study of natural history and protect the wildlife of North East England.
Its offices and library are in the Great North Museum: Hancock, whose buildin ...
,
Environment Agency and
Britain in Bloom
Britain most often refers to:
* The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands
* Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
: North East England
*
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is an NHS foundation trust which provides hospital and community health services in North Tyneside and hospital, community health and adult social care services in Northumberland.
History
The trust ...
: historic Northumberland
*Northumbria River Basin district: North East England excluding the
Tweed
Tweed is a rough, woollen fabric, of a soft, open, flexible texture, resembling cheviot or homespun, but more closely woven. It is usually woven with a plain weave, twill or herringbone structure. Colour effects in the yarn may be obtained ...
drainage basin; managed by the Northumbria Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC)
*
Northumbrian University Officers' Training Corps (UOTC): Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland, and Teesside Universities
*
Northumbrian Water: North East England excluding
Hartlepool
Historical background
Roman
Hadrian's Wall was one of the frontiers of the
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post- Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediter ...
. In fact, Roman archaeology can be found widely across the region and a special exhibition based around the Roman Fort of Segedunum at Wallsend and the other forts along Hadrian's Wall are complemented by the numerous artefacts that are displayed in the Great North Museum Hancock in Newcastle.
St. Peter's Church in
Monkwearmouth
Monkwearmouth is an area of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear in North East England. Monkwearmouth is located at the north side of the mouth of the River Wear. It was one of the three original settlements on the banks of the River Wear along with Bish ...
, Sunderland, and St. Pauls in
Jarrow also hold significant historical value and have a joint bid to become a World Heritage Site.
Angles
![Durham St Cuthbert](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/Durham_St_Cuthbert.jpg)
The area has a strong religious past, as can be seen in works such as the
Lindisfarne Gospels
The Lindisfarne Gospels (London, British Library Cotton MS Nero D.IV) is an illuminated manuscript gospel book probably produced around the years 715–720 in the monastery at Lindisfarne, off the coast of Northumberland, which is now in the B ...
and the ''
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle''. The works of
Cuthbert
Cuthbert of Lindisfarne ( – 20 March 687) was an Anglo-Saxon saint of the early Northumbrian church in the Celtic tradition. He was a monk, bishop and hermit, associated with the monasteries of Melrose and Lindisfarne in the Kingdom of Nort ...
(634–687 AD),
Bede (673–735 AD) and
Hilda of Whitby
Hilda (or Hild) of Whitby (c. 614 – 680) was a Christian saint and the founding abbess of the monastery at Whitby, which was chosen as the venue for the Synod of Whitby in 664. An important figure in the Christianisation of Anglo-Saxon Engla ...
(614–680 AD) were hugely influential in the early church, and are still venerated by some today. These saints are usually associated with the monasteries on the island of
Lindisfarne,
Wearmouth-Jarrow, and the Abbey at
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a maritime, mineral and tourist heritage. Its East Clif ...
, though they are also associated with many other religious sites in the region. Bede is regarded as the greatest Anglo-Saxon scholar. He worked at the monasteries of Wearmouth and Jarrow, translating some forty books on all areas of knowledge, including nature, history, astronomy, poetry and theological matters such as the lives of the saints. His best known work is "
The Ecclesiastical History of the English People
The ''Ecclesiastical History of the English People'' ( la, Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum), written by Bede in about AD 731, is a history of the Christian Churches in England, and of England generally; its main focus is on the conflict be ...
". One of the most famous pieces of art and literature created in the region is the ''
Lindisfarne Gospels
The Lindisfarne Gospels (London, British Library Cotton MS Nero D.IV) is an illuminated manuscript gospel book probably produced around the years 715–720 in the monastery at Lindisfarne, off the coast of Northumberland, which is now in the B ...
'', thought to be the work of a monk named Eadfrith, who became Bishop of Lindisfarne in 698. This body of work is thought to have been created in honour of Cuthbert, around 710–720.
At its greatest extent, the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Northumbria extended from the Scottish borders (then
Pictish
Pictish is the extinct Brittonic language spoken by the Picts, the people of eastern and northern Scotland from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages. Virtually no direct attestations of Pictish remain, short of a limited number of geographica ...
borders) at the Firth of Forth to the north, and to the south of
York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
, its capital, down to the Humber and Mersey. On 6 June 793 the Vikings arrived on the shores of north-east England with a raiding party from Norway who attacked the monastic settlement on Lindisfarne. The monks fled or were slaughtered, and Bishop Higbald sought refuge on the mainland. A chronicler recorded: "On the 8th June, the harrying of the
heathen miserably destroyed God's church by rapine and slaughter." There were three hundred years of Viking raids, battles and settlement until
William the Conqueror
William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first House of Normandy, Norman List of English monarchs#House of Norman ...
defeated King Harold at Hastings in 1066.
In 866 Ivar the Boneless captured York and reduced the Northumbrian kingdom to just Bernicia (Durham, Northumberland, and Lothian). The lands north of the Tees were outside the immediate control of the Scandinavian Kings of York and remained under Anglian control, ruled by the
Earls of Bamburgh (or Earls of Northumbria) with the Community of St Cuthbert ruling much of the lands between the Tyne and Tees. Both Bamburgh and Community of St. Cuthbert presented themselves as the successors of the Kingdom of Northumbria.
The ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' notes the change from raiding to settlement when it records that in 876 the Vikings "Shared out the land of the Northumbrians and they proceeded to plough and support themselves" However, Scandinavian settlement was concentrated south of the Tees and penetrated only a short distance north thereof, terminating beyond
Teesdale
Teesdale is a dale, or valley, in Northern England. The dale is in the River Tees’s drainage basin, most water flows stem from or converge into said river, including the Skerne and Leven.
Upper Teesdale, more commonly just Teesdale, falls b ...
. This is attested by place-name evidence, which suggests that County Durham and Northumberland were not settled by Scandinavians to the extent that Yorkshire and other parts of Northern England were.
In 954 the West Saxon Kings conquered the Kingdom of York, eventually integrating it as a shire within the new English kingdom.
The administrative system of shires and hundreds did not extent beyond the Tees with the lands north thereof being left under the control of its native rulers: the Earls of Bamburgh and Community of St Cuthbert.
The Scottish victory at the Battle of Carham in 1018, after which Lothian was annexed by the Kingdom of Scotland, set Northumbria’s northern frontier on the Tweed rather than the Forth. By the end of the Anglo-Saxon era, the term 'Northumbria' had become restricted in reference to the region between the Tweed and Tees. In the Chronical of 1065 ''Norðhymbralande'' ('Northumberland' or 'Northumbria') was already contrasted with Eoforwicscire ('Yorkshire'). Henry of Huntingdon described northern England as consisting of three counties: the Bishopric of Carlisle, Yorkshire and Northumberland ("over which the Bishop of Durham presides").
Normans
The County of Northumberland or ''Comitatus Northumbriae'' was formed from the rump of Northumbria following the
Norman conquest of England, a single royal county encompassing all of north-eastern England between the Tweed and Tees. The county included several 'royal liberties' where the king's writ did not run, including
Hexhamshire
Hexhamshire is a civil parish in Northern England. It was incorporated into Northumberland in 1572.
History
Hexhamshire was originally a single parish based on the church of St Andrew, Hexham, and surveys from 1295, 1547 and 1608 all show that t ...
, which was ruled by the Archbishops of York; and
Tynedale
__NOTOC__
Tynedale is an area and former local government district in south-west Northumberland, England. The district had a resident population of 58,808 according to the 2001 Census. Its main towns were Hexham, Haltwhistle and Prudhoe. Th ...
, which was ruled by the Kings of Scotland for much of the 13th century. The largest and most important liberty was that of the Liberty of Durham, which retained a high degree of autonomy under the
Bishops of Durham
The Bishop of Durham is the Anglican bishop responsible for the Diocese of Durham in the Province of York. The diocese is one of the oldest in England and its bishop is a member of the House of Lords. Paul Butler has been the Bishop of Durham ...
and lacked representation in the lower parliament. Originally, large swathes of land on north bank of the Tees lay outside of the liberty and formed the
Wapentake of Sadberge, which consisted of a collection of exclaves ruled directly by the Earls of Northumberland. Sadberge was purchased by bishop
Hugh de Puiset in 1189 and gradually incorporated into the County Palatine; it retained separate
assizes until 1586.
[;
]
The crown regarded Durham as part of Northumberland until the late 13th century. In 1293 the Bishop of Durham and his steward failed to attend proceedings of
quo warranto
In law, especially English and American common law, ''quo warranto'' (Medieval Latin for "by what warrant?") is a prerogative writ requiring the person to whom it is directed to show what authority they have for exercising some right, power, or ...
held by the justices of Northumberland. The bishop's case was heard in
Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...
, where he stated that Durham lay outside the bounds of any English shire. The arguments appear to have been accepted, as by the fourteenth century Durham was accepted as a liberty which received royal mandates direct. In effect it was a private shire, with the bishop appointing his own
sheriff.
The area thus became known as the "
County Palatine
In England, Wales and Ireland a county palatine or palatinate was an area ruled by a hereditary nobleman enjoying special authority and autonomy from the rest of a kingdom. The name derives from the Latin adjective ''palātīnus'', "relating to ...
of Durham". Hexhamshire, which had been transferred to the See of York by
Henry I Henry I may refer to:
876–1366
* Henry I the Fowler, King of Germany (876–936)
* Henry I, Duke of Bavaria (died 955)
* Henry I of Austria, Margrave of Austria (died 1018)
* Henry I of France (1008–1060)
* Henry I the Long, Margrave of the ...
, was first referred to as a separate County Palatinate in the 14th century. However, in 1572 it was reintegrated into Northumberland proper. From thereon, the region would be permanently divided into two separate counties: the County of Northumberland and County Palatine of Durham.
Victorian era
Northumbria, in the modern sense, emerged as a concept in the 19th century. During the second half of the 19th century a cultural movement appeared among the north-eastern intelligentsia who sought to identify the region as a distinct historic nation. The old kingdom of Northumbria was its underlying inspiration, albeit with medieval and early modern histories woven in as well, and the historic counties of Northumberland and Durham were its homeland. In 1834 the
Surtees Society was established with focus on publishing 'manuscripts illustrative of the history of the ancient kingdom of Northumbria, principally of County Durham and Northumberland'. The influence of Northumbrian romantic regionalism is most apparent in the development of a distinctly 'Northumbrian' musical identity, differentiated from English folk music as a whole, and compounded in publications such as the
Northumbrian Minstrelsy and
Rhymes of Northern Bards by drawing upon earlier works from both Northumberland and County Durham. In some sense, the movement paralleled the Irish, Scottish, and Welsh home ruler movements of the time, but unlike the former, did not cross the boundary from unionism to separatism and ultimately remained a cultural movement. Today, the term has been re-established as a legitimate moniker for the region, however, is not the official name for the
UK region of North East England.
Victorian era
The notion of a modern Northumbria was institutionalised in the late 20th century as the name was adopted by a number of regional institutions in the North East, namely the Northumbria Tourist Board, Northumbria Police, Northumbria University and Northumbrian Water.
Culture
Northumbrian culture has aspects in common with the cultures of both
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
and
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
, but also includes many unique traditions not found outside of the region. Northumbria is known for its distinctive musical culture and has its own unique instrument, the
Northumbrian smallpipe. The region is associated with numerous
folk art
Folk art covers all forms of visual art made in the context of folk culture. Definitions vary, but generally the objects have practical utility of some kind, rather than being exclusively decorative. The makers of folk art are typically tr ...
s such as Durham/North Country Quilting, Northumbrian pipe-making, horn stick work and hooky mat making, which flourished due to 19th and early 20th.
Northumbria has
its own tradition of Christian saints that have given rise to localised dedications.
St. Cuthbert is of particular significance; annual St. Cuthbert's day celebrations are held each year by the Northumbrian Association and marked by a walk from
Chester-le-Street
Chester-le-Street (), also known as Chester, is a market town and civil parish in County Durham, England, around north of Durham and also close to Sunderland and Newcastle upon Tyne. It is located on the River Wear, which runs out to sea at ...
to
Durham Durham most commonly refers to:
*Durham, England, a cathedral city and the county town of County Durham
*County Durham, an English county
* Durham County, North Carolina, a county in North Carolina, United States
*Durham, North Carolina, a city in N ...
, followed by a procession through Durham city.
Music
Northumbria possesses a distinctive style of folk music characterised by
border ballad
Border ballads are a group of songs in the long tradition of balladry collected from the Anglo-Scottish border. Like all traditional ballads, they were traditionally sung unaccompanied. There may be a repeating motif, but there is no "chorus" as ...
ry, use of the
Northumbrian smallpipes
The Northumbrian smallpipes (also known as the Northumbrian pipes) are bellows-blown bagpipes from North East England, where they have been an important factor in the local musical culture for more than 250 years. The family of the Duke of Nor ...
and strong
fiddle tradition that was already well-established in the 1690s.
Blaydon Races
The
Blaydon Races
"Blaydon Races" ( Roud #3511) is a Geordie folk song written in the 19th century by Geordie Ridley, in a style deriving from music hall. It is frequently sung by supporters of Newcastle United Football Club, Newcastle Falcons rugby club, a ...
, a popular musical hall song first sung by Geordie Ridley at Balmbra's Music Hall in Newcastle in 1862, gives an idea of some of the characters attending the old meetings. These races were held on an island in the middle of the Tyne and were last held on 2 September 1916. A riot broke out after the winning horse was disqualified, and the event was discontinued. It is remembered in the famous English folk song The Blaydon Races, and the event and its characters are vividly depicted in William Irving's 1903 painting. 'The Blaydon Races – A Study from Life' which is on show at the
Shipley Art Gallery in Gateshead.
Folklore
''Worms'' (derived from
Norse: ‘ormr") are a common aspect of Northumbrian folklore, notable examples from the region include the
Lambton Worm
The Lambton Worm is a legend from County Durham in north-east England in the United Kingdom. The story takes place around the River Wear, and is one of the area's most famous pieces of folklore, having been adapted from written and oral tradit ...
,
Sockburn Worm
In the folklore of Northumbria, the Sockburn Worm was a ferocious wyvern that laid waste to the village of Sockburn in Durham. It was said that the beast was finally slain by John Conyers. The tale is said by many to be the inspiration for Lewis C ...
and
Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh
''The Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh'', also known as ''The Laidly Worm of Bamborough'', is a Northumbrian ballad about a princess who is changed into a dragon (the "laidly worm" of the title).
Synopsis
In the Kingdom of Northumbria, a kind k ...
. Typically, a Northumbrian worm legend focuses upon a knight who returns home from a foreign war to defeat one of these creatures.
Politics
The
Northern Independence Party (NIP) is a
secessionist
Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics l ...
political party
A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific ideological or p ...
which seeks to make
Northern England
Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North Country, or simply the North, is the northern area of England. It broadly corresponds to the former borders of Angle Northumbria, the Anglo-Scandinavian Kingdom of Jorvik, and the ...
an independent state under the name Northumbria.
This proposed state would encompass the entirety of Northern England based upon the full extent of the Kingdom of Northumbria; minus its modern day Scottish regions, and not only the modern region.
The party applied to stand in the
2021 Hartlepool by-election
A by-election for the House of Commons constituency of Hartlepool in the former county of Cleveland, England, was held on 6 May 2021. The by-election was triggered following the resignation of Labour Member of Parliament (MP) Mike Hill, who r ...
, but because its
Electoral Commission
An election commission is a body charged with overseeing the implementation of electioneering process of any country. The formal names of election commissions vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may be styled an electoral commission, a c ...
registration was pending, its candidate, former Labour MP
Thelma Walker
Thelma Doris Walker (born 7 April 1957) is a British politician, formerly the Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Colne Valley from 2017 to 2019. Before her political career, she worked as a teacher for 34 years and later as an independ ...
, stood as an independent.
She lost her deposit with 250 votes, but scored more than the 163 received by
North East Party
The North East Party (NEP) is a regionalist political party in North East England founded in 2014 by 16 people including the former Labour MP Hilton Dawson and 7 members of the FAIR party. The party campaigns for a better deal for North East En ...
candidate, former Labour MP
Hilton Dawson
Thomas Hilton Dawson (born 30 September 1953) is a British politician who was the Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Lancaster and Wyre from 1997 until 2005.
Dawson became the chairman of the North East Party in 2014, and was the par ...
.
Historical and genetic origins
Northumberland and County Durham, together with the Scottish Borders, are conterminous with the ancient British tribal kingdom of
Bernicia
Bernicia ( ang, Bernice, Bryneich, Beornice; la, Bernicia) was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom established by Anglian settlers of the 6th century in what is now southeastern Scotland and North East England.
The Anglian territory of Bernicia was ap ...
(Bryneich) which is notable for the stable ancestry of its present indigenous population. The people of the region have been identified by DNA analysis to be strongly related to the genetic clusters of the Scottish Lowlands, Cumbria and Northern Ireland, who share a common line of descent.
Linguistically, the
Northumbrian dialect
The Northumbrian dialect refers to any of several English language varieties spoken in the traditional English region of Northumbria, which includes most of the North East England government region. The traditional Northumbrian dialect is a ...
is closely related to Scots and other traditional Northern English dialects which share a common origin in Northumbrian Middle English.
Biodiversity
The region has a diverse landscape that includes maritime cliffs and extensive
moorland that contains a number of
rare species of
flora
Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' ...
and
fauna
Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is ''funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as ''Biota (ecology ...
. Of particular importance are the saltmarshes of
Lindisfarne, the
Tees Estuary, the
heaths
A heath () is a shrubland habitat found mainly on free-draining infertile, acidic soils and characterised by open, low-growing woody vegetation. Moorland is generally related to high-ground heaths with—especially in Great Britain—a coole ...
,
bogs and traditional upland hay meadows of the North Pennines, and the Arctic-alpine flora of Upper Teesdale.
The beauty of the
Northumbrian coastline has led to its designation as an
area of outstanding natural beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB; , AHNE) is an area of countryside in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, that has been designated for conservation due to its significant landscape value. Areas are designated in recognition of ...
(AONB)
stretching 100 miles from
Berwick-Upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census reco ...
to the
River Coquet
The River Coquet runs through the county of Northumberland, England, discharging into the North Sea on the east coast at Amble. It rises in the Cheviot Hills on the border between England and Scotland, and follows a winding course across the l ...
estuary. Among the 290 bird species identified on the
Farne Islands
The Farne Islands are a group of islands off the coast of Northumberland, England. The group has between 15 and 20 islands depending on the level of the tide. , is the rare
seabird
Seabirds (also known as marine birds) are birds that are adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same enviro ...
the
roseate tern. One of the foremost bird sanctuaries and observatory for migratory and wading birds in the UK is now operated at "Saltholme" which is part of a wider site of special scientific interest called
Seal Sands
Seal Sands () is a 294.37 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in County Durham, England, notified in 1966.
Situated in the mouth of the River Tees next to Greatham Creek and Seaton-on-Tees Channel, the site is accessible ...
. Th
Saltholme reserveis managed by the
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a charitable organisation registered in England and Wales and in Scotland. It was founded in 1889. It works to promote conservation and protection of birds and the wider environment thr ...
(RSPB). This project has been pronounced as one of the best places to view birds by
Bill Oddie
William Edgar Oddie (born 7 July 1941) is an English writer, comedian, songwriter, musician, artist, birder, conservationist, television presenter and actor. He was a member of comedy trio The Goodies.
A birder since his childhood in Quinto ...
, the celebrity bird watcher and former host of the BBC's ''Spring Watch'' Programme. In December 2012 he also presented the project with a prize as the UK's favorite
National Lottery funded project. The seal colony at Seal Sands on the mouth of the River Tees is thriving and stands at more than 60
harbour seals
The harbor (or harbour) seal (''Phoca vitulina''), also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere. The most widely distributed species of pinniped (walruses, eared s ...
and this is the only breeding colony of this species on the northeast coast."
Rainton Meadows
Rainton Meadows is a nature reserve just to the west of East Rainton, County Durham, north-east England. The reserve, which covers 60 ha, and the adjacent Joe's Pond Site of Special Scientific Interest, are managed by Durham Wildlife Trust.
G ...
" is also a recently created bird-watching site. The region is also the English stronghold of black grouse and contains 80–90% of the UK population of yellow marsh
saxifrage
''Saxifraga'' is the largest genus in the family Saxifragaceae, containing about 465 species of holarctic perennial plants, known as saxifrages or rockfoils. The Latin word ''saxifraga'' means literally "stone-breaker", from Latin ' ("rock" or " ...
.
The
Magnesian Limestone
The Magnesian Limestone is a suite of carbonate rocks in north-east England dating from the Permian period. The outcrop stretches from Nottingham northwards through Yorkshire and into County Durham where it is exposed along the coast between Ha ...
grasslands of East Durham are a unique habitat not found anywhere else in the world which is particularly important to many species of butterfly and moths.
The Northeast of England also features woodland such as
Kielder Forest
Kielder Forest is a large forestry plantation in Northumberland, England, surrounding Kielder village and the Kielder Water reservoir. It is the largest man-made woodland in England with three-quarters of its covered by forest. The majority o ...
, the largest man-made forest in Europe. This is located within Northumberland National Park and contains an important habitat for the
endangered
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and in ...
red squirrel.
References
{{reflist
Northumbria
North East England