Simonburn is a small
human settlement
In geography, statistics and archaeology, a settlement, locality or populated place is a community in which people live. The complexity of a settlement can range from a minuscule number of dwellings grouped together to the largest of ci ...
in
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 ...
, England.
Early history
Simonburn lies to the north of
Hadrian's Wall, the most noted Roman monument in
Britain
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 ...
. The history of that wall as well as the Roman
Stanegate
The Stanegate (meaning "stone road" in Northumbrian dialect) was an important Roman road built in what is now northern England. It linked many forts including two that guarded important river crossings: Corstopitum (Corbridge) on the River Ty ...
forms the earliest recorded history of the Simonburn vicinity. The length of Hadrian's Wall is 117 kilometres, spanning the width of Britain; the wall incorporates the
Vallum
Vallum is either the whole or a portion of the fortifications of a Roman camp. The vallum usually comprised an earthen or turf rampart (Agger) with a wooden palisade on top, with a deep outer ditch (fossa). The name is derived from '' vallus'' (a ...
, a rearward ditch system, and was constructed chiefly to prevent harrying by small bands of raiders and unwanted
immigration
Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, a ...
from the north, not as a fighting front for a major
invasion
An invasion is a Offensive (military), military offensive in which large numbers of combatants of one geopolitics, geopolitical Legal entity, entity aggressively enter territory (country subdivision), territory owned by another such entity, gen ...
.
[Stephen Johnson (2004) ''Hadrian's Wall'', Sterling Publishing Company, Inc, 128 pages, ]
Landmarks
Nunwick Hall
Nunwick Hall is a privately owned 18th-century country house near Simonburn, Northumberland in North East England. The estate has been the home of the Allgood family since the 17th century. The house is a Grade II* listed building but is not ope ...
is a privately owned 18th-century country house nearby. The house is a
Grade II* listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Ir ...
.
[ Keys to the Past, Nunwick Hall]
/ref>
Simonburn Castle was held by the Heron family of Chipchase Castle from the 14th century until it was sold in 1718. The castle was subsequently dismantled by treasure hunters.
Notable people
*John Ridley
John Ridley IV (born 1965) is an American screenwriter, television director, novelist, and showrunner, known for '' 12 Years a Slave'', for which he won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He is also the creator and showrunner of the a ...
(1879–1903), cricketer
See also
* Walwick
References
External links
GENUKI
(Accessed: 12 November 2008)
Villages in Northumberland
{{Northumberland-geo-stub