Blanchland

Last night we had a lovely 2 hours socialising in the garden before it got too cold.

Today has been spent trying to sort out a private physio re the plantar fasciitis. I see him next week, the earliest he had. £30 an hour. I’ve spent time doing the exercises I found on Tyneside NHS website and done the frozen tin of beans foot rolling as recommended by fellow blipper intonthehills. I’ve also been helping Mr C chase up the results of his heart scan - however they seem to be lost in the system somewhere. All this body maintenance for the over 70s takes a while. No doubt it will get worse!

This is a collage made from the photos I took yesterday in the cute village Blanchland.

If you are interested in the history of it continue below.

Blanchland abbey was established in 1165 by Walter de Bolbec. Edward III visited the abbey while campaigning against the Scots in 1327. The abbey church survived with some alterations as the current parish church.

After the abbey was disbanded by Henry VIII the west range was incorporated into what is now the Lord Crewe Arms hotel, along with the abbot's lodging, guesthouse, and the monastic kitchen. The abbot's lodging resembles a peel tower and dates to the 13th century.

In 1709 the Bishop of Durham, Nathaniel, Lord Crewe, purchased the old monastic estate. When Lord Crewe died in 1721 the village and estate became part of Lord Crewe's Charity, and the Charity still administers the estate today.

The village was a centre for lead mining from the 19th century, but the last mine closed in 1986.