Vineyard

We went for pizza in the vineyard at Shotley Vineyard. It was so enjoyable we booked to go for American Street Food in the Vineyard in September.

Afterwards we walked around the churchyard across the road. There was a Royal Navy training centre in Shotley from 1905 to 1976 - HMS Ganges - and the sailors who trained at HMS Ganges who wasn't repatriated to their home churchyards were buried here. Not all died in battle; some died from disease, most were young - the youngest I could see was 14.

13 German soldiers from the First World War are also buried here, one unknown. 

Across the road is a Second World War graveyard with 101 graves, five of which were Kroninklijke Marine sailors from The Netherlands. This parcel of land was purchased by The Admiralty in 1940 in anticipation of the “slaughter” in and around UK waters.