HEXHAM ABBEY

When I mentioned helping me with the cat activity centre to Neil last evening he said he wasn't going to be at home today. And true to his word he was off to see his girlfriend before I was even awake. So its still in bits in the garden.

As the weather was lovely I decided to take a trip out. Thought about going to the coast but the weather there is often a bit " iffy " so I headed inland to Hexham.

Got the bus to the Metrocentre and then the bus to Hexham. The route takes you along the Tyne Valley through lots of villages and lovely countryside. The bus journey took about an hour.

The weather in Hexham was sunny and warm and it was really busy. I pottered about the shops and then went into the park to have a sit down, have a cold drink and eat my ( low fat ) crisps. I sat near this BANDSTAND. Hexham Brass Band regularly perform there. As I left the park I walked past this lovely BLOSSOM.

The park is in the grounds of Hexham Abbey - which is my blip for today.

There has been a church on the site for over 1300 years since Etheldreda, Queen of Northumbria made a grant of lands to Wilfrid, Bishop of York c.674. Of Wilfrid's Benedictine abbey, which was constructed almost entirely of material salvaged from nearby Roman ruins, the Saxon crypt still remains.

In the year 875 Halfdene the Dane ravaged the whole of Tyneside and Hexham Church was plundered and burnt to the ground.

About 1050 one Eilaf was put in charge of Hexham and was instructed to rebuild Hexham Church which then lay in utter ruin.

In Norman times Wilfrid's abbey was replaced by an Augustinian priory. The current church largely dates from that period (c.1170-1250). The east end was rebuilt in 1860. The Abbey was largely rebuilt between 1898 and 1919. In 1996 an additional chapel was created at the east end of the north choir aisle.

At about 4pm I got the bus and made the return journey home. I let the cats out straight away when I got in as they has been cooped up indoors while I was out. I prefer them to be safely in the house when I'm not here.