Prudhoe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prudhoe |
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 Prudhoe Castle |
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 Prudhoe
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| Population | 11,675 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | NZ096629 |
| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | PRUDHOE |
| Postcode district | NE42 |
| Dialling code | 01661 |
| Police | Northumbria |
| Fire | Northumberland |
| Ambulance | North East |
| EU Parliament | North East England |
| UK Parliament |
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Prudhoe (pronounced PRUD-uh) is a town and civil parish located in the south of Northumberland, England. It is about 11 miles (18 km) west of Newcastle upon Tyne. The town sits on a steep hill that faces north, right on the south bank of the River Tyne. In 2011, Prudhoe had a population of 11,675 people. This makes it the second largest town in the Tyne Valley, after Hexham.
Some villages close to Prudhoe include Ovingham, Ovington, Wylam, Stocksfield, Hedley on the Hill and Mickley.
Contents
Prudhoe's Past
What's in a Name?
The name Prudhoe comes from old words. "Prud" was an Anglo-Saxon name meaning 'proud'. "Hoe" or "haugh" means 'a piece of land that sticks out'. So, Prudhoe means 'proud piece of land'.
Prudhoe Castle's Story
There has been a castle in Prudhoe for a very long time. Back when England and Scotland often fought, the castle was important. The area called Castlefields used to be an orchard (a fruit garden). People say the Scots tried to burn this orchard when they attacked Prudhoe Castle.
The castle was first owned by the d'Umfraville family. Later, the Percy family owned it. Today, English Heritage looks after it. Prudhoe Castle is special because it's thought to be the only medieval castle in Northumberland that the Scots never managed to capture!
Cold War Monitoring Post
During the Cold War, there was a secret underground bunker near Highfield Park. It was a Royal Observer Corps monitoring post. These posts were built all over the UK to check what would happen if a nuclear attack occurred. Volunteers, usually in groups of three, worked inside these posts. The Prudhoe post opened in 1962 and closed in 1991. This was after the Soviet Union broke up, which ended the Cold War.
How Prudhoe is Governed
Local Government
Northumberland County Council provides local services for Prudhoe. This council is a "unitary authority," meaning it handles most local government tasks.
National Representation
For national elections, Prudhoe is part of the Hexham area. This means the town is represented by a Member of Parliament (MP) in the UK Parliament. Currently, Joe Morris from the Labour Party is the MP for Hexham.
Town Council
Prudhoe also has its own local council, the Prudhoe Town Council. They meet at The Spetchells Centre on Front Street.
Prudhoe's Location
The town of Prudhoe is built on a steep hill that faces north. This hill reaches over 200 meters high on the Prudhoe and Mickley Moors. The southern part of the parish is mostly countryside, with farms and forests. Prudhoe Castle looks over a gentle bend in the River Tyne.
South of Prudhoe, you'll find Hedley on the Hill. Further south is Ebchester, which is in County Durham. Prudhoe is also home to Hagg Bank, a steep road that goes down to Hagg Bank Farm by the river. The eastern edge of Prudhoe borders Tyne and Wear.
Local Industries
Coal Mining History
Prudhoe used to be a town known for coal mining. You can still see a reminder of the old coal mine at West Wylam. There's a miner's cart there, which was found by a former mine worker. This was the site of the West Wylam Colliery. The main entrance to the mine is now buried under the modern road.
Modern Businesses
Prudhoe has an industrial estate called Low Prudhoe. It's located next to the A695 road, which now goes around the town. There are several factories and smaller businesses along this road.
One large factory in Prudhoe is run by Essity. This factory makes paper products like tissues. The land where Essity stands was once used by ICI to make farm fertilizer. When ICI closed, it left behind chalk hills called "Spetchells," which are now covered in grass.
Important Places to See
Prudhoe Castle
Prudhoe Castle is a Norman castle. It was very important during the border wars between England and Scotland. The d'Umfraville family built it. Later, the Percy family owned it for a long time. Now, English Heritage manages the castle. It's special because it's the only medieval castle in Northumbria that the Scots never captured.
Most of the castle you see today was built in the 12th century. However, the castle site has strong Norman beginnings. In the 14th and 15th centuries, the main tower was made taller. Only one of its small towers (a turret) still stands today.
Churches and Stained Glass
Prudhoe Hall (built 1868–70) and the Catholic Church of Our Lady and St Cuthbert (built 1890–91) have some of the earliest stained glass by Daniel Cottier. These beautiful windows were moved twice from their original spot. This explains why some of the glass panes have extra lead work, likely from repairs after being moved.
There's also a memorial stone for John Wesley on South Road. It marks his visits to the town. The main church for Prudhoe used to be across the river in Ovingham. But since 1880, the Church of St Mary Magdalene on Front Street has served the town.
West Wylam Area
Towards the east side of Prudhoe is West Wylam. This area has mostly social housing. It's home to an elderly care home, Prudhoe Town AFC (a football club), and some local shops. Eastwood Park is also here, where several local football teams play. The area also has gardens for growing food (allotments) and Adderlane First School, which opened in 1978.
Getting Around Prudhoe
Roads
Prudhoe is connected to Newcastle upon Tyne and the A1 by the A695. This road used to go through the town center. Now, the A695 goes around the town to the north, through the industrial estate at Low Prudhoe. This new bypass has helped the industrial estate grow.
Next to the new bypass, you can see a large sculpture called the Prudhoe Badger. It's 30 meters long and made of stone. It was designed to fit into the countryside and teach people about nature.
Trains
The town has its own train station, Prudhoe railway station. It's on the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, also known as the Tyne Valley Line. This train line opened in 1838. It connects Newcastle upon Tyne with Carlisle, following the River Tyne through Northumberland.
Passenger trains on this line are run by Northern. The line is also used for freight (carrying goods). The next train stations are Wylam and Stocksfield.
Buses
Prudhoe has direct bus services. You can take a bus to Newcastle, Hexham, and the MetroCentre (a large shopping center).
Media and News
TV and Radio
Local news and TV shows for Prudhoe come from BBC North East and Cumbria and ITV Tyne Tees. You can also listen to local radio stations like BBC Radio Newcastle, Heart North East, and Radio Prudhoe, which is a community station.
Newspapers
The town is served by local newspapers. These include the Hexham Courant and Chronicle Extra.
Education in Prudhoe
First Schools
- Prudhoe Castle First School
- Prudhoe West First Academy (which celebrated 100 years in 2009)
- St Matthew's Catholic Primary
Middle Schools
- Highfield Middle School
- Ovingham Middle School
High Schools
- Prudhoe Community High School
Places of Worship
Prudhoe has several churches:
- The Parish Church of Saint Mary Magdalene (Church of England)
- Prudhoe Methodist Church
- Our Lady and Saint Cuthbert's Catholic Church
- The Gate Church Prudhoe (formerly Prudhoe Community Church)
- Edgewell Christian Centre
Sports and Fun
Football
Prudhoe has its own senior football club, Prudhoe Town AFC. They used to play at Kimberley Park in West Wylam. The club is currently in the Wearside Football League.
Country Park
Tyne Riverside Country Park is in Low Prudhoe, right on the south bank of the River Tyne. The park has artificial chalk hills called the "Spetchells." These hills are special because they have attracted unique plants and animals that like chalk, which are not usually found in this area.
A path for walking and cycling goes from the country park to Hagg Bank. It crosses the Points Bridge to Wylam. This path is part of National Cycle Network Route 72. It follows an old railway line all the way to Tynemouth on the coast.
Waterworld and Skatepark
Prudhoe Waterworld offers swimming and other fitness activities. It's also home to the Prudhoe Millennium Tapestry. The town also has a skatepark called Highfield Park, located at the top of Prudhoe.
Public Services
Prudhoe is home to the North East Ferret Rescue. This group helps ferrets that have been abandoned or need a new home. It's the only active ferret rescue in the North East of England. You can find more information at their website.
Famous People from Prudhoe
- Bob Stokoe (1930–2004) was a football manager. He led Sunderland A.F.C. to win the F.A. Cup in 1973. He was born in Mickley, Prudhoe.
- Henry Travers (1874–1965) was an actor. He was nominated for an Oscar and is famous for playing the angel Clarence in the movie It's a Wonderful Life. He was born in Prudhoe.
- Gaz Beadle was a star on the reality TV show, Geordie Shore.
- Jak Alnwick and Ben Alnwick are brothers who are both footballers (goalkeepers). They were born in Prudhoe.
- John Callender (1903–1980) was an English footballer, born at West Wylam.
- George Honeyman is a footballer (midfielder) who plays for Millwall. He was born in Prudhoe.
- Steven Savile is an English writer of science fiction and fantasy. He lived in Prudhoe from 1985 to 1991.
International Connections
Prudhoe is twinned with Mitry-Mory, a town near Paris, France. You can see signs about this partnership when you enter Prudhoe. There are also murals in the town that show this connection.
Prudhoe Bay, a large oil field in northern Alaska, is named after Prudhoe. The explorer John Franklin discovered the area and named it after his friend, Baron Prudhoe of Prudhoe.
Images for kids
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Prudhoe Castle
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Our Lady and St Cuthbert – the church that moved
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Prudhoe railway station
