About Bellingham in Northumberland
Bellingham is a historic market town in Northumberland, England. It is situated on the River South Tyne, in the Cheviots hills, 10 miles (16 km) west of Hexham and 35 miles (56 km) south-west of Newcastle upon Tyne. The town has a population of 3,600.
Bellingham was first recorded in history as a small village in the 7th century. In 1066, William the Conqueror granted the village to the Bishop of Durham. The village grew slowly over the next few centuries and by the early 13th century, it had a market and two annual fairs. In 1296, the Scots captured and burned the town during the Wars of Scottish Independence.
In 1314, the English retook Bellingham and rebuilt the town. The town flourished in the 14th and 15th centuries as a market town and centre for trade. It was also a stopping point for pilgrims on their way to St. Cuthbert's Shrine in Durham.
Bellingham declined in the 16th century after the Dissolution of the Monasteries led to the closure of St. Cuthbert's Shrine. The town was also damaged by Scottish raids in 1544 and 1545 during the Rough Wooing. In 1648, Bellingham was captured by the Scots during the Second English Civil War and was not retaken by the English until 1650.
The town continued to decline in the 18th and 19th centuries as trade shifted away from Bellingham. The coming of the railways in the 19th century did little to help the town as most of the railway lines bypassed Bellingham. The town did see some growth in the 20th century as a tourist destination and as a base for hikers and cyclists exploring the Cheviots hills.
