Shilbottle
| Shilbottle | |
| Northumberland | |
|---|---|
 St. James's Church, Shilbottle | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | Expression error: Unexpected < operator.&y=Expression error: Unexpected < operator.&z=120 NU 200086 |
| Location: | 55°22’20"N, 1°41’29"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 1,834 (2011) |
| Post town: | Alnwick |
| Postcode: | NE66 |
| Dialling code: | 01665 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Northumberland |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Berwick-upon-Tweed |
Shilbottle (ancient name Shilbotel) is a village in Northumberland close to Warkworth, and three miles south-east of the county town, Alnwick. It is five miles from the coast at Alnmouth. The village stands close to the A1, the Great North Road.
History
Coal mining began in the district around 1728; by the end of the 18th century six shafts were operating around Blue Lodge Farm (or Colliery Farm).[1] In the early 20th century, Shilbottle Colliery was bought for £50 by the Co-operative Wholesale Society, a federation of consumer co-operatives, who upgraded the mining site: a new village of 170 houses was built, including some cottages for aged miners.[1] Furthermore, Shilbottle Colliery was the only pit in the area where workers were given a week's holiday with pay, and a pension scheme. The National Coal Board took over after the Second World War; production continued until a decline in the 1970s. The pit closed in 1981, and the workforce transferred to nearby Whittle, Northumberland.[1]
Parish church
The parish church is the Church of St. James. It was built in 1885, at a cost of £4,000. It is in the Early English style, but stands on the site of an earlier church; the church register dates from 1681.[1]
Buildings
Adjacent to the church is Shilbottle Tower, a three-storey pele tower built before 1415 and subsequently incorporated into the former vicarage.[2]
Village Hall
Shilbottle welfare hall dates back to the 1960s and served the community in a variety of ways. It burned down in September 2008 and was rebuilt, reopening in 2010: the new hall incorporates an array of environmentally friendly energy technologies, including a wind turbine, ground source heat pumps and rainwater harvesting.
The hall contains a main hall, multi-use rooms, kitchen and changing rooms for the village's football and cricket teams.
The welfare hall is mainly used to accommodate the cricket and bowls club and was also well used by the massive young population of Shilbottle as a youth club.
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Shilbottle) |
- Information on Shilbottle from GENUKI
- Northumberland Communities: Shilbottle
- Shilbottle Community Hall
- The Shilbottle Skills Centre
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Communities". Communities.northumberland.gov.uk. http://communities.northumberland.gov.uk/Shilbottle.htm. Retrieved 2014-03-06.
- ↑ Peel House with Outbuildings, Shilbottle - British Listed Buildings
