George Stephenson's birthplaceGeorge Stephenson's birthplaceGeorge Stephenson, the famous railway engineer, was born in 1781 in a stone cottage half a mile from the centre of the village.
Wylam Northumberland NE41 8PB Telephone: +44 1661 853457
Open 28th March to 2nd November on Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays 1pm to 5pm. Last admissions 4.30pm. Owned by the National Trust (members get free admission).
St Oswin's was built in 1886 mostly paid for by a
contribution by George and William Hedley, sons of Frances and
William, the railway engineer. The saint St Oswin provides a link
with Tynemouth Priory. He was murdered there in 651.
This
distinctive 'Points' or Bird-cage Bridge carried the Scotswood,
Newburn and Wylam railway over the river Tyne at 'The Hagg' west
of Wylam. It is a single-span, 240 foot long wrought iron bridge
and cost UK£16,000 to build, opening in October 1876. It was
designed by W.G.Laws and built by W.E.Jackson and Company of
Newcastle. With this part of the railway now closed, it has been
preserved as an elegant footbridge.
Wylam station has what was one of the oldest ticket offices in
the world - it was on this line (Newcastle to Carlise) the first
railway tickets as we know them today were introduced.
Wylam's first original school.
The Roman Hadrian's Wall passes very close to the village of Wylam. Built under the orders of Emperor Hadrian in about 122 AD on the border between England and Scotland, the 73 mile (118 km) long wall is a striking example of the organisation of a military zone, which illustrates the techniques and strategic and geopolitical views of the Romans.
Hadrian's wall became a World Heritage Site in 1987.
