Matfen
| Matfen | |
|---|---|
| File:Matfen village green (geograph 2374157).jpg Matfen | |
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| Population | 495 (2001 census)[1] |
| OS grid reference | NZ029719 |
| Civil parish |
|
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE |
| Postcode district | NE20 |
| Dialling code | 01661 |
| Police | Northumbria |
| Fire | Northumberland |
| Ambulance | North East |
| UK Parliament | |
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Matfen is a village and a civil parish in Northumberland, England, near the town of Hexham and the city of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is an example of a 19th-century planned estate village. It was the birthplace of the 7th Premier of British Columbia, William Smithe. In 2001 it had a population of 495.
History
[edit | edit source]Matfen is a few miles north of Hadrian's Wall. About halfway between the two there is a prehistoric standing stone called Stob Stone, adjacent to Standing Stone Farmhouse. The stone is about seven feet high and decorated with cup marks.[2]
The place-name Matfen is first attested in the Pipe Rolls for 1159, where it appears as Matefen. The name means Matta's fen.[3] The civil parish was formed in 1955 from East Matfen, Fenwick, Ingoe, Kearsley, Ryal and West Matfen.[4]
Landmarks
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Matfen Hall now houses a hotel and country club. The Grade II* listed building was built about 1828 by Sir Edward Blackett to replace an earlier, 17th-century house.[5]
The Devil's Causeway passes the village less than 2 miles (3 km) to the west. The causeway is a Roman road, which starts at Port Gate on Hadrian's Wall, north of Corbridge, and extends 55 miles (89 km) northwards across Northumberland to the mouth of the Tweed at Berwick-upon-Tweed.[6]
Notable people
[edit | edit source]- Thomas Bates (1775–1849), an eminent stockbreeder, was born in Matfen.
- William Smithe (1842–1887), the 7th premier of British Columbia, was born in Matfen.
- Lorna Hill (1902–1991), a writer of over 40 books for children, was the wife of the rector of Matfen.
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ Office for National Statistics: Neighbourhood Statistics
- ^ Nikolaus Pevsner, The Buildings of England: Northumberland, p. 387.
- ^ Eilert Ekwall, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names, p. 318.
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External links
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