Metadata
WORK ID: NEFA 14511 (Master Record)
| Title | Year | Date |
| HEXHAM | c.1960 | 1957-01-01 |
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Details
Original Format: 16mm Colour: Black & White Sound: Silent Duration: 2 mins 58 secs Genre: Amateur Subject: Rural Life Architecture |
| Summary An amateur film showing various street scenes around Hexham dating from around 1960. It is possible the film was made as part of a re-development and pedestrianisation project in the town at that time. |
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Description
An amateur film showing various street scenes around Hexham dating from around 1960. It is possible the film was made as part of a re-development and pedestrianisation project in the town at that time.
The film opens with a view looking to the south of Hexham Abbey. This is followed by a view of Hallstile Bank looking west towards Market Place with the abbey in the background. General view of an empty Market Place followed by scenes of various stalls and shoppers at the market.
The film...
An amateur film showing various street scenes around Hexham dating from around 1960. It is possible the film was made as part of a re-development and pedestrianisation project in the town at that time.
The film opens with a view looking to the south of Hexham Abbey. This is followed by a view of Hallstile Bank looking west towards Market Place with the abbey in the background. General view of an empty Market Place followed by scenes of various stalls and shoppers at the market.
The film cuts to a view of Hexham Abbey from Beaumont Street followed by a number of additional street scenes with varying amounts of road and pedestrian traffic.
Two plans titled "Hexham Town Centre" and "Proposed Pedestrianisation" are pinned to an indoor wall. Further general views of a Hexham shopping street and the market square follow.
Context
Hexham originated as a monastery founded in 674. This is alongside the creation of the abbey situated within the town. This has been on the same site for more than 1,300 years, since Queen Etheldreda made grants of lands to Wilfrid, Bishop of York was significantly rebuilt in the 19th century. Also, during 2014, there was building work completed for the restoration of the medieval monastery complex, creating a major visitor exhibition function rooms, and a community meeting space, costing...
Hexham originated as a monastery founded in 674. This is alongside the creation of the abbey situated within the town. This has been on the same site for more than 1,300 years, since Queen Etheldreda made grants of lands to Wilfrid, Bishop of York was significantly rebuilt in the 19th century. Also, during 2014, there was building work completed for the restoration of the medieval monastery complex, creating a major visitor exhibition function rooms, and a community meeting space, costing £3m. The town is notable for the Battle of Hexham in the War of the Roses in 1464, as the battle was fought roughly in the area to the south of the town. Further along, throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the town was the centre for the leather trade, particularly known for making gloves that were dubbed “Hexham Tans”.
This town is significant too because it houses one of the first purpose-built jails in England, The Old Gaol. It was built between 1330 and 1333 and is currently a Grade 1 listed monument. This building is now a museum informing tourists and visitors what went on when the building was functioning as a jail. There is also contained within this building, the Border History Library, where people are free to visit and research family history. Similarly, alongside the evolution of any town, media becomes a large part of society, and is no different for Hexham. The Hexham Courant is the local newspaper for Hexham and Tynedale (neighbouring town) since 1864 that was first launched by J. Catherall & Co. Similarly, with media being expanded into, the transport scene also had some expansions. For example, the opening of Hexham Railway Station allowed for transport to and from Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, which was also known as the Tyne Valley Line. This line was opened in 1838, following through the River Tyne in Northumberland. References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexham https://www.hexhamabbey.org.uk/our-heritage |
