Ponteland
A town on the River Pont, about seven miles from Newcastle upon Tyne. Though partly overwhelmed by proximity to the larger urban sprawl of Newcastle, Ponteland maintains some interesting historic features, including a medieval church, and an intriguing pele tower.
St Mary's is the church, essentially a product of the 12th century. Opposite the church is the Blackbird Inn, which incorporates parts of a fortified 13th-century house.
The pele tower is a 16th-century creation, standing in the grounds of the vicarage.
Just to the north of Ponteland is Kirkley Hall Gardens, home to the national horticultural collections of beech, ivy, and dwarf willow.
Five miles distant is Belsay Hall, incorporating a ruined 14th-century castle within the grounds of a 19th-century mansion.
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