Six miles or so west of Newcastle. Once a heavily industrialised area where steel making, mining and chemical manufacture all thrived. There is more of a rural feel to the village these days.
This is where the "Battle of Newburn Ford" took place in 1640. The Scottish army under the command of the Earl of Leven, defeated the English forces, (who were outnumbered 7 to 1), before marching on to occupy Newcastle.