Thropton is a hamlet in Northumberland, England, located on the River Coquet, and its tributary Wreigh Burn.[1][2] With a population of 780 (2021 census) it is situated 1.9 miles (3.1 km) west of the village of Rothbury connected by the B6431[3][4] near the junction of the Wreigh Burn and the River Coquet. In the hamlet is a stone bridge over the Wreigh Burn which was built in 1811. Thropton is on the edge of Northumberland National Park, and the surrounding area north and south of the hamlet consists of haughs, and also to the south on the opposite side of the Coquet lies Simonside Hills, a hill range that has many crags dotted along it.[5] Thropton was known in the past as Tattie-toon, a reference to the fertility of the soil in the surrounding area.
| Thropton | |
|---|---|
| Hamlet | |
 View of Thropton from the east bank of Wreigh Burn, a tributary of the River Coquet to the west bank where the majority of the village stands. | |
 Looking southeast along the B6341 | |
  Thropton Location within Northumberland | |
| Population | 458 (2011 census) |
| OS grid reference | NU027023 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MORPETH |
| Postcode district | NE65 |
| Dialling code | 01669 |
| Police | Northumbria |
| Fire | Northumberland |
| Ambulance | North East |
| UK Parliament | |
Amenities
editThe post office closed in approximately 2018, likewise the small village shop in which it was located, and the adjacent vehicle repair garage closed in November 2020 and reopened in 2022. In November 2022 a SPAR opened in Thropton, the shop has a floor area of 3,000 sq. ft. and has a four-pump forecourt operated by Shell.[6][7][8][9] The neon Shell sign has caused a row over light pollution due to Thropton being on the edge of Northumberland National Park which is a dark-sky preserve, however a poll on a community Facebook page [10] showed that 98% [11] to 99% [12] of residents did not think the sign was a problem . The row has been reported by the national media, including an article in The Telegraph [11] and a mention on Jeremy Vine.[13] Thropton has two pubs: the Cross Keys (currently closed) and the Three Wheat Heads, a 300-year-old coaching inn.
There is a small Church of England church, a Roman Catholic church and a Plymouth Brethren Church.
Landmarks
edit
A little over a mile to the south of the village are the ruins of Great Tosson Tower, a pele tower probably built in the late fifteenth century and later used as part of a system of watch towers designed to curb the activities of the Border Reivers.[14][15] A short distance from Great Tosson is Tosson lime kiln, designed by architect George Reavell in 1888, disused and restored in appearance by Northumberland National Park Authority. The site has a small car park and picnic site, and has fine views across the valley to Thropton main village and Rothbury. An information board at the site relates how a cow once fell down inside it.
Thropton SPAR is the main shop and petrol station in the village.
Geography
editThropton has the B6431 running though, with the majority of the hamlet based along the road. Thropton also had two C roads, the C176 road from Thropton to Netherton via Snitter connects to the B6341, and is connected to the C178 running from Thropton to Whittingham via Cartington.[16][17]
Culture
editOn the third Saturday in September Thropton holds its annual village show. The show is in field on next to the junction of the C176 road from Thropton to Snitter, and the C178 from Thropton to Cartington. leading from Thropton to Netherton. Alongside local trade and craft stalls, the show also has a Northumbrian pipe band, and fell race where runners run to and up the Simonside Hills and back. The village show started in 1915 and 2015 the centenary was celebrated.
The Coquetdale Music Centre is also present in the village occupying a former United Reform Church. It is managed by the Coquetdale Music Trust. It hosts year round music events and also has a recording studio complex.
Transport
editThropton is the terminus for the X14 Thropton - Rothbury - Morpeth bus which is a lifeline to the rural community, with many services continuing towards Newcastle upon Tyne. It is currently operated by Arriva Northumbria and was formerly operated by Go North East.[18]
References
edit- ^ "Wreigh Burn". Co-Curate.ncl.ac.uk. 20 May 2022. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ "Wreigh Burn from Netherton Burn to Coquet | Catchment Data Explorer". environment.data.gov.uk. UK Government. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ "Driving directions from Thropton, Morpeth to Rothbury, Morpeth" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ FreeMapTools. Distance Between Thropton, UK and Morpeth, Northumberland UK (Map). Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Thropton Parish (E04010870)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ "HAL39477 - SPAR West End Garage". SPAR. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- ^ "SPAR Thropton". Visit Northumberland. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- ^ Smith, Ian (22 November 2022). "New Spar store and petrol station set to open in Thropton". Northumberland Gazette. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- ^ "New community SPAR store with a local flavour and a petrol station set to open its doors in Thropton". Northumberland Gazette. Promoted by James Hall & Co Ltd. 24 November 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
{{cite web}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ "Rothbury & Coquetdale". Facebook. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- ^ a b Reporters, Telegraph (22 January 2023). "Northumberland's dark skies ruined by bright lights of new service station, residents say". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- ^ Lindsay, Kali (21 January 2023). "Furious residents claim petrol station lights ruin 'famous' Northumberland sky". ChronicleLive. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- ^ Vine, Jeremy (24 January 2023). Jeremy Vine (Radio). BBC Radio 2.
- ^ Tosson Tower at Pastscape
- ^ Tosson Tower at Northumberland National Park Website Archived 2011-07-14 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Adopted Highways (Map). Thropton, Northumberland, England, GBR: ArcGIS. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ "Northumberland Council (Class III roads) - Roader's Digest: The SABRE Wiki". www.sabre-roads.org.uk. SABRE (The Society for All British and Irish Road Enthusiasts). Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ^ "X14 Newcastle to Thropton | Bus route and timetables". www.arrivabus.co.uk. Arriva. 26 September 2021. Archived from the original on 17 October 2021.