North Ridge Walk

About

The North Ridge walk offers panoramic views of Lanchester village on the route up to Moor Leazes Farm. Start at Lanchester Village Green. From war memorial take path to A691. Lanchester All Saints Parish Church, on the right, dates from the 12th century.
Lanchester was an important centre for the parish, The Deanery was the official residence of the Dean who presided over the canons serving the collegiate church. Lanchester church was made collegiate in 1283 by Bishop Anthony Bek.

Cross A691, turn left and take next footpath on right. The Lodge, standing on the left hand side, is an early 19th century house and is listed Grade II (No public access). The well in the grounds is also listed. Turn left over stone stile into field. Continue up Pace Egg Bank.

At top of 2nd field bear left then turn right between thorn bushes and over stile. At top of next field bear left, continue through stone gateway then take right fork aiming for wooden electricity pole and cross stile. Follow the path to Moor Leazes Farm. Leazes Drift Mine, which was located west of the farm, was closed c.1949. Turn right at farm buildings through gate and follow footpath.

Through next gate, turn left and follow field edge along wall and then along hedge to Peth Lane. Cross road and take footpath into Black Wood. Black Wood is believed to have been quarried by the Romans. Follow path over bridge and through stone gateway. To take the shorter route turn right where the footpaths cross and follow the stone wall downhill. Cross stile into field and head downhill, past houses and across stile in bottom left hand corner of field into lane.

During the time of Edward VI (1537– 1553) John and George Smart held a messuage in Lanchester called Manestedhed (Manor House), a parcel of land which belonged to the dissolved monastery of Hexham. They paid four shillings and one penny farthing rent. It is believed a Roman (AD43 to 410) road from Lanchester to Chester-le- Street runs through this site. Some of it was seen in the archaeological excavation of 1967.

Follow lane and take footpath on right crossing field diagonally to Warriors Bridge. William Greenwell (see William Greenwell of Greenwell Ford) found Roman stones here in 1909, they were 3rd/4th century funereal stones and he presented them to the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-upon- Tyne. (Now in the Newcastle Museum of Antiquaries).

Turn right onto the A691 back to the Village Green. For a longer walk continue on footpath through wood. There were coal pits in Foxcover Wood; others nearby were Jaw Blades, Spite of All, Hutton Drift, Mercie Drift, May Drift, Manor House Drift and New
Harvey Drift. (A drift mine is a tunnel driven straight into the side of a hill). The drifts were all connected by aerial ropeways which also linked to Malton Colliery.

Immediately after pylon turn downhill through stone gateway and follow old wall through another stone gateway until you reach the edge of the woodland. Turn left and skirt the edge of the woodland for a short distance then turn downhill over stile into field. Cross field diagonally and cross stile in bottom corner, turn left and follow field edge downhill, round garden to A691.

Commercial woodland is an important aspect of estate economy and High Burnhopeside Plantations would have supplied the Burnhopeside Hall estate with wood for day to day management as well as being sold for profit. Burnhopeside Hall is 18th century but
was enlarged during the 19th century; it is listed Grade II*. The grounds are planted with ornamental trees and also include a walled garden and ice house, built underground from brick and filled with ice. They were used to store perishable food. The hall was
home of William Hedley (1779–1843) designer of the steam train, Puffing Billy and Wylam Colliery Waggonway (1813–15).

On reaching the A691 turn right towards Lanchester. Turn left into lane to Malton, at car park turn right onto Lanchester Valley Walk. Turn right at Station Road and walk back to the Village Green.