Jo’s Monday walk : Whitburn through the Looking Glass

Are you wondering at my title this week?  The village of Whitburn in north east England has a Lewis Carroll connection.  It’s generally accepted that he wrote “The Walrus and the Carpenter” while staying at his cousin’s home in Whitburn.

Charles Dodgson, whose pen name was Carroll, of “Alice in Wonderland” fame, regularly visited his cousin Margaret Wilcox, the wife of a Customs officer in Sunderland.  For entertainment on an evening they would make up verses.  ‘Twas brillig and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe’ started life here, and was published as ‘Jabberwocky’ in 1872.   I had no such rhymes in my head on the seafront at Seaburn.  The sun was shining warmly and I planned to head up the coast.

Looking good, don’t you think, and I’m not surprised that Carroll enjoyed strolling on this stretch of cliff top that leads north to Souter Lighthouse. I’m easily distracted sometimes and a wooden sculpture by the edge of the road beckoned me to take a closer look.

Welcome to Whitburn, the sign said.  Well, why not?  A path led invitingly past a swathe of vibrant wildflowers and I found myself in Cornthwaite Park.  There I found the legend writ large, ‘Whitburn through the Looking Glass’.

I love the reputation of this peaceful, rural location as a haven for shipwreckers. Following the attack of the Spanish Armada in 1588, the defeated Spanish fleet fled up the north east coast of England.  Two galleons ran aground in rough seas on Whitburn Rocks and the locals were not slow to utilise wreckage.  Two oak beams in the village smithy were said to have come from the wreck, and a bell used to call the Spanish crews to prayer was mounted in the parish church.

Leaving the park, imposing gates and a double letter box drew my eye to the most stylish and sumptuous of buildings.

Whitburn Hall originally belonged to the Carr family, but was bought in 1719 by the Williamsons, who remained in residence for 200 years.  During that time, Sir Hedworth Williamson trained racehorses on Whitburn Sands, producing a couple of famous Derby winners.  Horses are still a common sight, exercising on the beach.

Lewis Carroll would have been a regular visitor to the Hall.  Lady Hedworth Williamson was second cousin to Alice Liddell, to whom the ‘Alice’ books are dedicated.  Remember my Llandudno post?

Church Lane leads to Whitburn Church, and beyond that an expansive village green.  Set back from the road, a row of cottages with an idyllic location.  An elderly gentleman passed the time of day and acknowledged his good fortune at living there.

The cottages look up to strikingly decorative Whitburn House.  Thomas Barnes, the owner of a brickworks, tried to fence off the common ground in front of it, but in 1873 the courts decided that ‘the Bank’ and the village green should remain free for the use of all villagers.

Did you notice the Tradesman’s entrance?  ‘Know your place!’, as it was in those days.  A window cleaner was tackling the vast frontage and I didn’t envy him.  From Whitburn House I turned right off Front Street into Sandy Chare.  I vaguely remembered a village pond from a previous visit.

Serene as it looks, it has a bit of a tumultuous history.  Formerly known as the Horse Pool, the pond was used to wash coaches and the white building behind once housed stables.  In 1824 the first village school was built, beside the pond.  When a larger school was built in Sandy Chare, in 1852, the building became the Infant School.  In seriously wet weather the pool was prone to overflowing, and one villager recalls having to sit on his desk amidst rising water.  The headmaster gives a graphic account of the situation after the great storm of 1900. (you can read it if you magnify the panel above)

The sea was calling me back, and a return to the rough headland of the Bents.  My husband had food in mind, though we paused to admire the antics of a family of cormorants out on the rocks. ‘Latimers’ of Whitburn does a mean plate of food, with a sea view to boot.

On Front St. I had noticed a sign for Bede’s Heritage Trail and, looking it up when I got home, discovered that Whitburn is part of a 12 mile walk dedicated to the saint.  On June 29th each year there is an annual pilgrimage.  More food for thought, and certainly an outing for another day.  Here is the map.  I had unwittingly completed parts of section 4 and 5.  I hope you enjoyed it.

Many thanks to all of you for wandering with me, and for this wonderful selection of walks.  I hope you’ll find time to put the kettle on and sit back for a good read.  Join me if you can.  The details are on my Jo’s Monday walk page.

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Not quite a Beatles classic, Drake gives us Scandinavia with a smile this week :

Southern Norwegian mood

While Debbie does an easy snippet of the Fife Coastal path :

Inverkeithing to North Queensferry

And Lady Lee, a fierce-looking castle in Malta :

Traces of the Past- Citadel/Cittadella

Jackie is on hand with coffee and cake :

Smell the coffee

Which Tish could do with, after a hard day’s gardening.  A privilege for me to have her here :

Butterflies in the Buddleia, Bees in the Teasels and all’s well at the allotment

Join Vanessa and family in a gentle introduction to walking in Japan.  If you have the stamina you can climb Mount Fuji too :

Fujiyoshida/ Hiking the Tokai Nature Trail through rural Japan

Meantime, Meg goes bouldering, with due care and diligence :

Granite country

Got your parasols ready for twirling?  Rosemay has a lovely summery walk for us :

Promenade by the lake

And by contrast, Lynn flirts with an avalanche.  I kid you not!

A little snow on the mountain

Woolly explores the sad loss of Newfoundlanders on the Western Front :

Jo’s-Monday-Walk-Wk29_Beaumont-Hamel-Pt-1

Last September it was surely warmer and sunnier than now.  Or was it just having Jude’s lovely company?

Garden Portrait : Edinburgh Botanic Garden

Meanwhile Denzil’s pulled out all the stops to impress with his canal boats :

GR121 Stage 3 : Nivelles to Braines-le-Comte

Something for everybody, I’m sure you’ll agree.  It’s a miserable wet Monday here in the north east.  Maybe I’ll stop at home and do a little research. Have a great week everybody!

 

 

134 comments

  1. So scenic! I love the way the green grass runs up to the sand of the beach – nice way to keep the sand where it belongs, I would imagine. And that brick wall around the town Hall – magnificent. Thanks for the walk 🙂

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  2. Oh how I miss landscapes and architecture like the magnificent ones on display in Whitburn. And those blue skies. Wonderful to enjoy it here with you virtually after a long day of temple hopping in rainy Siem Reap (the temples are certainly awesome but Whitburn feels much closer to home). And what a backstory. Maybe we can meet there some day to do the 12 mile Saint Joseph’s walk after I make my way round.

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    1. I imagine most people would swap with you for Siem Reap, Lisa. Remembering Draco’s photos. 🙂 🙂 It’s been grey here for most of the week, but when it’s lovely in England then it really is, if you know what I mean. 🙂 Many thanks for the RT. I’d love to do that Heritage trail with you. xx

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      1. It’s funny how the ‘grass is always greener’ (or is that sky bluer)… But really, I’m spite of my sickness of missing all things home, I am just starting to scratch the surface of SE Asia, loving it here, and in hot pursuit of picture 1/10th as lovely as Dracos ‘Unusual’ here in Siem Reap. Looking forward to hiking the Heritage Trail in person with you someday 🤗

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  3. We had family friends in Whitburn when I was young and we used to visit them, bug I don’t remember any of this gorgeousness. Maybe that sort of thing doesn’t impress a child much! I’m impressed now and have saved the Bede leaflet in case we’re ever down that way again.

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    1. I think you might be right, Anabel- a child would be much more impressed with the beach than the houses. We haven’t even been to the Bede museum. I’d like to combine that with part of the walk. Mind you, it wouldn’t look half so good on grey days like the last 2. 🙂 🙂

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  8. I enjoyed this post, have never heard of this town…it looks enchanting, no wonder it has inspired a great writer. Can’t beat fish and chips with a sea view, great way to wrap up this beautiful walk😄

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  11. Crikey! left this post to visit the hospital and there were 18 comments. 6 hours later and there are 63!! Long scroll to the end 🙂
    What a lovely village you have found here, is there no end to interesting places in your neck of the woods? My favourite photo has to be the second one, I can see myself sitting in one of those chairs looking out over the beach and the sea and enjoying the lovely crocosmia and erigeron. Is that someone’s garden then? As for summer, it feels like October here today, but I am hoping for some sun tomorrow as I plan to visit the sculpture park. Alex has been warned I won’t be in to see him until later!
    xx

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    1. I thought I had reversed the order of the comments, Jude, so that last is first, if you know what I mean? I have to say that a good deal of Monday is response time. 🙂 🙂
      It’s an unusual place. There’s a row of cottages whose back garden faces the sea. A path runs around them. Most have very nice patios or conservatories, and the last one has that little grassed area across the path. I’m always tempted to plonk into a seat. 🙂 Unless it’s flipping freezing like today, of course.
      You’ve earned an outing, and Alex must be picking up or you wouldn’t even think about it. I can’t get down there under my own steam or I’d join you. It’s supposed to be the ‘best’ day of the week and I think Mick is committed to taking me to a lavender farm near Helmsley. Been going to go for weeks. White lavender is on the agenda. 🙂

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      1. Your comments are ordered last is first, but you still have to scroll down to reach the comment box, or am I doing something wrong? Better hurry up to see the lavender, they usual harvest it around now! Sky cleared this evening so I am hopeful of a good day tomorrow. 🙂

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      2. Now you know I don’t do technical stuff! It was you who told me I could reorder them. When I’ve answered this lot and found some stamina I’ll investigate. Next door have a huge patch of the lilac stuff. I’d better check the website before we set off. Thanks old buddy 🙂 🙂

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  12. Thank you for this delightful stroll through the looking glass. I think nonsensical words would be dancing through my head if I were to wander there.

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  14. Your walks are always enjoyable along with the history lesson. A nice diversion from the grey walls of my office.

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  15. Pingback: Jo’s-Monday-Walk-Wk30_Beaumont-Hamel-Pt-2 – WoollyMuses

    1. It just needs a little sunshine, Pit, which is sadly lacking today. Last Monday when we were there it was beautiful. 🙂 🙂 Thanks a lot! You and Mary too 🙂

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  17. what a lovely coastal place, Jo! and awesome photos! those beachfront chairs look so inviting. thank you for the virtual tour. loving all of it! 🙂

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  20. Oh my, what a beautiful, inspiring place. I can picture myself plunked in one of those chairs at the seafront in Seaborn, jotting down thoughts & watching the world go by. Thank you again, for including me this week in your Monday walks Jo😘

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