Where is the oldest purpose-built gaol in England? A port with a colourful history? A city that was a hot-bed of revolution? Surprisingly, it’s a prosperous market town in a Northumbrian river valley.
Welcome to Hexham! Sitting high above the soft fields and meadows of the Tyne valley, dominated by its handsome abbey and leafy parks, and with a mix of independent shops and quirky tea-rooms, it doesn’t exactly set out to nab the tourists. It just does what it does rather well – an excellent programme at its Queens Hall Arts Centre, for example, and a scenic racecourse – and if you want to drop by, that’s fine.
If you choose to do so over the first weekend in November (1–3), you’ll also have…
This article was originally published by Telegraph.co.uk. Read the original article here.