Pastures new at Bedlington, and I start with the stunning Kings Arms, now known as The Grapes on the Front Street.

Striking upon first glance is the sill bands around the windows and the surround of the central window. Deceiving, as the door is now on the corner.

The history of this building goes far deeper though. It was built in the early 1700s, with the listing stating it’s very possible an earlier building lies within its skeleton.

It was a grand house first, with famous railway engineer Daniel Gooch spending his childhood here. He was trained up at the Stephenson’s Works in Newcastle, but went on to work with Brunel as the designer of many of the Great Western Railway’s most iconic engines. He was of course inspired by his father, an ironworks owner, but he was surrounded engineering his whole childhood. Especially here, where the works on the riverside provided tracks and locomotives for the earliest modern railways. His mum was also part of the Longridge family, who actually owned the works.

In later years this became the Kings Arms. The first reference I find is in the 1830s, when the Bedlington Florists Society’s exhibition was held here. William Armstrong actually competed alongside Lord Eldon, but only came 5th in the carnations category… 🌺