1201

King John signs Rothbury Town Charter

1275

Edward I ratifies truce with the Scots and dispatches it from Rothbury.

1730

1769

Two men came to the sign of the "WHALE" in Rothbury and one feigning illness borrowed a grey galloway and a coat from the landlord. He has not been seen since and the horse he left was n"not worth 2/-".

1788

1792

The Golden Fleece built.  (now the "Queens Head").

1808

1820

1822

Rectory and Church are partly re-built.

1827

The old Market Cross is pulled down and cleared.

1830

1832

Croft House built.

1835

1836

1837

The accession of Queen Victoria. Golden Fleece becomes Queen’s Head. Glendale House built.

1838

1840

The Congregational Church next to Steward House opens.
May 7th - Illicit Still discovered near Tosson. 100 gals of spirit produced in 1 week.

1841

Boy’s School & Master’s House built by the bridge on site of the Vicar’s Garden. Later becomes W. G. Mackay, plumber.
W.G Armstrong catches 4lb 7 oz Trout.

1850

Church nave, transept and tower taken down and re-built at a cost of £3000, architect Salvin. Door lintel with Thomas Eansley 1611 carved on it is taken from belfry doorway and put in flower vestry. Churchyard wall re-built.
Public Library established in Rothbury by Rev. Charles Vernon Harcourt.

1856

Whitton Terrace built.

1857

1858

Start of restoration of Brinkburn Priory. The Rector plants trees on the green to beautify the village.

1860

Wright and Martha Worsnop and family move to Rothbury and open a photography business on Bridge Street.

1861

1862

William Dixon and Sons drapers set up in Coquetdale House (Co-op/Vale Milk Bar) Rothbury. Later becomes Dixon Bros.
Last Beadle (Robert Hay) dies and position never filled.

1863

Lord Armstrong buys his first plot of 20 acres at Rothbury.

1864

William Murray listed as clockmaker. New library built by voluntary subscription at the North end of Dovecote Yard. Parish fire engine and hearse kept on ground floor. W. G. Armstrong starts building a modest house ‘Cragside’.

1866

The first Cragside House completed.

1867

1869

Rothbury Hall/Castle demolished to make a new graveyard. Lloyd’s Bank opens (Formerly Hodgkin, Barnett, Pease, Spence and Co.). Richard Norman Shaw, architect, starts to transform Cragside into a grand residence.

1870

First train to Rothbury on Northumberland Central Railway. Old Church graveyard levelled and sown with grass.
Rev. Charles Vernon Harcourt, rector of Rothbury died at Carlisle age 73.

1871

Start of Donkin and Son’s mart. Robert Donkin is aged about 40. Gasworks planned for Meldon Haugh. Opening of Alnwick and County Bank, later taken over by NE Banking Co. Likely date of the iron bridge at Cragside.

1872

Coquet House built (later the first cottage hospital). Rothbury engine shed built. Robert Donkin living at what is now the Rectory.

1873

William Bewick, buys old house for £550, pulls it down, and builds Warwick Villa, (later Church House. Addycombe Cottages built (Shaw) to house retired estate workers.

1874

Sir W. G. Armstrong now mainly living in Rothbury.
Turk’s Head built.

1875

Photo of sheep auction at Mart taken by John Worsnop.

1876

Thomas Muckle leaves the Duke’s service after a stonemason apprenticeship.
Land purchased from the Duke to build a double fronted house and coach house called Haw Hill House.

1877

Prop. of Queen’s Head, Mrs.Temple, rebuilds old property next door, builder John Wake. Plumber is W. G. Mackay.

1878

Cragside is the first home in the world lit by hydro electricity. Permanent sheep pens installed at Auction Mart.

1879

County Hotel built.

1880

Closure of churchyard. County Hotel sold by public auction at the Turk’s Head by Samuel Donkin and Sons, to Robert Muckle for £5700. William Bewick purchases the derelict Three Half Moons Hotel (approx 300 years old) and clears the ground for stables, a conservatory and garden for Warwick Villa, which bears date 1880. Jamie Mackie is the last lose his life trying to jump the Thrum. The rocks are blasted apart to make it impossible.

1881

W. G. Mackay plumber and ironmonger is founded.

1883

Girl’s school opens at the Knowes.
Tynemouth Artillery comes by train to Rothbury.

1884

In Church reredos added, tiles in chancel, altar rail, the Ascension in stained glass. Visit, by train, of Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) and Princess Alexandra and their children to Cragside 19 to 22 August. Fireworks display by Pain’s of London. The town of Rothbury later presented a book of paintings of the visit by J. T. Dixon and H. H. Emmerson. One has Ashton of Tosson Mill holding Simonside plaid. Another has the grandfather of Angus Armstrong sitting with the Prince of Wales outside Cragside.

1885

A new section of the workhouse is opened for vagrants, with 12 sleeping cells, each with a stone-breaking cell attached and a bath and disinfectant room.

1886

East end stained glass installed in Parish Church in memory of Rector. Stephenson, Prospect and South Tce in directory. Two vestries built on site of Cartington Chantry.

1887

Old Chantry at Trewitt porch ‘restored’ and becomes a vestry. Rothbury vestry arches filled in by J. Wake. Jubilee year plan to erect lecture hall and recreation room on a site given by the Duke.

1888

The lecture hall and recreation room are declared open by Lady Armstrong
Rothbury experiences  "The Great Snowstorm".

1889

Reading room opened in small and difficult room at the East end of Black Bull (Newcastle House). Robert Donkin, auctioneer, lives at Haw Hill House. Start of County Council. NCC responsible for all bridges - Rothbury and Pauperhaugh had been owned by the Duke of Northumberland.
The King of Siam and the Shah of Persia visit Cragside.

1890

Tynemouth Artillery camp here. Model Buildings built.

1891

New public seats for visitors. Rothbury Golf Club founded.

1893

8 bells in tower presented by Mary Dawson in memory of her brother. Jas. Johnson becomes Head of Thomlinson School. Brass of previous rectors put up by D. D. Dixon. New Congregational Church built on land given by Lord Armstrong, on site of a 17^th century almshouse.

1894

The Local Government Act and start of Rothbury Rural District Council. Revival of Cricket Club at Haugh. Mr. Goss of Stoke gives Church 250 porcelain mugs stamped Rothbury Church Sunday School. Brass lectern given by Mrs. Ainger as a memorial. First elections to Parish Council. First elections to Rothbury RDC.

1895

Northern Saints windows in Chancel as a memorial to Rector A. O. Medd. D. D. Dixon publishes ‘Whittingham Vale’. Plan for a nurse. Visit of Afghan Crown Prince to Cragside. Restoration of Church roof with Baltic timber. Second chalice bought, of 1625, for £9. Church walls re-coloured, water supply improved, new Church banner from Mrs. Young.

1896

Congregational Church opened for worship. Almshouses are built in memory of Lord Armstrong’s mother. Night school at Thomlinson’s. Mr. Muckle does work on Church toilets, heating and 3 apex crosses. Restoration of Lady Bridge at Rothbury/Tosson. Slides lent by photographer J. P. Gibson (Hexham) for talk by DDD. Church doors and railings repainted. Sharp’s Endowed Secondary School starts in the Congregational Sunday School. The Chinese Prime Minister, Li Hung Chang visits Cragside. Death of William Bewick, Rector Young buys Warwick Villa and renames Church Ho.

1897

Sharp’s new School opened. Jubilee Hall extended with a new ladies room.
New Church clock set in motion - put in by Potts.
First Church Council elected.  
Kneeling carpet at Parish Church with crowns and palms design.
Advert for John Gregory, slater and plasterer, in Church magazine.
John Worsnop (aged 40) does photos for Lord Armstrong’s book on electrical experiments.
King of Siam visits Cragside.
Railway accident at Rothbury and Church used as a relief centre. 95 minutes late from a Newcastle panto trip with 250 were on board from Scots Gap. At Rothbury, leading coach leaves rails at crossover points and falls on side. Completely wrecked after it hit the signal box. 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th coaches also derailed. 3 killed and 21 injured. Speed 47 instead of 30 mph and the ball crossing points not secured.
Lease was agreed between the Duke and Rothbury P. C. for village greens and fair tolls.
Church graveyard closed
Betty Ferguson died 6th March aged 99 having lived through the reigns of four English Sovereigns: George 3rd, George 4th, William 4th & Queen Victoria

1898

A new photo of the Church, by John Worsnop, on front of Parish magazine. 1st meeting of new District Council. 1300 red coated volunteers of Tyne Brigade camp at Newtown.
3^rd Battn. Northumberland Fusiliers marches through to Hexham – camp in the grounds of Knocklaw. There are floods in the village centre.

1899

The Riddell silver wedding photos taken by J. Worsnop. There is a subscription to re-letter & guild the Thomlinson memorial in the Church. East window installed in memory of Rector Ainger. Disbandment of Northumberland (Percy) Artillery Volunteers - founded 1859. Plans for Beech Cottage, Haw Hill. Rothbury Urban District Council created.

1900

2 windows installed in the W. wall of Church tower. Death of Lord Armstrong 27.12, buried 31.12. Officers and men of Northumberland Hussars (C. O. Col Cookson) camp at the Haugh. Nest egg of £17.11s.10d put in N.E. Bank for future Thropton Church. Plans to rebuild 6 cottages Pondicherry.

1901

Death of Queen Victoria. Plan to put a sundial back on the porch gable. Chancel screen is installed at the Parish Church in memory of Lord Armstrong, choir stalls in memory of the Rector and a new pulpit in memory of Lady Armstrong. Silverton Terrace built? New reservoir built at Ewesley.

1902

Armstrong Cross unveiled on 2 August by Sir Lowthian Bell. New workhouse built at Silverton Lane, stone from Cragside quarries. ‘Donkin’s Lamp’ erected on green opposite Church Ho. for the Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. June-put back to August due to king’s appendix. Rector’s widow gives Church House to Diocese.

1903

DDD’s ‘Upper Coquetdale’ published by Robert Redpath of Newcastle Daily Journal.

1904

Coquet House guest house bought by Catherine Dawson to be a hospital. Post Office and Postmaster’s house built. John Lee and Son, starts as a plumber and bike shop.

1906

Rothbury School (now First School) foundation stone laid.

1907

Rothbury School opens. Old girls school used for Sharp’s School - secondary education and training of pupil teachers.

1908

Parish rooms built as Mission House. Lord Watson Armstrong sells some Cragside treasures for death duties.

1909

Jubilee Hall extended. Rothbury agrees the new maximum speed limit for cars of 10 mph. Bridge widened with concrete parapet at a cost of £462. 

1912

John Lee gets first char-a-banc. Dixon Bros business closes

1913

John Lee’s garage built. Church House becomes boarding house (Misses Maxwell). Wooden screen is added to Baptistry and wooden font top. Silverton House and East End House are built by Thomas Muckle. Whitton Bank Cottages are built for Mark Rutherford.

1914

Territorials muster at the Jubilee Hall. School closed for Army use. Older pupils to the Workhouse and younger to Parish Hall. Death of Robert Ashton (74), woollen manufacturer, Tosson Mill.  Death of Robert Donkin (80), auctioneer. The auction mart is re-modelled. Plans for a new road from Brinkburn New Houses to Weldon Bridge.

1915

Rothbury engine shed and 2 steam engines are damaged in a fire. The County Council pays for improvements to the Otterburn road as a wartime route to Scotland.

1918

 Donkin’s lamp is moved across the green to opposite the URC Church. Pipe band starts on Hillside Road, after the Seaforth Highlanders were based at Rothbury in WWI.

1919

C. F. Wright (ex chief mechanic at John Lee’s garage) buys Church House and installs petrol pumps. He runs taxis and buses from the rear. Fire station is located there and the Tweedside Co-op until the new building is ready.

1920

Recreation ground pavilion built by WW1 ex servicemen.

1921

The war memorial unveiled in January by General Wilkinson, Commander of the Northumberland Division in France. Contractor James Muckle. John Lee runs buses to Newcastle on Tuesdays and Fridays. Whitton Grange is built by George Muckle, architect Robert Mauchlen of Newcastle, for Sir Angus Watson, a pilchard magnate.

1922

Children’s corner created at Church. L. C. Wright (son of CFW) runs a coach to Newcastle. The top floor of Church House is removed. Foundation of Rothbury Recreation Club.

1923

James Johnson retires as Head of Thomlinson School.

1924

1925

Closure of Sharp’s School to enable the enlargement of Thomlinson School.

1926

John T. Dixon, D. D. Dixon’s brother, dies aged 81 at Whittingham and is buried at Rothbury. A wooden memorial to him is placed on top of the vestry screen, over the door.

1927

There is a flood in Main Street from Copletch Burn, waist deep water at Queens Head, 1’ of sand at Townfoot.

1928

John Lee & Son and Wright’s Motors buses are taken over by United Automobile Services Ltd., Christmas eve.

1929

D. D. Dixon dies at Cragside Farm (87) after a fall & is buried in new cemetery, next to brother. Inner porch door for the Parish Church in memory of Rector Sharp. F. Wright runs boarding house at Church House. The Uncle of the Empress of Japan visits Cragside. Plans are lodged for a new garage for J. Lee and Sons at Walby Hill (showroom?).

1930

Memorial chair to DDD in Church. All age schools go and a senior school opens at Rothbury for 11 to 14s.

c.1930

Electricity put in the Church, by J. F. Bertram electrician.

1931

United route has no. 16 bus N/c to Hepple, Alwinton and Netherton. 24 bungalows planned at Mount Healey.

1933

Houses are built, along Hillside Road, Riverside and Garleigh Road. Death of James Johnson (74), Schoolmaster, and bandmaster. Thomas Muckle builds Villas at Hillside.

1934

Whitton Tower Rectory sold to Cllr. Angus Watson of N/c. Houses built at Back Riggs and Hurley Knowes. Death of Robert Donkin (72). Bungalows are built at Pondicherry.

1935

Whitton Tower leased to Newcastle Council as children’s convalescent home. Houses are built on Garleigh Road and bungalows on Hillside. Rothbury UDC, taken over by Rothbury RDC. Semis are built at Riverside. Bungalows are built near the railway station and Bungalows at Backcroft.

1936

American film ‘Moonlight Sonata’ shot at Rothbury, with concert pianist Paderewski who is later President of Poland. Tommy Wilson, butcher, attends wrap up party in Jubilee Hall. John Lee bus service to Newcastle and Alwinton.

1938

Death of John Worsnop aged 81. Worsnop photographer closes. Death of W. G. Mackay (77).

1939

A Council Estate is built at Woodlands.
Northumberland Fusiliers are billeted at the Recreation ground pavilion.
Evacuation of 219 children from West Jesmond/Kenton in Newcastle.
The lake at the left of Lee’s garage is filled in.
Fire destroys most of the Jubilee Hall after Saturday night film starring Humphrey Bogart.

1940

Cragside is taken over by the Army. 9^th Battalion of Northumberland Fusiliers are billeted there after Dunkirk.

1941

The role of Rothbury Workhouse at Silverton is changed.
Death in October of the second Lord Armstrong aged 78. A wooden memorial screen is put in All Saints South chapel.

1944

The Jubilee Hall is re-built at the request of the Army as a centre for troops but without a reading room.

1946

Maternity Unit starts at Rothbury Cottage Hospital. 
Plans for changes at the Station Hotel.

1947

War Memorial Chapel opened. Pulpit changes sides. Death of Dr. Frederick Barrow (95) at Ogle House. Serious flooding.

1948

Greenacres house built.
Start of NHS which takes over the Cottage Hospital.

1949

Start of building 36 Airey Houses at Jubilee Estate to ’52.

1950

1951

Bus station planned for United Automobile Services (Old ticket office is now the vets). Start of building houses on Gravelly Bank. Parish Council orders chain from Hughes Balckow Shipbreaking Co. to go around the war memorial and village green with concrete posts. North wall of the churchyard repaired by Parish Council.

1952

Last timetabled passenger train, Station Master Bill Askew.

1953

The new bus station is completed. Visit of Prince Akihito of Japan to Cragside for a one week holiday while in the UK for the Coronation. British Railways film ‘Any Man’s Kingdom’ narrated by Stephen Murray (Navy Lark) includes Rothbury and no. 16 United bus. Jack Phillips is seen boarding. L. C. Wright buys out Lee’s garage.

1954

Muckle’s builder’s yard is opened.
Tweedside Co-op opens a new shop at the present location.
Rothbury RDC buys Church House as offices.

1956

Much of Coquetdale above Rothbury is designated as National Park. Withdrawal of L. C. Wright’s bus service from Rothbury to Hexham via Rothley.
Hawthorn Cottage bought as an extension to the hospital.

1959

Start of bungalows at Addycombe.

1960

 Serious floods in the valley in August. Large trees on the village green planted by the Rector in 1858 are cut back. The Parish Council decides to add posts & chains from the bridge to car park.

1963

Railway closed to freight. Start of houses being built on Fairground site. Serious floods in March.

1964

Railway line lifted. Rothbury Secondary Modern School completed.

1965

Last Rothbury race meeting. In May, the County Hotel is bought by William Leech the Tyneside builder.

1967

Start of building of 24 bungalows at Addycombe Gardens.

1970

Felling of 4 large sycamores planted by the rector on the village green in 1858, but to be replaced.

1972

Death of third Lord Armstrong. Cragside is offered to the Treasury in lieu of death duties. Addycombe housing development and landscaping. Rothbury Congregational Church becomes URC. Inscriptions on graveyard headstones are recorded.

1974

Rothbury R. D. C. becomes part of Alnwick District Council, which takes over Church House, Court Building and Library.

1975

Railings replace concrete on the bridge – started 1973.
The hospital is taken over by the Area Health Authority.  Maternity and consultant clinics are stopped, leaving only geriatric and convalescent.

1976

Cragside View is completed.

1977

Memorial Chapel pews are taken out and it is carpeted, and an aubrey and oak table put in. Cragside, 911 acres and 2 farms given to Treasury as death duties and transferred to National Trust.

1978

Renovation of Armstrong Cottages by Spence & Prince N/c.

1979

Cragside is first opened to the public.

1982

Serious flooding in January.

1984

1986

Northumbria Motor Services Ltd. takes over the local bus routes from United.

1987

Fourth Lord Armstrong dies and the title is lost.

1988

Ronnie Ramsay resurrects Bowling Club.

1990

Serious flooding in April.

1993

Rothbury Post Office robbed: Five men cut telephone lines and threatened some of the 2,000 residents with crowbars during the raid early on Monday. Dressed in camouflage clothing and ski masks, the gang blocked a main street with a stolen council van and told people looking out of their windows to go back to bed. They forced their way into the Post Office and fled in the van with the safe containing pounds 15,000 in cash, stamps and pension books.

1998

Parish Councillor suggests Rothbury have its own mayor and offers to buy the chain of office. 20 visitors to Parish Council turned up to protest. Proposal dropped.
Donkin's Lamp refurbished.

1999

2001

2002

2004

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010