Northumberland's Lost Houses
John Boulter reviews a new book by Jim Davidson
The majority of the illustrations in this book come from Mr. Davidson’s large collection of historic postcards. Otherwise it is very similar to Lost Houses of Newcastle and Northumberland by Thomas Faulkner and Phoebe Lowery, one of a series published by Jill Raines in 1996, but now out of print. It is rather larger in content and format than the earlier volume and inevitably covers much of the same ground. Of the 100 or so houses covered here, and the 75 in the older book, about 60 are common, however, only about one third of these have the same photographs and half of the latter are attributed to Mr. Davidson. The older book generally has more descriptive matter than the present volume, has a comprehensive bibliography and devotes more space to important houses such as Haggerston Castle (three pages as against one). But in this book the photographs are rather larger and a whole page is devoted to every house. It also has a small section on houses which have been saved. Both volumes have introductory chapters and are well indexed. Altogether, the two volumes complement each other and those interested in old houses will wish to have both.
Jim Davidson’s Northumberland’s Lost Houses is available by mail order from Wagtail Press, Gairshield, Steel, Hexham, NE47 0HS at £14.99 (+ £2 p&p). www.wagtailpress.co.uk
City and County
August 2009
