THE COURT VISITS THE NORTH EAST
27 OCTOBER 2021
Past Master Stephen Platten's plans for a Court trip during his year as Master were spoiled by the lockdown but last weekend they came to fruition with a tour of Northumberland.
The three days were action-packed. Arriving on the Thursday evening at the Linden Hall country hotel, Friday was Hadrian’s Wall - celebrating it’s 1900th anniversary next year. On return, Robson’s Choice, a group of Northumbrian pipers were the entertainers with Geordie songs including rowsing choruses of Blaydon Races!
Saturday was Lindisfarne, Holy Island - tales of Aidan, Cuthbert, Oswald and the Northumbrian saints - a celebrated place for Stationers as the source of perhaps the earliest published material in England, amongst this, the glorious Lindisfarne Gospels. The afternoon was in Alnwick, the Ducal seat, then to Stephen and Rosslie’s house on the Quay Walls in Berwick, with dinner at the nearby Queen’s Head hotel. The Past Master certainly appeared to enjoy it and it looked as if all the other punters were having fun.
In the image you can see Past Master Stephen, Past Master David Allan, an archaeologist who provided expert guidance to Chesters Roman Fort and Court Assistant Paul Wilson. Court Assistant Doug Wills took the photo.