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Street Houses, WYLAM, NE41 8BW

George Stephenson's Cottage is on the right and Street Houses on the left below Image

A small terrace of three houses just east of Stephenson's Cottage with frontage on the Wylam Waggonway (bridleway). At least one of the properties has an extended garden on the south side of the Wylam Waggonway, some distance above the river. Access by car to the properties is by rough track from Rift Farm off Blue Bell Lane Image Stephenson Cottage used to be called High Street House. Street Houses was transferred from Heddon on the Wall Parish(Castle Morpeth Borough) to Wylam Parish (Tynedale District) by small changes to the existing boundary in 1984.

An isolated group of four terraced cottages adjacent to the former railway line, close to Street House, birthplace of George Stephenson, and the River Tyne. Street House was originally on the Close House estate. It was formerly one large farmstead called Street House which was later demolished, and on the site with the same stones, were built these four cottages, retaining the same name, and occupied by fishermen and their families, employed by Bewicke family.

On 9 June 1781 George Stephenson was born in this cottage. It is now managed by the National Trust.

Growing in short grassland by the River Tyne Image Spring Sandwort Image has also been recorded here, although not seen recently. They are both local rarities, predominantly associated with lead mining sites. The grassland and neighbouring woodland have developed on alluvial deposits, contaminated by heavy metals derived from the North Pennine Orefield upstream http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/tyne/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_8528000/8528279.stm The area is maintained as a nature reserve by the Northumberland Wildlife Trust http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002722.pdf

In colours more in keeping with its early state than the bright white currently carried.

In autumn the lower ring of female flowers forms a cluster of bright red berries which remain after the spathe and other leaves have withered away Image These attractive red to orange berries are extremely poisonous. The berries contain oxalates of saponins which have needle-shaped crystals which irritate the skin, mouth, tongue, and throat, and result in swelling of throat, difficulty breathing, burning pain, and upset stomach. However, their acrid taste coupled with the almost immediate tingling sensation in the mouth when consumed mean that large amounts are rarely taken and serious harm is unusual. It is one of the most common causes of accidental plant poisoning based on attendance at hospital A & E departments. http://www.thepoisongarden.co.uk/atoz/arum_maculatum.htm "If I have a son, he shall salute the lords and ladies who unfurl green hoods to the March rains, and shall know them afterwards by their scarlet fruit." Opening lines of the prose poem, 'All these I learnt' by Robert Byron (1905-1941) http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/reports/arts/prince_poem_20061005.shtml

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