The North East is home to some of the most unique attractions in the country.
It boasts a stunning coastline as well as nationally recognised landmarks such as the Angel of the North, the Tyne Bridge and Penshaw Monument.
But the area has some hidden gems which you may not realise are there. A number of them have been located in the region for centuries and have a fascinating story behind them.
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Below are some of the weird and wonderful things located on your door step. How many of them did you already know about?
Willie the stuffed dog
Inside The Turks Head in Tynemouth is a glass cabinet containing a stuffed border collie called Willie. The dog has inhabited the Turks Head since 1880 - and there’s an unwritten rule that whoever runs the pub has to agree to keep him there. Willie has watched over the bar for an incredible 142 years.
The dog is dubbed "wondering Willie" due to the Victorian tale of how he came to call Tynemouth home. According to the story, the sheepdog was one day helping his master drive a flock of sheep from the Cheviots through North Shields when the noise of the town scared the sheep and they scattered.
Willie quickly rounded up the runaway sheep - but upon counting the flock it appeared that one was still missing, and Willie’s master quickly sent him back out to find it. The devoted collie searched the whole town for the missing sheep - but while he was away, his master checked the flock again and realised that he had in fact miscounted and all sheep were accounted for.
With night falling and Willie nowhere to be seen, searching for a lamb that he would never find, the shepherd had no choice but to continue his journey without the dog. When Willie finally returned to the spot and found his master gone, he was devastated.
Legend has it that the collie remained there for months hoping that his beloved shepherd would return, surviving on scraps of food and refusing help from locals. One day, a ferry skipper noticed a sickly-looking Willie wandering the town and decided to take him on board his ferry to put the poor dog out of his misery.
Willie found himself thrown overboard and into the Tyne - but the determined dog miraculously managed to swim back to shore. After that, the collie finally started to accept care from the people of the coast who had grown accustomed to spotting the dog on his wanderings.
It’s said that Willie’s coat grew shiny once again and he was soon fattened up on the food given to him by generous locals. Willie became something of a celebrity in Victorian North Shields where he enjoyed spending time at the docks, announcing the arrival of each ferry by barking madly as they approached. A chorus of local children learned to join in with his barking, causing such a commotion that Willie was eventually banned from the boats.
A ferryman named Ralph later took the collie under his wing, and Willie lived out the rest of his days accompanying his new owner around North Shields - although it’s said that he never stopped hoping to see his old master one last time. Willie died of old age in 1880, and Ralph had him stuffed and mounted in the Turks Head to ensure that the dog’s incredible story lived on.
Giant Spoon
In a field, south of Cramlington in Northumberland, is a giant spoon. The 15-foot tall stainless steel statue, created by Bob Budd, is called 'Eat for England'.
According to the BBC, the big piece of cutlery was erected in 2006 as part of a Lottery funded art trial. The broadcaster reported in 2014 how the artist decided that somewhere that food was produced was the best place for an enormous dessert spoon. He also called it a "carrot" to entice people into the countryside.
Visitors can park in Seghill and walk to the outdoor attraction along a public footpath pointing toward Klondyke. However you'll get your feet wet while crossing the Seaton Burn - which has no bridge.
From then on, it's a simple straight line to Eat for England, which is not visible from the road. There is barbed wire either side of the path though, so if you have children or dogs, keep them close.
It is also possible to walk to the giant spoon from Cramlington. The access is via an underpass below the A189 trunk road.
Red House Sculpture
At first glance, the sculpture in Sunderland may look like the remnants of an old building or a really bad case of flytipping. However it depicts the bottom floor of a home that has been ruined and left to the elements.
The sculpture, located next to the National Glass Centre on the riverside, is made entirely out of red stone. Part of a sofa, a table, books, a chair, a sink and other household items sit on the walkway next to the River Wear. Many believe the concept behind it was to honour the nearly 300 people who were killed in the city as a result of German bombing raids during World War II.
The Weighhouse
Tucked away amongst the stalls in the Grainger Market in Newcastle is The Weighhouse. The room was originally used in the 19th century by stall holders and buyers to check the weight of their purchases. Back then, it was a legal requirement by all markets.
The weighhouse still operates within the market. People can pay 50p to stand on a giant scale and weigh themselves. A member of staff then issues them with a ticket stating their weight. Customers are guaranteed an accurate and confidential service.
Murder headstone
High above Barrowburn in the Coquet Valley is a headstone which reads: "Murder Cleugh here in 1610 Robert Lumsden killed Isabella Sudden". Landowner Sudden, who is said to have had a liking for married women, stoned Isabella to death, realising she was due to bear his illegitimate child. The law eventually caught up with him and he was tried at Alnwick. He was sentenced to a month in jail, almost getting away with murder.
Mr George's Museum of Time
The family run watch and clock museum is located in the centre of Haydon Bridge in Northumberland. The museum includes a wide selection of mechanical timepieces, keys, tools and parts dating from the 18th century and the late 20th century. Mr George's is also a specialist repair shop and gift shop. Customers visiting for a watch or clock repaid can view the collection of watches and clocks on display while they wait.
South Bailey Sewer Lamp
The lamp can be found in the Old Bailey area of Durham and dates back to the late-Victoria era. The cast-iron lamps were invented after the Great Stink of 1858 when London’s sewers caused a stink.
The sewer gas destructor lamps remove the sewer gases and their hazards. The idea then spread from London, with lamps around 100 historic vent pipes in the care of Northumbrian Water.
Emily Wilding Davison statue
A statue of suffragette Emily Wilding Davison is located in Carlisle Park in Morpeth, Northumberland.
Emily is one of those responsible for securing the right to vote for women. But in her lifetime, she was known as a radical who was brutally imprisoned and tortured by the state.
She was arrested and imprisoned for her part in demonstrations and activities in support of the Women’s Social and Political Union. Emily went on hunger strike in prison numerous times and was force fed on forty-nine occasions, a feeding tube forced down her nose or down her throat.
Her name became known around the world in June 1913 when she stepped onto the Epsom race track and was struck by the thundering hooves of the King George V’s horse Anmer. She never recovered from her injuries and died four days later in hospital. She was buried in St Mary’s Churchyard in Morpeth.
The statue, which was unveiled in 2018, depicts Emily tipping food out of a bowl she has been given, knowing the consequences that would follow. It was created by County Durham-based artist Ray Lonsdale and funded by Northumberland County Council and Morpeth Town Council at a cost of £55,000.
Winter's Gibbet
Above the village of Elsdon in Northumberland is Winter's Gibbet - a ghostly reminder of a murder committed by William Winter in 1591.
Winter was convicted of murdering Margaret Crozier at Raw Pele near Elsdon and was executed at Westgate in Newcastle. His body was hung in chains and left to rot in a spot near the current gibbet.
A century later Sir William Trevelyan of Wallington Hall ordered a replica of the gibbet to be constructed along with a wooden effigy of Winter.
The head has been stolen and replaced several times over the years. There have been reported sightings of Winter's spectre at the current site.
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