Kilham : Area Of Study

The area of study adopted is represented by the 19th century Township of Kilham, one of 15 townships incorporated in the huge, 38,000 acre ecclesiastical parish of Kirknewton. The parish embraced the bulk of the north Cheviot massif and a substantial proportion of what is now the Northumberland National Park.  Kilham Township itself contained 2871 acres and comprised two main components (NCH XI (1922), 158-69).

The valley of the Kilham Burn occupies the south side of Glendale with Kilham at the mouth of the valley and the farm of Longknowe higher up. Opposite Kilham, on the north side of the dale, lies Thornington with adjacent hills on the north side of the dale. The modern civil parish covers a much wider area embracing the former townships of Howtel, Paston and Coldsmouth and Thompson's Walls.