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Picture source: Mike Quinn

The Blue Bell Inn was situated on Townfoot.

I came across the name of this pub on finding the copy of a letter which a friend gave me years ago.   It is dated October 20th, 1938.   In it the correspondent is urging my friend to stay there en route from Upholland to see him in Rock Minstead near Alnwick and says....... ............”it would be too far to cycle for a day, I imagine, but if you stopped at Alston for the night, the second day’s journey would be delightful.   There is a pub there called the Blue Bell or something of the sort, which I love dearly.   Men in gaiters come in the evening and talk about sheep.   They give you a wonderful smokey bacon breakfast.....at least they used to”. I thought it was a lovely picture of days gone by in a pub that appears not now to exist.

Ann North (July 2019)

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Other Photos

Picture source: Graham Coombs