Shotton, Northumberland
| Kilham | |
|---|---|
 Kilham Valley |
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 Kilham
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| Kilham shown within Northumberland | |
| Population | 131 (2001) |
| OS grid reference | NT8832 |
| Civil parish |
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| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MINDRUM |
| Postcode district | TD12 |
| Dialling code | 01890 |
| Police | Northumbria |
| Fire | Northumberland |
| Ambulance | North East |
| EU Parliament | North East England |
| UK Parliament | |
Kilham is a hamlet and civil parish in the English county of Northumberland, located 8.0 miles (12.9 km) west of Wooler, 12.0 miles (19.3 km) east of Kelso, 17.0 miles (27.4 km) south west of Berwick upon Tweed and 38.9 miles (62.6 km) north west of Morpeth. It lies on the northern edge of the Northumberland National Park in Glendale. The hamlet, which consists of a small group of agricultural dwellings, is overlooked by Kilham Hill and the northern limits of the Cheviot Hills. The parish had a population of 131 in 2001, and includes the hamlets of Howtel and Pawston, along with the former upland township of Coldsmouth and Thompson's Walls. falling to less than 100 at the 2011 Census. Details are now included in the parish of Branxton
Situated on the border with Scotland, Kilham had a turbulent history. It suffered from repeated Scottish incursions, and was often destroyed and laid waste. The situation was considered serious enough for a report to be made to the Privy Council of England, about a raid in 1597 which had resulted in the death of several villagers. In later, more peaceful times, the area developed into an agricultural backwater, which was gradually opened up by the construction of roads and railways.
Kilham first appears in documents in 1177 as Killum, which is usually thought to derive from the Old English Cylnum, indicating the presence of kilns. The name was still spelt Killum as late as the 18th century.
Several well preserved Bronze Age settlements exist in the area around Kilham, and a cairn on Kilham Hill, excavated in 1905, was found to conceal a cist containing burnt bones, thought to date from the period. A bronze rapier blade dating from 1500–1000 BC, found near the Bowmont Water in the 19th century, and now in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, provides further evidence of Bronze Age activity in the parish.
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Wikipedia