# Cramlington

Cramlington is a town in Northumberland in northeast England. It's a commuter town for Newcastle six miles south, with a population of 29,000 in 2021. You might break a journey up the A1 to Scotland here: the town's main sight is its offbeat open-air sculptures.

## Understand

This was a small farming village until the 19th century, when it industrialised with coal mining. By the 1960s that was in decline, but Cramlington was chosen as the nucleus of a greenfield New Town. It burgeoned into a large commuter town for Newcastle, and further expansion is planned to the south around Arcot.
Famous people associated with Cramlington include the musician Sting (Gordon Sumner b 1951), referee Mark Clattenburg (b 1975), and footballer Alan Shearer (b 1970).

## Get in

Cramlington is a 30 min drive along A1 from Newcastle upon Tyne. From the south you could also use A19 and Tyne Tunnel (toll) to dodge the interminable roadworks on A1.
Newcastle Airport (NCL) is ten miles west via the back lanes, else follow A686 towards the city and join A1, or Metro to Newcastle station.
Trains from Newcastle run hourly via Manors, taking 10 min to Cramlington and continuing to Morpeth, another 10 min. Some trains start from Carlisle via Haltwhistle (for Hadrian's Wall) and Hexham. Trains from London and York to Edinburgh don't stop here, change at Newcastle.
55.088-1.5991 Cramlington railway station is northwest corner of town near the retail park. It's just an unstaffed platform halt, with a basic shelter and ticket machine.
Arriva Bus 43 runs every 30 min from Newcastle Haymarket, taking an hour via Jesmond and Gosforth, with alternate buses continuing to Morpeth.
Arriva Bus 57 / 57A runs every 30 min from Ashington to Cramlington then Seaton Delaval and Whitley Bay.
Stagecoach Bus 37 runs every 30 min from Newcastle station, taking an hour via Freeman Hospital and Killingworth.
Gateshead Bus 19 runs hourly from North Shields pier (for South Shields ferry), taking an hour via Percy and Seaton Delaval.
The main bus stop is on Dudley Lane east side of the shopping centre.

## Get around

The town sights are within a 30 min walk. Cycle routes extend to Blyth and Seaton Delaval on the coast.
Taxi firms include Borderline (+44 191 250 1476) and Steve's (+44 7881 983881).

## See

* 55.0859-1.58281 St Nicholas' Church, Blagdon Terrace, Cramlington NE23 6QQ, ☏ +44 1670 946017. Th 10-11AM, Su 10:30AM - noon, 4-5PM. Anglican church built in 1868 in Gothic style. The churchyard holds graves from the mid-1500s. (updated Feb 2025)
* 55.0685-1.56722 Eat for England is the official name of the Giant Spoon embedded in the fields southeast of town. Reached by a quarter-mile walk along the muddy path from Bay Horse pub on B1505, it's a stainless steel 18-foot statue by Bill Budd, erected in 2006.
* 55.0733-1.54913 Capella is a metal statue a mile east across the fields. Reach it by continuing along the path from the spoon, staying north of Seaton Burn to circle back towards East Cramlington. It's by Paula Chambers and looks as if a monk or nun has been sucked hollow by The Undead.
* 55.088389-1.6280834 Northumberlandia "The Lady of the North" is a large earthwork sculpture of a female figure by Charles Jencks, created in 2012 using earth from an open-cast mine. She's 34 metres (112 feet) high and 400 metres (1300 feet) long and free to access 24 hours. Much too free really: "erosion" is the polite way of saying that uncouth northerners have scuffed their boots and poked their sticks at bits of her anatomy not foreseen in the artistic masterplan.
* 55.0547-1.64525 Big Waters is a nature reserve around a small lake.
* 55.082-1.4976 Seaton Delaval: see Whitley Bay for this 18th century mansion.

## Do

* Vue Cinema is south side of Manor Walks Shopping Centre.
* Concordia Leisure Centre, Forum Way NE23 6YB (by shopping centre), ☏ +44 1670 620200. M-F 6:30AM-9PM, Sa 8AM-7PM, Su 8AM-6PM. Leisure centre with pool, gym and fitness classes. (updated Feb 2025)
* Golf: Arcot Hall GC is on Arcot Lane in Dudley. White tees 6329 yards, par 70, visitor round £45.
    Northumberland GC is at Gosforth Park and Bedlingtonshire GC is at Bedlington.

## Buy

* Manor Walks Shopping Centre is in town centre. It has ASDA and Sainsbury's, other retail, fast food and ATMs.
* Fuel: Sainsbury's filling station is south side of Manor Walks.

## Eat

* Lal Qila, Dudley Lane NE23 6UW (in shopping centre), ☏ +44 1670 734268. M-Th, Sa noon-2:30PM, 6-11PM, F Su 6-11:30PM. Mixed reviews for this Indian restaurant. (updated Feb 2025)
* Sambuca, South Mall NE23 6UW (in shopping centre), ☏ +44 1670 734895. Su-Th noon-9PM, F Sa noon-10PM. Friendly reliable chain Italian. (updated Feb 2025)
* Panucci's, Smithy Square NE23 6QL (facing shopping centre), ☏ +44 1670 714444. Tu-Sa 5-9PM, Su noon-3PM. Pleasant Italian restaurant. (updated Feb 2025)
* Mandarin Bay (formerly Dragon Inn), Old Parish Hall, Dudley Lane NE23 6UW (facing shopping centre), ☏ +44 1670 738333. Su-Th 5:30-10PM, F Sa noon-2PM, 6-11PM. Small Chinese restaurant, good food and speedy service. (updated Feb 2025)

## Drink

* The Blagdon Arms, Village Square NE23 1DN (opposite St Nicholas), ☏ +44 1670 731162. Su-Th 10AM-11PM, F Sa 10AM-1AM. Sports bar with choice of ales but in 2025 it's up for sale and no longer offers food. (updated Feb 2025)
* John the Clerk. Open M-W 8AM-11PM, Th-Su 8PM-midnight. A JD Wetherspoon next to Blagdon Arms.
* The Plough, Middle Farm Buildings NE23 1DN (opposite St Nicholas), ☏ +44 1670 737633. Daily noon-11PM. A homely, family- and dog-friendly pub. (updated Feb 2025)

## Sleep

* Quarrie House, Church St, Cramlington NE23 1DN (facing St Nicholas), ☏ +44 1670 730039. Guesthouse in town centre with self-check-in and kitchen. Double (room only) £110. (updated Feb 2025)
* 55.0859-1.6271 Snowy Owl, Blagdon Lane, Cramlington NE23 8AU, ☏ +44 1670 736111. Pleasant country inn with rooms, part of Innkeeper's Collection franchise. B&B double £120. (updated Feb 2025)
* 55.0647-1.58172 Premier Inn Gosforth, Moor Farm Roundabout, Annitsford NE23 7QA, ☏ +44 333 321 1337. Reliable chain budget hotel south edge of town, junction of A19 and A189. B&B double £90. (updated Feb 2025)
* 55.0659-1.63343 Travelodge, Fisher Lane, Seaton Burn NE13 6EP (jcn A1 / A19), ☏ +44 871 984 6166. Clean, comfy and inexpensive. B&B double £60. (updated Feb 2025)
* Holiday Inn, Old Great North Road, Seaton Burn NE13 6BP (next to Travelodge), ☏ +44 191 201 9988. Friendly well-run chain hotel. B&B double £120. (updated Feb 2025)
* Tynemouth further south along A19 has more accommodation.

## Connect

As of Feb 2025, Cramlington and its approach roads have 4G from Vodafone, and 5G from EE, O2 and Three.

## Go next

* South for big city amusements in Newcastle.
* North for Alnwick castle and the scenic coast up to Lindisfarne.
* West for Hadrian's Wall, best-preserved between Hexham and Haltwhistle.