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The site of the Memorial Park at the entrance to the village was once the site of the Jerry's Pond, a well known watering place for the droves of cattle driven 'on the hoof' to and from the markets of Hexham and Newcastle. It was a common playground for the village children, who, not infrequently, were admonished for wet feet and clothes. The pond had formed in the ditch of the Vallum on the south side of Hadrian's Wall, probably fed by the natural spring of an old well situated on Chare Bank below the church.

At the end of the 1914-18 war, it was by general consent agreed to erect a memorial in honour of those men from the village who had paid the supreme sacrifice in its cause. With the generous subscriptions from all the parishioners, work was put in hand, the old pond drained, the land levelled and the memorial was erected, a granite cross surrounded at its base with iron railings.

The memorial was enhanced by gardens laid out at the expense of Sir James Knott and was officially opened on 11th November 1925.

As the photo shows, the gardens are still maintained with pride by local volunteers.

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