Haltwhistle

Coordinates: 54°58′12″N 2°27′29″W / 54.970°N 2.458°W / 54.970; -2.458

Haltwhistle is a small town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, situated 10 miles (16 km) east of Brampton, near Hadrian's Wall, and the villages of Plenmeller, Rowfoot and Melkridge. It has a population of 3,811, decreasing to 3,791 at the 2011 Census.

Well constructed, stone-built houses are still a feature of central Haltwhistle, and though there are none outstanding architecturally the general appearance of the groups is harmonious. The houses were built of local stone, but with the railway, other materials could be brought in. It is one of two settlements in Great Britain which claim to be the exact geographic centre of the island, along with Dunsop Bridge in Lancashire, located 71 miles (114 km) to the south.

The name

The name of Haltwhistle has nothing to do with a railway stop. Early forms of the name are Hautwesel (1240), Hautwysel (1254), Hawtewysill (1279), Hautwysell (1381), Haltwesell (Speede 1610). The second part -twistle relates to two streams or rivers. It derives from two Old English words twicce or twise, 'twice', 'division into two' and wella, 'stream, brook'. The second word is reduced in the compound word to ull, making twicculla, twisella. All but one of the examples in place names represent a high tongue of land between two streams where they join.