About.
-
Idyllic.
Situated at the north end of the village, this stone cottage holds a prime position with unrestricted views of the sea. The quiet location is idyllic for artists, photographers and writers.
-
Relaxing.
An ornithologists’ delight it is also ideally suited to walkers, or for a relaxing break beside the sea. The unique setting provides walks from the door to the beach, village pub and coastal paths.
-
Old & New.
The cottage has a remarkable history and has been carefully renovated, retaining the original character of the original building while offering modern comforts.
-
Garden Room.
The highlight of this property is a stunning external garden room providing an extra area in which to relax and enjoy the unrivalled sea views.
The village.
Once the ‘smuggling capital’ of Northumberland, 18th century Boulmer was very different to the peaceful village you’ll find today.
Situated 4 miles (6km) from the historic market town of Alnwick, Boulmer is quiet fishing village right in the heart of the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) – a 40 mile (64km) protected stretch of unique coastline that runs from Berwick to the Coquet Estuary.
Perfectly placed, Boulmer allows easy access to the castles of Bamburgh, Dunstaburgh and Warkworth; the nearby spectacular Cheviot hills and Northumberland National Park as well as multiple National Trust and English Heritage properties.
With Alnmouth train station a few miles away you can reach Newcastle in less than 30 minutes and Edinburgh in under an hour.
The name.
Like much of Northumberland, the village of Boulmer - pronounced ‘boomer’ [buːmər] - has changed many times over the centuries.
The village’s name has its first roots in ancient Gaelic and the words ‘Búir na mara’ meaning ‘roar of the sea’.
When Old English became the predominant language, the Gaelic words were repalced and the village took on a new name dervived from ‘Bulan mere’, which historical translations cite as ‘sea that bulls frequent’.
The most recent evolution of the name came in the period after the Norman conquerors reached the north east in 1069. ‘Boul de mer’ old French for ‘sea bowl’ is believed to have been used by the Normans to describe the village’s unique arc or bowl shaped harbour.
The cottage.
Compared to the history of the rest of county, North Cottage, has had a much more genteel timeline.
The cottage was built as Alms house in the early 1800s by local fisherman using stone cut from the rocks leading down to the beach immediately in front of the cottage.
In 1865 the cottage was converted into the village school where it served the local children for fifty years, before before converted back into a home in 1915.
A photo of the pupils of Boulmer Village School c. 1915