Greenhead, Northumberland

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Greenhead is a small village and civil parish in Northumberland, England. It has about 385 residents (2011).

The village sits on the Military Road (B6318) and is along the A69, about 17 miles from Chollerford, 3 miles from Haltwhistle, and 9 miles from Brampton in Cumbria. The A69 now bypasses the village, so traffic no longer goes through Greenhead.

Greenhead lies just outside Northumberland National Park and near Hadrian’s Wall. Just to the north is Thirlwall Castle, a 12th‑century fortress that has been restored and is open to visitors. Nearby villages include Upper Denton and Haltwhistle. A former Methodist chapel in Greenhead is now a youth hostel. The Pennine Way, the UK’s first national trail, passes through Greenhead.

The village is in Hexham parliamentary constituency and is governed locally by Northumberland County Council.

Thirlwall Castle sits by the Tipalt Burn near Greenhead. Built in the 12th century, it was strengthened with stones from Hadrian’s Wall and later fell into disrepair. It is a Grade I listed site and Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Greenhead used to have a railway station on the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway (Tyne Valley Line). The line opened in the 1830s, and the Greenhead station closed in 1967. The nearest open station is Haltwhistle, about 3 miles away.