Village guides are a unique new series of guides designed for the iPhone and iPad. They allow both the casual visitor and the long-time resident to have a fascinating insight into the past by telling the story of villages through text, audio and superb archive photographs.

Set in the North-East of England, they bring the region’s particular mix of industrial and medieval past to light in a way that traditional guidebooks cannot match. They also have very useful information for the visitor such as listing where to park or finding out where the nearest cash-point is. Plus you can also find out somewhere great to eat.

This village guide covers Longhirst, describing over twenty fascinating buildings or sites to go and look at. It has over sixty-five photographs and illustrations, many of which are archive prints that are seldom seen and the story behind each site is available in twenty unique recordings to listen to and enjoy as you walk around and explore.

• Identify where a deserted medieval village once stood.
• Find out the story of Longhirst Hall and the families that lived there.
• Unearth the Victorian hypocrisy that led to the closure of Longhirst’s only pub.
• Hear about the development of mining in the area.
• Find out about the gifts the Lawson family bestowed on the village.
• Discover a tiny architectural gem in the village.
• Learn about farms that were destroyed by opencast mining.
• Explore the site of the old Longhirst Colliery.
• Uncover relics of the First and Second World War.
• Read about Longhirst’s Second World War flying Ace.

I hope that you enjoy it and that it encourages you to try out other village guides in the series, such as Pegswood, Ashington or Ellington and Linton.