Clickemin Farm and Its Curious Name

This district has many unusual farm names but one of the most unusual had to be Clickemin Farm just on the outskirts of Ponteland which is now private houses. The clue to its origin comes from the farm’s location, just on the Newcastle – Ponteland Road. This was a toll road where local farmers, in the days before rail or motor transport would walk their livestock down, to sell in the markets in Newcastle. As the farmer drove his produce through the toll-gate, the gatekeeper would click-them-in, to charge based on the animals which went through. There is mention of a pub here, probably in the 18th century, which was named after this and subsequently passed its name onto the farm.

The current farmhouse probably dates to the latter part of the 19th century but there was a farm here at least from 1814 when the tenant was George Dunn. By the 1851 Census, the farm was occupied by Walter Turnbull. In 1861, Michael Colwell was the tenant and he was described as Farmer of 153 acres, employing 3 labourers. The farm was offered to let again in 1866 when the owner appears to have been Mr Pears of Fenham Hall who was also connected to the Street House Farm just down the road. It was described as “excellent Arable and Grass Land, nearly the whole of which has been lately drained”. At that time, there does not seem to have been a main farmhouse here as the residence is given as Prestwick Street House.

The latter part of the 19th century saw the farm tenanted by Thomas Robson. The farm was bigger during this period when it consisted of about 300 acres and Mr. Robson employed 5 labourers on the farm. By 1911 the farm had been taken over by Robert Smith who was described as a “well-known and noted agriculturist”. The farmhouse in the census return was listed as having nine rooms.

Sometime around 1925, the farm was taken over by T. Huchinson and it was to remain in the possession of the Hutchinson family until the 1980’s when the farm buildings were converted to houses. Formerly there was a small orchard separating the farmhouse from the farmbuldings but in 2019 this was replaced by a large, new freestanding house, Orchard House.