The people of Peckles-Wood Shire call it the Deep River. Today, it is known as the South Tyne.
The river begins in the hills to the south and flows northward through Northumberland, winding its way toward the place where the South Tyne and North Tyne meet to form the River Tyne.
But on the map of Peckles-Wood Shire, the Deep River is more than a line of water.
A River Through the Shire
In 1885, the Deep River was an important part of the Northumberland countryside. Mines and industries had left their mark on the water, carrying iron, minerals, and other waste downstream. Yet the river continued its ancient journey north, cutting through the land as it had for generations.
The Whitaker children knew the Deep River well. Against their father’s wishes, they sometimes made their way to its banks to play. They picked up stones, skipped them across the water, and explored the riverbank.
The Deep River was part of their childhood, but it would become something much more important in the story of the Purelings.
Maybe there’s something here you can discover, too.
Want to grab your own steauns? → l Peckles-Wood Shire Map →
Copyright © 2026 Lee Wimmer & Hightower Publications. All rights reserved.
The Illustrator’s Vision — The maps and illustrations of Peckles-Wood Shire are inspired by the real landscapes, places, and traditions of Victorian Northumberland. Created for The Chronicles of Peckles-Wood Shire, they blend historical research with imagination to bring the world of Broken Sanctuary to life and invite young explorers to step into the Whitaker family’s adventure of 1885.