Abundant Waterfalls and Streams
The hills and valleys around Hexham were filled with streams, burns, cascades, and waterfalls, especially after heavy rain. Water rushed through rocky channels and wooded valleys, creating countless little falls and pools. Some were well known, while others were simply part of the countryside that local people knew from experience.
For the Whitakers, these waterways were part of the landscape they traveled through every day—a place to pause, explore, and perhaps discover something hidden among the rocks and trees.
Great Stone Bridge, 1885
Completed in 1793, Hexham's great stone bridge carried people, horses, carts, and travelers across the River Tyne. By 1885, its nine stone arches had already carried generations of people into and out of town.
The Whitakers did not cross this bridge on their trips to and from home. Their home lay on the other side of Hexham, so their journey took them through the town without needing to cross the Tyne.
For other travelers, however, the bridge was an important gateway into Hexham—and a reminder that the river shaped how people traveled through the countryside, in 1885.
Explore the map to choose your destination, begin an adventure, and discover rewards along the way.
Prefer traditional links? Click here for Explorer Links
The night is November 5th, 1885. The sky is exploding with fireworks and blazing bonfires as half of Britain celebrates Gunpowder Treason Day.
Under the cover of the smoke, a secret race of animals called the Purelings made their desperate move. They had no choice. They have to run, or “go worldly-wise”—a curse that would strip away their purity and destroy their souls forever.
We are talking about griffins, drakes, unicorns, and others fleeing in plain sight.
The human world completely missed their desperate escape. But eight children will be the key to their survival.
The interactive map and pages are your portal into that fateful journey. Click the trails to meet the children, track the hidden mythic creatures, and read the novel (Coming 11/5/2026). Don’t forget to claim your free loot—including downloadable game files, T-shirt graphics, and 3D printing blueprints to bring the Shire to your desk.
The bonfires are burning. Are you ready to save the magic? Let’s go.
Things You Might Find → | Own a Piece of 1885 →
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.