Every road has a story to tell. Sometimes the unknown steps into an ordinary life, and nothing is ever the same again.
Begin Your Journey
Discover the Chapel, explore Victorian worship in 1885, and follow the Whitaker family’s Sunday walk through the countryside. Don’t hurry along the path—there may be more to discover than you expect.
Explore the map to begin your adventure.
The Whitaker Home
The Front Gate
Every chapel walk begins around 8 o'clock, after chores and breakfast. The family dresses in their very best before setting out.
Experience the morning through Clarabelle or Will.
The Front Gate
Every chapel walk begins at 8 o'clock, after chores and breakfast. The family dresses in their very best before setting out.
Experience the morning through Clarabelle or Will.
The Old Churchyard Gate
The path from the ridge bends downward, and you can finally see the chapel ahead! You have reached the old churchyard gate, where the stones beneath your feet are worn smooth from years of footsteps.Beyond the gate, weathered gravestones stand in the grass. These stones belong to people who lived and worked in these hills long before you were born. For the Whitaker children, this isn't a lonely or spooky place. It's a piece of their history—and it's a place where your friends are, too.⚡ The adventure here at the chapel is just getting started!
The Old Churchyard Gate
The path from the ridge bends downward, and you can finally see the chapel ahead! You have reached the old churchyard gate, where the stones beneath your feet are worn smooth from years of footsteps.Beyond the gate, weathered gravestones stand in the grass. These stones belong to people who lived and worked in these hills long before you were born. For the Whitaker children, this isn't a lonely or spooky place. It's a piece of their history—and it's a place where your friends are, too.⚡ The adventure here at the chapel is just getting started!
Out of the dark little woods of the coppice, the path suddenly opens wide. You step onto the high ridge, and the whole world opens before you!Down below, the massive stone walls, rushing burns, and empty farms look like tiny toy pieces fitting into one great landscape. Father says on a clear day you can see all the way to the Lindisfarne Hills!But the children can't stay long. The wind catches hardest up here, the chapel is still ahead, and heavy farm work is waiting at home.🗺️ See How It Fits Together: Climb higher with the Whitaker children and discover the secrets of the Shire landscape! Tap below to open the full view.
Out of the dark little woods of the coppice, the path suddenly opens wide. You step onto the high ridge, and the whole world opens before you!Down below, the massive stone walls, rushing burns, and empty farms look like tiny toy pieces fitting into one great landscape. Father says on a clear day you can see all the way to the Lindisfarne Hills!But the children can't stay long. The wind catches hardest up here, the chapel is still ahead, and heavy farm work is waiting at home.See How It Fits Together: Climb higher with the Whitaker children and discover the secrets of the Shire landscape! Tap below to open the full view.
📍 The Coppice
The fields fall away, the path narrows, and suddenly you're walking beneath the trees.
The Whitaker children know this place. It is cooler here, quieter too—and a fine place to catch your breath before the long road to chapel.
📍 The Coppice
The fields fall away, the path narrows, and suddenly you're walking beneath the trees.
The Whitaker children know this place. It is cooler here, quieter too—and a fine place to catch your breath before the long road to chapel.
Look closely at the trail ahead. The path suddenly pinches together, and towering, ancient stone walls press in on you from both sides. Why would anyone build a road this narrow in the middle of nowhere?🗺️ Uncover the Secret: What used to fill this empty lane? Tap below to step inside, see the ancient walls, and unlock the history!👉 WALK DOWN DROVER'S LANE
Following the stone wall is the easy part. Getting over it is another matter entirely! You have reached the old wooden stile. Usually, climbing over is a breeze—but today, everyone is dressed in their absolute best Sunday clothes, and the mud below is thick. Worse yet, someone is carrying the heavy, precious family Bible. One wrong slip, and it goes face-down into a giant puddle Can You Make the Climb? Don't let Mother see that mud!
Following the stone wall is the easy part. Getting over it is another matter entirely! You have reached the old wooden stile. Usually, climbing over is a breeze—but today, everyone is dressed in their absolute best Sunday clothes, and the mud below is thick. Worse yet, someone is carrying the heavy, precious family Bible. One wrong slip, and it goes face-down into a giant puddle. Can You Make the Climb? Don't let Mother see that mud!
If Mr. Brown is outside, the Whitaker children stop.
They bring him the news from the road, and he has plenty of news of his own.
If Mr. Brown is outside, the Whitaker children stop.
They bring him the news from the road, and he has plenty of news of his own.
Prefer traditional links? Find the Explorer’s links here.
In 1885, Sunday was a special day for families in the Northumberland countryside. Work slowed, families gathered together, and the walk to chapel was part of the day’s rhythm. The Whitakers would make their way through fields, along country lanes, and past the familiar places that surrounded their home.
The chapel was more than a place of worship. It was a place where neighbors met, families gathered, and rural traditions were carried from one generation to the next.
Follow the Whitakers’ Sunday path and see the countryside as they would have known it in 1885. Along the way, there are stories to uncover, hidden treasures to find, and little discoveries waiting for those who take their time.
Thank you for visiting Peckles-Wood Shire. We hope your journey through 1885 brings wonder to every road you travel.
Continue the adventure with the Broken Sanctuary novel, the first journey into the world of Peckles-Wood Shire. Then discover collectibles and keepsakes inspired by the Whitaker family’s adventure.
Own a Piece of 1885 → | Peckles-Wood Shire Map →
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.
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