A new podcast collection, “Hefted! Upland Farming Heritage withinside the Cheviots,” has launched, exploring the wealthy and resilient traditions which have formed Northumberland’s upland panorama for almost 8,000 years. Presented with the aid of using the award-prevailing podcaster Olivia Oldham-Dorrington, the eight-component collection brings collectively voices from shepherds, farmers, and land managers who proportion their stories and insights at the evolving tale of hill farming withinside the Cheviot Hills.
The podcast is a fabricated from the University’s “Inspiring Rural Heritage” undertaking, evolved in collaboration with nearby groups and specialists inclusive of Professor Chris Gerrard from the Department of Archaeology. It builds at the paintings of “Cheviots: Spreading the Word,” a multidisciplinary take a look at the use of over 19 hours of interviews and clean archaeological and historic analysis. The end result is a captivating audio adventure that information how farming practices have modified and tailored to demanding situations like depopulation and weather change, retaining Northumberland’s rural background alive.
To make the stories of the Cheviots even extra accessible, the podcast release turned into observed with the aid of using a quick animation, colorfully bringing existence to 8,000 years of farming traditions. The undertaking additionally gives a strong aid % for nearby faculties and network groups. These encompass colourful statistics displays, attractive role-play sports for younger learners, and dialogue prompts, all evolved with the innovative enter of artist Anthea Wood. The purpose is to spark interest approximately the region’s agricultural background—even as presenting masses of fabric for active study room conversations.
At the revealing occasion at Wooler Mart in Northumberland, Professor Gerrard highlighted the collaborative nature of the undertaking, reflecting, “This aid turned into created with the aid of using nearby humans for nearby humans, formed with the aid of using deep studies into the records and traditions of the Northumbrian borders. It’s fun, now and again a piece irreverent, and continually captivating to peer historical land makes use of being re-tested for the environmental advantages they provide today.” Gerrard additionally talked about that landscapes regularly taken into consideration wild or untouched are, in fact, the end result of heaps of years of human ingenuity and adaptation.
“Hefted! Upland Farming Heritage withinside the Cheviots” is now to be had on Spotify and principal streaming platforms, inviting listeners anywhere to find out a international wherein sheep outnumber people—but nearby information runs deep throughout generations. The assignment become made viable via assist from the Arts and Humanities Research Council and a number of nearby partners, inclusive of Northumberland National Park, Glendale Gateway Trust, College Valley Estates, The Gefrin Trust, Glendale Agricultural Society, Wooler schools, and the nearby library. The University’s Department of Archaeology, lately ranked 6th withinside the QS World University Rankings via way of means of Subject for 2025 and fourth withinside the Complete University Guide for 2026, keeps to steer the manner in multidisciplinary studies and network engagement.
