The Blackbird Ponteland

About The Blackbird Ponteland

The Blackbird is one of Ponteland's most distinctive venues, a historic pub and restaurant built into the site of the town's medieval castle, opposite St Mary's Church. It is known for premium steaks and British pub classics, with generous Sunday roasts a particular draw, plus a garden and a regular quiz night.

The building incorporates the remains of a 13th-century fortified house, giving it genuine historic character to go with the food. It sits on North Road at the old heart of the village and is a firm favourite for both a special meal and a relaxed drink.

Featured in These Guides

Blog posts and guides that feature The Blackbird Ponteland.

Bonfire Night in Ponteland

Ponteland is one of only three places in the region with a fireworks display on Bonfire Night itself. The Friends of PCPS display is on Thursday 5 November, gates 4.30pm and fireworks at 6pm.

The Best Photography Spots in Ponteland

Where to point your camera in and around Ponteland, from the old bridge over the River Pont to a Norman church, a medieval tower and open Northumberland countryside.

The Lost Buildings of Ponteland: A Village's Vanished Past

A castle sacked by the Scots, a railway that barely lasted a generation. A guide to the lost and vanished buildings of Ponteland and the history they left behind.

A Weekend in Ponteland: How to Spend 48 Hours

Visiting or just fancy a staycation on your doorstep? A relaxed 48-hour itinerary for Ponteland, from riverside walks and a village zoo to historic pubs and good food.

Bars and Cocktails in Ponteland: Where to Go for a Night Out

You don't have to head into Newcastle for a good cocktail. A guide to the bars and cocktail spots in Ponteland, from a stylish bar and eatery to 70-odd gins.

Quiz Nights in Ponteland: Where to Test Your Trivia

A weekly pub quiz is one of the village's simplest nights out. A guide to where to find quiz nights in Ponteland, and when they run.

The Oldest Pubs in Ponteland

One of them is built into the remains of a medieval castle. A guide to Ponteland's oldest and most historic pubs, from a 13th-century tower to Georgian coaching inns.

Best Beer Gardens in Ponteland

When the sun comes out, Ponteland's pubs deliver. Our guide to the best beer gardens and outdoor spots in and around the village.

Interesting Facts About Ponteland

A medieval castle behind a pub, a nationally unusual school campus and a village full of famous residents: surprising facts about Ponteland.

Where to Get a Sunday Roast in Ponteland

Ponteland's traditional pubs are the natural choice for Sunday lunch, from a historic castle-site pub to a Georgian coaching inn and a countryside gastropub.

Dog-Friendly Ponteland: Pubs, Walks & Grooming

The pubs that welcome dogs, the best local dog walks and where to get your dog groomed, a guide to Ponteland for four-legged residents and their owners.

The Best Pubs in Ponteland

From a historic pub built on the site of a medieval castle to a Georgian coaching inn and a countryside gastropub, where to drink and eat in and around Ponteland.

A Ponteland Heritage Walk: The Church, the Castle and the River Pont

Ponteland's oldest landmarks sit within a few minutes' stroll of one another. A short, easy heritage walk around the old heart of the village, the Saxon-founded church, a medieval castle-tower, and the river the town is named for.

Ponteland Castle and the Blackbird Inn: A Medieval Fortress Behind the Bar

Behind one of the North East's oldest pubs stands a genuine medieval tower, all that survived when the Scots razed Ponteland Castle the day before the Battle of Otterburn in 1388. The story of the fortress that became the Blackbird Inn.

The History and Heritage of Ponteland

A 12th-century church, a fortified vicarage and an inn built on the ruins of a medieval castle. The story of Ponteland is written into three remarkable buildings that still stand on the River Pont.

Days Out Around Ponteland: Golf, a Zoo and Country Escapes

Ponteland's countryside setting makes it a fine base for a day out. A guide to the best of it, Kirkley Hall's zoo and gardens, championship golf at Close House, the town's own golf club, birdwatching at Prestwick Carr, and country walks along the River Pont.

The Best Restaurants in Ponteland

From Michelin-recognised Indian food to historic pubs and family Italians, Ponteland and Darras Hall have a restaurant scene well beyond their size. Here are the places worth booking.

Things to Do in Ponteland & Darras Hall

Riverside walks, a historic church, golf, the leisure centre and a full calendar of community events, how to spend a day or a weekend in Ponteland and Darras Hall.