Village guides are a unique new series of guides designed for the iPhone and iPad. They allow both the casual visitor and the long-time resident to have a fascinating insight into the past by telling the story of villages through text, audio and superb archive photographs.

Set in the North-East of England, they bring the region’s particular mix of industrial and medieval past to light in a way that traditional guidebooks cannot match. Plus you can also find out somewhere great to eat.

This village guide covers Widdrington Station and Stobswood, describing over fifteen fascinating buildings or sites to go and look at. It has over fifty photographs and illustrations, many of which are archive prints that are seldom seen and the story behind each site is available in fifteen unique recordings to listen to and enjoy as you walk around and explore.

• Find out about the origins of Widdrington Station and its connection with the pioneers of the railway.
• Learn about the early pits in the area.
• Discover the straight line that forms Widdrington Station’s southern boundary and the story behind it.
• Explore the site of the old Stobswood Colliery.
• Wander around the backstreets of Widdringtons Station and discover the different types of houses there.
• Identify Stobswood’s modernist architectural gem.
• Hear about Stobswood’s hidden Second World War Resistance Camp
• Locate where there was a plane crash.
• Find out about “The Ace Of Spades”.
• Come right up to date and read about the burial place of 134,000 animals.

I hope that you enjoy the guide and that it encourages you to try out other village guides in the series, such as Ellington, Longhirst or Cresswell.