27/05/2026
Elwick Archives: The Smugglers’ Coast ⚓️
This stretch of coast wasn’t always just for quiet walks and birdwatching.
Back in the 18th and 19th centuries, heavy taxes on everyday goods turned these local beaches into a hotspot for illicit trade. It wasn’t just a job for hardened criminals—local fishermen and farm workers often supplemented their wages by moving contraband like Dutch gin, tea, silk, and even salt in the dead of night.
They relied on the deep Northumbrian sea frets, hidden coves, and their knowledge of the treacherous tides to outsmart the local coastguards. Packhorses would be loaded up on the beaches to carry the cargo inland, often passing right by the boundaries of farms just like ours.
We prefer watching the tide roll in with a coffee these days. But when the mist rolls in over the water, it’s easy to imagine the midnight runs that used to happen just beyond the fields.
Book your slice of peace for 2026 or 27: www.elwickcottages.co.uk 🔗
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