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Little-known quaint village is one of UK’s most historically important

We are taking you back to Roman Britain with one of the country’s most stunning villages

If you’re after a truly special day out this little-known village cannot be beaten.

The jewel in the crown of Corbridge in Northumberland is undoubtedly Corbridge Roman Town, one of the country’s most important archaeological sites. Not only that, this charming village was once the northernmost town of the mighty Roman Empire.

Located just a mile from the village centre, it’s a captivating snapshot of history, with original Roman streets you can stroll along and a museum brimming with finds from the renowned Corbridge Hoard – a trove of 2nd Century armour, tools and personal items unearthed in the area.

A stone’s throw away is Hadrian’s Wall, a testament to Corbridge’s central role in Roman Britain. But Corbridge isn’t stuck in a time warp.

Its marketplace and nearby streets are bustling with independent traders, many nestled within old stone buildings and hidden courtyards, reports Chronicle Live.

You can meander between artisan bakeries, a traditional grocer, florists, fashion boutiques, jewellers and beautifully stocked homeware shops, all within a few hundred metres.

Forum Books, housed in a breathtakingly converted Methodist Chapel complete with an intact pulpit, is worth the journey alone.

If you’re hungry, Corbridge is a foodie’s paradise. With cosy cafés for leisurely lunches, a deli, a wine bar, top-notch gastropubs, and a variety of Italian, Indian and English restaurants, it’s easy to turn a day trip into a night on the town.

Nestled by the breathtaking St Andrew’s Church, you’ll discover The Pele Tower (no connection to the Brazilian footie legend), which has been transformed into a charming pub.

St Andrew’s itself is one of Britain’s oldest churches, boasting Saxon roots that trace back to the 7th century. The bridge over the Tyne, the river’s oldest, offers scenic riverside strolls.

For those keen on a longer walk, Aydon Castle is just a stone’s throw away, while the surrounding moorlands and countryside make Corbridge a prime spot for cycling and hiking.

Despite its tranquil, rural vibe, Corbridge is surprisingly well-connected. The railway station sits on the Tyne Valley Line between Newcastle, Hexham and Carlisle, and the A69 and A68 are conveniently nearby.

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Gallup: Religion no longer important in majority of U.S. households

Nov. 13 (UPI) — Less than half of U.S. households place an importance on religion after declining by 17% over the past decade, according to a new Gallup poll.

Two-thirds of U.S. adults surveyed said religion was an important part of their daily life in 2015, Gallup reported Thursday.

That percentage dropped to 49% in 2025, which Gallup said is the largest recorded decrease by any nation since 2007.

“About half of Americans now say religion is not an important part of their daily life,” Gallup reported. “They remain as divided on the question today as they were last year.”

The 17-point drop in the United States over the past decade rarely have exceeded that rate of decline, with Greece posting a 28-point drop in 2023, Italy a 23-point drop in 2022 and Poland a 22-point drop in 2023.

Globally, the median regarding the importance of religion in people’s daily lives has stayed at about 81% since 2007 and was at 83% in 2024, according to Gallup.

Median does not the same as an average, though, and instead represents the middle, with about half being above and about half below the median number.

The decline in the importance of religion in U.S. households remains higher than the median among 38 nations that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Those nations posted a combined median of 36% of respective adults affirming that religion is an important part of their daily lives.

As the U.S. percentage drops, it more closely aligns with the OECD median for its member states.

Gallup said the gap is the narrowest ever between the United States and 37 other OCED nations.

The polling firm also identified four patterns for religious importance in the OCED states.

Nations that identify as being Christian generally place a high importance on religion, as do nations with a Muslim majority.

Christian-identifying nations also might have citizens who place a low importance on religion in their daily lives, while nations with no religious identity mostly place only a low amount of importance on religion in their daily lives.

Muslim-majority nations, though, do not share the same dichotomy as Christian-identifying nations.

Gallup said the United States no longer matches those four patterns and instead has medium-high Christian identity and “middling religiosity.”

The percentage of U.S. citizens who identify as Christian is similar to the percentages in Western and Northern European nations, but religion holds greater importance among Americans than it does among their European counterparts, according to the polling firm.

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