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Heritage Mahurangi chair and Global Towns (formerly Sister Cities) advocate, Dave Parker (left), hosted a visit earlier this month from the former Mayor of Northumberland Jeff Watson, and his wife June. Warkworth in England is in the county of Northumberland.
Warkworth NZ was named by early settler John Anderson Brown, supposedly because the Mahurangi River reminded him of the River Coquet at Warkworth.
Although June had visited Warkworth NZ before, this was Jeff’s first visit. He said Warkworth in England was much smaller than Warkworth NZ, with a population of just over 1400, but otherwise there were lots of things that were familiar – a river that empties into the sea, a weir, a bridge and various street signs.
“The one thing you haven’t got is a castle like us!” he said. He added that John Brown’s house in Northumberland still stands and is occupied. During their two-day stopover in the Mahurangi area, the Watsons met members of Heritage Mahurangi at the Bridgehouse, lunched at Brick Bay Winery, and attended a dinner at a private home in their honour.
They also visited Wilson Cement Works, Kauri Parry Park and Warkworth Museum.
