Wooler Welcomes Whisky Stills
Ad Gefrin hosts community parade to welcome the copper stills for the Visitor Experience and Distillery
The market town of Wooler in North Northumberland, yesterday celebrated an exciting milestone. Over 100 school children and local people gathered on the High Street to welcome the arrival of the two giant copper stills, which will become the heart of the Ad Gefrin Visitor Experience and Distillery when it opens later this year.
The stills have been manufactured by Forsyths of Rothes, Moray, the world’s leading manufacturer of distillation equipment. Each weighing three tonnes, they have taken over 1,200-man hours to build.
They arrived on two 44-ton transporters, escorted by a vintage Redpaths Haulage Wagon, resplendent in its restored heritage bodywork. Parked at the entrance to the site a vintage Fergusons Bean Truck and 1960’s Dodge will also welcome the stills. Together they represent the history of the Redpath / Fergusons lineage.
On completing their 230-mile journey to Wooler, the stills were welcomed with music played by local resident, the renowned Northumbrian piper Anthony Robb, and his wife Heather. Amongst the many people lining the streets to witness this historic event, were over one hundred local school children from Wooler First School, Glendale Middle School and Berwick Academy.
After the delivery procession, the co-founders of Ad Gefrin, Alan and Eileen Ferguson, spoke about their excitement seeing their plans one step closer to fruition. Eileen said: “Today has been about the community, and we were absolutely delighted that so many people have joined us to mark this important milestone, both for Ad Gefrin and for Wooler. For us as a family, it was also very exciting that our daughter Naomi, who was born in Wooler, took the wheel of one of the transporter vehicles on its journey down from Morayshire.
“Now the stills have been delivered, the installation process will begin and will last roughly four months with the aim to start distilling this autumn. The Visitor Experience and Distillery will open in the Autumn and from 2025 onwards, Ad Gefrin’s Single Malt Whisky will mature.”
The Ferguson family have for many years contributed to the economy of the area and their long-term commitment continues through the opening of the Ad Gefrin Visitor Experience and Distillery.
As well as creating the first Northumbrian Single Malt Whisky, the £10.4m development will include a world class cultural visitor experience celebrating Northumbria’s Golden Age. The inspiration comes from the 7th Royal Summer Palace of the Anglo-Saxon Kings and Queens discovered at Yeavering – only four miles from the town. Discovered in the 1950’s this became one of the 20th Century’s most remarkable archaeological finds – revealing as it did a unique wooden grandstand and Great Hall as well as Royal Quarters. The Ad Gefrin Visitor Experience will recreate the Great Hall and celebrate the richness of the culture of the time that drew people from across the world.
Ad Gefrin will also include a bistro, bar, shop and a programme of tailored tours and tastings. With its unique offering, Ad Gefrin is destined to become a major visitor attraction bringing prosperity to the whole Glendale area.
Ad Gefrin opens in Autumn 2022.
Ad Gefrin Single Malt Whisky will mature from 2025 onwards.
For more information visit adgefrin.co.uk.
About Ad Gefrin
Ad Gefrin is a £10.4m world-class visitor experience and whisky distillery that will reveal the fascinating history of Northumberland’s Anglo Saxon ‘Golden Age’. Informed by one of the 20th century’s most remarkable archaeological finds – the internationally renowned archaeological site, Yeavering – the centre will recreate the Great Hall of the royal summer palace of the 7th century Northumbrian kings and queens. Ad Gefrin is funded by the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, the North East Rural Growth Network – Strategic Economic Infrastructure Fund (SEIF), North East LEP and Northumberland County Council.
About Yeavering (the archaeological site of Ad Gefrin) 5 miles from Ad Gefrin Visitor Experience and Distillery
Internationally renowned, Yeavering is the most thoroughly excavated Anglo Saxon palace complex in Europe and the only archaeological site to have evidence of a timber grandstand and gathering place. This was the 7th Century royal summer residence of early Anglo-Saxon kings and queens including Aethelfrith, Edwin and Aethelburga, the saintly Oswald and his younger brother Oswy. Discovered in 1949 through aerial photography and excavated by Brian Hope-Taylor in the 1950’s and 60’s, the scheduled archaeological site is today under the ownership and management of The Gefrin Trust. The Trust was formed to ensure the future preservation of the site through sympathetic management, conservation and investigation. Ad Gefrin Visitor Experience and Distillery is working in partnership with The Gefrin Trust to further illuminate the importance of the archaeological site within the exhibition at the Visitor Centre.
About Borderlands Partnership
The Borderlands Partnership consists of Carlisle City Council, Cumbria County Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Northumberland County Council and Scottish Borders Council. The Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal was agreed between the Borderlands Partnership, the UK Government and the Scottish Government in March 2021. The Deal will deliver up to £350 million investment in projects across the region from the UK and Scottish Governments alongside local investment of £100 million. More information can be found at www.borderlandsgrowth.com
About the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)
The North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is a public, private, and education sector partnership that covers Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland local authority areas.
