Ad Gefrin is opening this weekend – here’s everything you need to know
It’s been the talk of Northumberland ever since the multi-million pound development was announced in 2018. Now, Anglo-Saxon Museum and Whisky Distillery Ad Gefrin is ready to open to the public – and we’ve already answered all your questions.
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What is Ad Gefrin?
Ad Gefrin is a new, highly-anticipated Anglo-Saxon museum. It’s also an English whisky distillery, which has already started distilling Northumberland’s first Single Malt Whisky onsite.
Add to this an all-day bar and bistro, grounds to relax in and a shop selling all manner of handcrafted luxuries, and you’ve got yourself a dream day out with family and friends.
What inspired its creation?
A love of Northumberland, past and present. At every step, Ad Gefrin are committed to celebrating the very best of the county – spotlighting local talent, creativity and makers as well as elevating Northumberland’s unique history.
Inspired by the Anglo-Saxon Royal Court of Ad Gefrin – where people from all corners of the world travelled to visit – the team here promise to welcome everyone with the same spirit and hospitality to enjoy their exhibitions, events, distillery tours and culinary creations.
What do we need to know about the museum?
The museum invites you into the heart of the Kingdom of Northumbria: a place of power, ritual, craftsmanship and language, one that has been shaped by the spectacular natural landscape that surrounds it.
In their collection, Ad Gefrin have artefacts on loan from national institutions such as the British Museum and the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust – treasures that will help illuminate the ‘golden age’ of Anglo-Saxon Northumbria.
What is the Great Hall?
Ad Gefrin will recreate the Great Halls of the kings and queens of Northumbria at Yeavering for their visitors. This immersive AV museum interpretation promises to bring to life the extraordinary characters who lived and worked in the Royal Court and who shaped the future of England.
Can we take a distillery tour?
Yes, and you can expect a multi-sensory experience. Their distillery is the beating heart of Ad Gefrin: the place where alchemy transforms raw materials into their golden spirit. Their international team of distillers have come from all corners of the globe, bringing their passion for whisky with them into the creation of Ad Gefrin’s signature single-malt.
Enjoy a guided tour of all production areas, from the arrival of the malt through mashing, fermentation and distillation, to the filling of casks for maturing. Your distillery tour will include a special viewing of the cask store, before being immersed in the landscape that inspires their flavour profiles – and, of course, enjoying a cheeky taste of the good stuff, too.
Can we eat at Ad Gefrin?
Can you ever! From a cosy cuppa by the fire to a celebratory feast for all the family, Ad Gefrin’s food and drink offering promises to satisfy everyone. The Bistro here showcases Northumbrian produce at its finest: locally sourced meat, cheese, bread, vegetables and salads promise only the freshest of flavours on your plate.
Serving from 10am to 6pm every day except Tuesdays, you’ll be able to savour everything from a morning coffee, through lunchtime to afternoon tea.
And for those happy to sit and breathe in that fresh Northumbrian air (when the weather plays ball, that is), there’s also additional seating on their outdoor patio.
Can we drink at Ad Gefrin?
But of course. Accompanying the Bistro is Ad Gefrin’s Bar, which also celebrates the best of local and regional producers. You can expect to find ales from neighbouring breweries and distilleries here, alongside more familiar labels, while the heroes on their shelves will be Ad Gefrin’s own spirits.
What will Ad Gefrin sell in their shop?
Not just their whisky, although you’ll find plenty of that on their shelves. From richly coloured throws to evocative scents and lotions, Anglo-Saxon inspired jewellery to unique stoneware, and hand-painted plates to handcrafted furniture, expect to find only the most original, high-quality gifts at Ad Gefrin for every occasion.
When will Ad Gefrin be open?
Saturday 25th March. You can purchase tickets on their website now.
Where does the name come from?
“Ad Gefrin” means “by the hill of goats” and comes from the location of the Anglo-Saxon royal palace at Yeavering, four miles away from where the site is now, which inspired Ad Gefrin’s creation.
What inspired the logo?
During the excavations of the scheduled archaeological site at Yeavering during the 1950s and ‘60s, the remains of a staff head was found. This was interpreted to be from King Edwin’s processional staff and, alongside their name, inspired the design of Ad Gefrin’s logo.
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