The Great Northumberland Bread Co. was formed in 2007. We are based on the Ford & Etal Estates at Letham Hill.

Starting out as an Engineer and Graphic Designer respectively, Matthew & Zoe Rawlings, started commercial baking in the Midlands about 5 yrs ago. The bakery they started continues to be a success however the local market demands changed the emphasis of the product they were making from traditional to mainstream so they decided to revisit the types of bread they had originally wanted to make.

At the heart of their new plan was a wood fired oven which Matthew designed and built, finishing it in Spring 2007. The oven provides them with a very different baking means to that provided by electrically or gas fuelled ovens namely a large mass of masonry, saturated with heat which reduces gradually over time, provides a unique bread baking environment which in gives a distinct character to the final loaf. Furthermore the oven fuel is sustainable and with an abundance of residue timber from Ford & Etal’s own forestry operation the choice of fuel and oven makes a lot of sense.

The oven is not the only part. Flour which comes from specially selected varieties is used, some of which is grown specifically for The Great Northumberland Bread Co. very close to Letham Hill. The Estates own Watermill at Heatherslaw carries out the milling of all wholemeal flours and the clean Northumberland air provides the ideal environment for “brewing” barms and natural leavens which form the basis for many of the breads.

“We believe our breads are about as honest as you can get! They come from a deep belief in simplicity and embody everything good food should be – Tasty, Healthy, and Wholesome. Similarly they are made with respect for the environment in which their ingredients, and indeed fuel for baking, are grown”.

Matthew & Zoe