In 1939 evacuation schemes were reviewed and it was decided to establish purpose-built children's camps, or National Camps, for schoolchildren evacuated from cities. Construction began in mid 1939 and about 32 Nationals Camps were built. The camps were located between 30-35 miles from towns or cities to be evacuated. By the end of June 1939 London had been allocated 15 camps, Manchester and Liverpool had 6 camps, Leeds, Bradford and Birmingham had 3 camps each, Newcastle had two camps, and Sheffield, Hull and Portsmouth had one camp each. The camps were built to accommodate approximately 350 children each and consisted of red cedar huts with cedar shingle roofs. (1a)

Brownrigg camp comprised a dining hall, kitchens, an assembly hall with a stage, classrooms, ablution blocks, a hospital block, dormitories and a tuck shop. (1b)

Brownrigg Lodges is situated in the former Brownrigg School which was built in 1939. (1c)

Brown Rigg Camp was built by the National Camps Corporation in 1939 and was used as a boarding school for children evacuated from Newcastle during the Second World War. After the war Northumberland education authority bought the camp and from September 1945 children in their last year of schooling would spend a winter or summer term there. It later became a boarding school for children from cities to spend time in the countryside. It closed on 12-JUL-1985. (1d)