A HOMEOWNER unearthed a 'piece of history' beneath the floorboards of a cottage built in the 17th century.

Ben Knibbs was in the process of restoring his Grade II-listed cottage built in 1681 when he discovered the very first edition of the Hexham Courant beneath one of the bedroom's floorboards.

Hexham Courant: The Hexham Courant and South Northumberland Advertiser's front page from 1864The Hexham Courant and South Northumberland Advertiser's front page from 1864 (Image: Supplied)

Ben said the cottage, which is located on Hadrian's Wall Path in the village of Banks, Brampton, was constructed using stone taken from the Wall.

The edition is dated Tuesday August 2 1864, No. 1, and has a price of 1 1/2d - a penny ha'p'ny.

READ MORE: Snail mail? Homeowner receives letter that was sent 27 YEARS ago

Hexham Courant: A train advertisement in the Courant relating to an announcement from the previous excerptA train advertisement in the Courant relating to an announcement from the previous excerpt (Image: Supplied)

"We bought this old cottage nearly five years ago but we spent two years stripping everything that had been added over the old original parts. It was built in 1681 and sits right alongside the path of Hadrian's Wall very near where the first stonework of the wall starts to appear, going east," Ben said.

Hexham Courant: The local news page in the 1864 editionThe local news page in the 1864 edition (Image: Supplied)

"While doing work on it, we found the paper folded up under some bedroom floorboards, which were likely put in around the time of that first edition. I saw that it was Victorian, but I didn't look closely at it. 

"I kept it safe in the pages of a book and a few days ago I found it again. I had a good look through this time, and soon saw that it was the very first edition of the Hexham Courant - the number one issue! 

Hexham Courant: The first edition of the CourantThe first edition of the Courant (Image: Supplied)

"It was full of very interesting and revelatory news items and advertisements, all relating to Hexham, Newcastle and Carlisle, and some other towns in the area. It's a piece of history, and reading it feels like time travel! I wonder how many people now have relations or businesses mentioned in the paper that would be recognised.

"It may be unique, and it's a part of Hexham's history, a bit of a milestone," he added. "I wonder who put it there - if it was a memento or merely thrown away. It wasn't among other papers so didn't seem to be used for any practical purpose. Perhaps someone left it as a kind of time capsule. It's intriguing!"