Once a held by the De Vesci family for several centuries at the dawn of the second millenium, Alnwick Northumberland was handed on to the house of Percy in 1309. The Percys are still seated in
the castle at the centre of the town. 'The best place to live in Britain' was how Country Life magazine described this beautiful market town in October '02. With a population of just under 8,000 it lies a short distance from the border with Scotland in Berwick-upon-Tweed and a mere four or five miles along the
river Aln from the coast with the North Sea at the mouth of the river in Alnmouth. Records of Alnwick date back to the sixth century AD, and despite scottish marauders almost entirely obliterating the town with fire in the 15th century, the town has gone from strength to strength in its development as a rural market town.
At the core of the town is
the castle which once prompted the town to be described as 'The Windsor of the North', and is today the home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland. The town sits just off the A1 - the main road link between Edinburgh and London, and now exists as a commuter location being within travelling distance of both Morpeth and the nearest city, Newcastle upon Tyne in Tyne & Wear. Because Alnwick has held on to its "quintessential Englishness" it attracts thousands of tourists. It has sister towns in Bryne (Norway), Lagny (France) and Voerde (Germany).
With Alnwick being the rural town it is, transport links are incredibly important and so Alnwick's proximity to the A1 allows residents the opportunity to commute to the more industrial South East of Northumberland and Tyne and Wear. There are a handful of sizeable firms in Alnwick employing large numbers - these include Greys of Alnwick, the House of Hardy, Sanofi Synthelabo. In Barter Books, Alnwick features one of the greatest Second hand bookshops in the country. Barter books can be found within the once thriving
railway station building which became disused in the 1960s when the line was terminated. The building is quite impressive for a town the size of Alnwick. This was because
the station was in constant use by the Royal Family on visits to
the castle when the Duke & Duchess were in residence. The nearest rail link is now accessed at Alnmouth, two or three miles from Alnwick.
Alnwick town centre is made up of beautiful stone buildings varying in age. In the very middle of the town centre
there is a Market place, which once was the location of an agricultural market. Around the market place is a network of both expansive cobble lined streets and tiny ornated lanes. Amongst these streets is
Narrowgate,
Fenkle Street and
Bondgate which is divided into two parts, within and without, by one of the original gates to the old town wall. Named after Harry Hotspur - once Earl of Northumberland - a main character in Shakespeare's Henry the Fourth, the tower now restricts vehicles entering and leaving the town.
To the north of the town sits
Alnwick Castle, which protected the town from invaders from the North across hundreds of years. To this day
the castle is inhabited by the Percys. The Duke and Duchess of Northumberland currently sit in residence at
the castle making it the second largest inhabited castle in the country after Windsor Castle. The Alnwick Garden project sits within the grounds of
the castle, and is a visitor attraction in its own right. Open all year its majesty has received worldwide acclaim.
the castle also acts as a headquarters for the Duke of Northumberland's business operation Northumberland Estates, as a university campus for students from St. Cloud university in Minnesota, USA, and attracts thousands of tourists each year from across the globe.
the castle and its grounds have also received worldwide attention on the silver screen. It has featured in dozens of movies and television programmes. These include Harry Potter and the Chamber of secrets, Blackadder, Robin Hood prince of thieves, The fast show, & Elizabeth.
Other noteable buildings within the town walls include
Pottergate tower - a fine example of gothic architecture which stands on the site of one of the original gatehouses to the town. It once featured a tall spire which was lost when the town suffered a particularly violent storm in the 19th century. To the south of the town centre there is an arts centre 'The Playhouse'. This features an exhibition space, theatre venue and a cinema. The Northumberland Gazette is a weekly newspaper which covers the Alnwick district and who has its main office in the town centre. The town also has countless leisure and sports facilities which include a brand new leisure centre, football rugby and cricket clubs and pitches. There is also the opportunity for rock climbing, walking, water sports, cycling and equestrianism. There are also upwards of fifteen golf courses within a short distance of the town.
There are numerous memorials around Alnwick dedicated to the countless wars between the Percy family and the Scots. On a hill facing
the castle on the north bank sits a large stone cross which commemorates the killing of King Malcolm III of Scotland whilst invading on the outskirts of the town. Near the entrance to Hulne Park an engraved memorial records the place where William of Scotland was siezed by Odinel de Umfraville in the 1100s. Others exist.
Other places of interest in Alnwick include Brizlee Tower - a Grade 1 listed folly overlooking Hulne Park, the Duke's walled estate, designed by Robert Adam & erected in 1781 for the 1st Duke of Northumberland,
The White Swan Hotel, a Coaching Inn from the 18th century which now houses the First Class Lounge and other items from the RMS Olympic - sister ship to the Titanic, the Northumberland Fusiliers Museum, the 83 feet tall Tenantry Column, topped by the Percy Lion (the symbol of the Percy family) which was designed by Charles Harper and built in 1816 to honour the 2nd Duke of Northumberland.
Each year, a football match is contested between the parishes of
st. Paul and st. Michael on the pastured land below
Alnwick Castle. It takes place on Shrove Tuesday and kicks off with the Duke of Northumberland pitching the ball down from the battlements of
the castle. Once a team scores 3 goals, or hales, then the match is won. Other yearly events include the
Alnwick Castle tournament which is a mediaeval spectacular involving jousting, fire eating and juggling, held below
the castle, Alnwick Fair, which takes place each summer and is a costumed fair which hopes to replicate an authentic mediaeval event, and an International Music festival which attracts acts festival which attracts acts from all over the world.
Born in Alnwick were Astronomer Royal George Biddell-Airy, the geologist Ralph Tate, & world renowned philosopher Bernard Bosanquet.
