About Alnwick, Northumberland
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.
Alnwick has been described as 'The best place to live in the country' (Country Life Magazine October
2002), and no doubt the Eight thousand inhabitants of this exquisite Northumbrian town would agree.
It sits on the river Aln in
Northumberland, North East England a stone's throw from Berwick & the Scottish borders and a five minute drive to the coast. Records
show that Alnwick's history stretches back as far as six hundred AD, and has emerged through countless invasions by the Scots including
an attempt in about 1400AD to raze it to the ground. It has remained a successful market town over the centuries, largely due to its
location on the A1 - the main transport link from the Captal to Scotland. Having successfuly retained much of its original charm depsite
its constant growth, it is a great success with tourists. It is twinned with the German town Voerde, the Norwegian town Bryne and Lagny
on the outskirts of Paris.
Alnwick being
inherantly rural by nature, the city of Newcastle is easily commuted to by both road and rail and so much of the town's number work
elsewhere. There are a number of large acclaimed employers in the town, which include the fishing rod manufacturer House of Hardy &
the research and testing facility Sanofi. Alnwick also boasts one of the biggest second hand book stores in Europe. The main east-coast
railway line is situated around 4 miles along the river Aln and can be accessed via the Alnmouth for Alnwick railway station. The town
once had its own rail link, but this ceased in '68 because of the terminal nature of the line and the lack of opportunity for it to be
developed. The building itself is incredibly ornate, which is due to the station's frequent use by royals visiting the Percys at Alnwick Castle.
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.
Alnwick Castle which looms over the town is the home of the Percy family, the Duke of Northumberland & the world famous Alnwick
Garden. It dominates the west of Alnwick above the river Aln. the castle is home to commerce, education & tourism - It currently
provides an education centre for American students studying in Europe; is the HQ of Northumberland Estates, & is a tourist attraction of
its own. Open from April to September (the Gardens all year round), it is the second biggest inhabited castle in England after Windsor
Castle. Benjamin Disraeli once described Alnwick as 'Montacute'. the castle is popular with TV & film-makers, with Blackadder, Robin
Hood, Prince of Thieves, Elizabeth all filmed here. Most famously, Alnwick Castle found fame as Hogwart's school of witchcraft and
wizardry in the Harry Potter films.
Other landmarks in Alnwick include the gothic styled Pottergate tower which stands on the site of an ancient gate, & was rebuilt in the
18th century. It once boasted an ornate spire but this was destroyed in a storm in the early 1800s. Just outside the old walls there is a
multi-purpose arts centre, The Playhouse, which stages theatre productions, music, dance and visual arts as well as featuring a cinema.
The weekly newspaper is the Northumberland Gazette which covers the town and the district & they have their head office in the town. Alnwick has numerous opportunites for leisure & sports which include the new Willowburn leisure centre, football rugby and cricket clubs. Because of the nature of the area there is also scope for rock climbing, walking, water sports, horse riding, cycling & there are also dozens of golf courses in the area.
Across the town in various different locations are structures dedicated to the numerous wars between the Percys and the Scots. On the north side of the river Aln there is a memorial to where King Malcolm of Scotland was killed in the 11th century, and a little way along the river, a stone structure marks the spot where William the Lion was taken prisoner by Odinel De Umfraville in the 12th century.
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.
A Shrove Tuesday football match is played beneath the shadow of Alnwick Castle between the parishes of st. Paul' and St. Michael's.
The ball is thrown from the castle walls and the game is won by whichever team is first to score 3 "hales" or goals. Alnwick Fair is held
annually & is a costumed re-enactment of a mediaeval fair in which the townsfolk of Alnwick dress up in period costumes. Alnwick also
hosts an international music festival, and a mediaeval Tournament – a jousting spectacular on the pastures overlooked by the castle.
Born in Alnwick were Astronomer Royal George Biddell-Airy, the geologist Ralph Tate, & world renowned philosopher Bernard Bosanquet.
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