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.
Largely a rural community, Alnwick now lies within commutable distance of the nearest city, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne & has a large
commuter population. Some major employers in Alnwick include House of Hardy, world-renowned makers of fly-fishing tackle, Greys of
Alnwick, also world-renowned makers of fly-fishing tackle, Northumberland Estates, the Duke of Northumberland's agricultural, forestry
and property interests, Barter Books, one of the largest second-hand book shops in Europe, & Sanofi Synthelabo, a large pharmaceutical
research and testing centre. The main East Coast railway link runs via the nearby Alnmouth for Alnwick Station. Alnwick was once
connected to the main line by the Alnwick branch line, however, this was closed in January 1968. The old station building now houses
Barter Books - a vast collection of used books available to buy. The old railway station building is particularly grand for a town of its size.
Its grandeur stems from is frequently being used by royals visiting the Duke of Northumberland in residence at the castle.
In the centre of town is the market square which is built around a market cross, & the Northumberland Hall which is used as a meeting
place. Surrounding the market square is the main shopping area. the streets of Narrowgate, Fenkle Street, and Bondgate Within. The
latter of which is a wide, cobbled road fronted by attractive buildings. In mediaeval times, the town was walled and one of the original
gatehouses, Hotspur tower, remains. This divides Bondgate Within from Bondgate Without & restricting vehicles to single file. It was
named for Sir Henry Percy (also called Harry Hotspur) son of the 1st Earl of Northumberland - a character in Henry IV, Part I.
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.
Pottergate tower is a beautiful tower built in the eighteen hundreds where the original stone gate once stood. Atop Pottergate tower there was once an elaborate structure which was unfortunately destroyed in bad weather shortly after it was erected. Near to the other gatehouse, The Hotspur Tower, is situated The Playhouse, which is an arts venue which hosts music, dance & theatre productions as well as being a cinema and exhibition space.
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.
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.
Amongst the other attractions in the town are Brizlee Tower, which is an ornate folly which looks down on Hulne park, the private estate which was designed by Robert Adam and built in the 18th century, The White Swan, a hotel, the original of which was built in the 1700s, and which features the lounge taken out of the Olympic, the sister ship from the Titanic when it was broken up after its sinking for fears of a repeat, the Northumberland Fusiliers museum which is housed in Alnwick Castle and the Percy tenantry column which was built in the 19th century in thanks to the Duke of Northumberland of the time.
The Shrove-tide football match is held annually on the banks of the river Aln overlooked by the castle on Shrove Tuesday. Two of the town's parishes compete to be the first to score 3 'hales' (goals). The match is kicked off by the Duke of Northumberland tossing the ball from the castle ramparts. Other annual events include an International music festival for which people travel from far and wide to take part, a re-enactment of a mediaeval fair where all attendees dress up in period outfits, and a mediaeval tournament which is held beneath the castle and comprises jousting and various other mediaeval entertainments
Born in Alnwick were Astronomer Royal George Biddell-Airy, the geologist Ralph Tate, & world renowned philosopher Bernard Bosanquet.
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