Alnwick

The name Alnwick comes from the Old English wic ('dairy farm, settlement') and the name of the river Aln.[3]

Alnwick Castle in winter (December 2013)

The history of Alnwick is the history of the castle and its lords, starting with Gilbert Tyson, written variously as "Tison", "Tisson", and "De Tesson", one of William the Conqueror's standard-bearers, upon whom this northern estate was bestowed. It was held by the De Vesci family (now spelt "Vasey" – a name found all over south-east Northumberland) for over 200 years and then passed into the hands of the House of Percy in 1309.[4]

At various points in the town are memorials of the constant wars between Percys and Scots, in which so many Percys spent the greater part of their lives. A cross near Broomhouse Hill across the river from the castle marks the spot where Malcolm III of Scotland was killed during the first Battle of Alnwick. At the side of the broad shady road called Ratten Row, leading from the West Lodge to Bailiffgate, a stone tablet marks the spot where William the Lion of Scotland was captured during the second Battle of Alnwick by a party of about 400 mounted knights, led by Ranulf de Glanvill.[5]

Hulne Priory, outside the town walls in Hulne Park, the Duke of Northumberland's walled estate, was a monastery founded in the 13th century by the Carmelites; it is said that the site was chosen for some slight resemblance to Mount Carmel where the order originated.[6]

In 1314, Sir John Felton was governor of Alnwick.[7] In winter 1424, much of the town was burnt by a Scottish raiding party. Again in 1448, the town was burnt by a Scottish army led by William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas and George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus. There was a Church of Scotland congregation in Alnwick in the 17th and 18th centuries.[8]

Sir Thomas Malory mentions Alnwick as a possible location for Lancelot's castle Joyous Garde.[9]

A Royal Air Force distribution depot was constructed at Alnwick during the Second World War with four main fuel storage tanks (total capacity 1700 tons) and road and rail loading facilities. The tanks were above ground and surrounded by concrete. The site was closed in the 1970s, and its demolition and disposal were completed in 1980.[10]

The Alnwick by-pass takes the A1 London–Edinburgh trunk road around the town. It was started in 1968.[11]

Alnwick lies at 55°25′00″N 01°42′00″W (55.417, -1.700)¹. The River Aln forms its unofficial northern boundary.[12]

The rear view of Alnwick Town Hall (the main entrance is in the Market Place)

Historically, the town was partly within the Bamburgh Ward and Coquetdale Ward and later included in the East Division of Coquetdale Ward in 1832.[13] Alnwick Town Hall was the home of the common council of Alnwick.[13] By the time of the 2011 Census, an electoral ward covering only part of Alnwick parish existed. The total population of this ward was 4,766.[14]

Barter Books in Alnwick

Some major or noteworthy employers in the town are:

• Barter Books, one of the largest second-hand bookshops in England, set in the town's former railway station[15]
• Quotient Sciences Alnwick, a large pharmaceutical manufacturing, research and testing centre[16]
• NFU Mutual, provider of insurance, pensions, investments[17]
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs[18]
• House of Hardy, Fly Fishing Gear one of the most worldwide well known fly fishing gear brands.

Secondary schools in Alnwick include The Duchess's Community High School.[19]

The town's greatest building is Alnwick Castle, one of the homes of the Duke of Northumberland, and site of The Alnwick Garden.[20]

Alnwick marketplace at night in winter

The town centre is the marketplace, with its market cross, and the relatively modern Northumberland Hall, used as a meeting place.[21]

The Alnwick Playhouse is a thriving multi-purpose arts centre that stages theatre, dance, music, cinema, and visual arts productions.[22]

In 2003, the Willowburn Leisure Centre was opened on the southern outskirts of the enlarged town (replacing the old sports centre located by the Lindisfarne Middle School and the now-demolished Youth Centre).[23]

Bailiffgate Museum, a local history museum

Alnwick's museum, Bailiffgate Museum, is close to the Bailiffgate entrance to the castle. Its collection is specifically dedicated to local social history. The museum has recently had a major refit funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Its collection includes a variety of agricultural objects, domestic items, railway items, coal mining artefacts, printing objects, a sizeable photographic collection, paintings and a range of activities for children.[24]

Other places of interest in and near the town include:

Brizlee Tower, a folly and observation platform overlooking Hulne Park, the Duke of Northumberland's walled estate by Alnwick Castle

• Brizlee Tower, a Grade I listed folly tower on a hill in Hulne Park, the Duke's walled estate, designed by Robert Adam in 1777 and erected in 1781 for Hugh Percy, 1st Duke of Northumberland.[25]
• Camphill Column, an 1814 construction celebrating British victories in Europe, and possibly erected as a reaction against the French Revolution.[26]
• the Bondgate Tower, also known as the Hotspur Tower, part of the remains of the ancient town wall and named after Sir Henry Percy, also called Harry Hotspur, the eldest son of the 1st Earl of Northumberland.[27]
• The Nelson Memorial, Swarland, emphasising a local link to the admired Admiral.[28]
• the Tenantry Column—much in the style of Nelson's Column, 83 feet (25 m) tall and topped by the Percy Lion, the symbol of the Percy family—designed by Charles Harper and erected for Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland in 1816 in gratitude to the Duke.[29]
• the White Swan Hotel, an 18th-century coaching inn that now houses the First Class Lounge and other fittings from the Titanic's near-identical sister ship RMS Olympic.[30]
• the Fusiliers Museum of Northumberland, found within Alnwick Castle.[31]
• St Michael's Church on Bailiffgate, a Grade II listed building dating from the 15th century with fragments from the 12th century.[32]
• RAF Boulmer was an airfield during World War II. It now has a role in early warning radar surveillance and communications.[33]
• The Fenkle Street drill hall converted from a library in 1887.[34]

• Alnwick RFC[35]
• Alnwick Town A.F.C.[36]

Local news and television programmes is provided by BBC North East and Cumbria and ITV Tyne Tees. Television signals are received from the Chatton TV transmitter. [37]

Alnwick’s local radio stations are BBC Radio Newcastle on 96.0 FM, Metro Radio on 102.6 FM and Lionheart Radio on 107.3 FM, a community based radio station.

Northumberland Gazette is the town’s local newspaper.

Bondgate Tower with its Christmas Lights (2012)

Alnwick Fair was an annual costumed event, held each summer from 1969 to 2007, recreating some of the appearance of medieval trading fairs and 17th century agricultural fairs. It has now been discontinued.[38]

Alnwick is twinned with:[43]

• Bryne, Norway
• Lagny-sur-Marne, France
• Voerde, Germany

Alnwick town has been used as a setting in films and television series.

Films

Television

• 2012- Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railways - Episode: Chris Tarrant: Railways of the Somme (2019) [57]

The following people have received the Freedom of the Town of Alnwick.

• Bill Batey: 2019[58]
• Adrian Ions: 12 November 2021[58]
• William "Bill" Hugonin: 18 March 2022.[59][60]

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Alnwick.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alnwick.

• Visit Alnwick – Alnwick Tourism Association
• Alnwick described on the Keys to the Past website.
• Alnwick at Curlie