Alnwick

Table of contents

1 Overview 2 Features 3 Commerce & Industry 4 Communications 4.1 Road 4.2 Rail 4.3 Air 5 Geography 6 External Links

Overview

According to Country Life, October 2002, the "historic county town of Northumberland and seat of the Duke of Northumberland, Alnwick is the most picturesque market town in Northumberland, and the best place to live in Britain".

Set in the heart of the County of Northumberland, Alnwick town is a bustling market town, which dates back to approximately 600 AD, and is the ancestral seat of the Duke of Northumberland, who still resides at Alnwick Castle.

Over the centuries Alnwick town has thrived as an agricultural centre and staging post on the Great North Road between Edinburgh and London. The fabric of the town has changed little and still retains much of its original character.

Features

The town's greatest building is Alnwick Castle, the home of the Percy family, the Dukes of Northumberland, and site of the Alnwick Garden.

The Alnwick playhouse is a multi-purpose arts centre, which stages an exciting programme of theatre, dance, music, cinema, and visual arts exhibitions.

Major events in the Alnwick town calendar include; Alnwick Fayre, staged in the summer as a costumed re-enactment of a mediaeval fair in which residents of the town dress up in authentic costumes; the Alnwick International Music Festival and the Alnwick Castle Tournament – a medieval jousting spectacular in the grounds of Alnwick Castle.

In addition to the new (in 2003) Willowburn Sports and Leisure Centre situated on the edge of Alnwick town centre, there is a wealth of sporting and leisure facilities/opportunities in the district ranging from football, cricket, rugby, rambling, rock climbing, water sports, cycling and horse riding. The golf enthusiast is particularly well catered for with thirteen golf courses within 30 minutes drive of Alnwick town.

Architectural features other than the castle include:

• The Hotspur Tower, part of the remains of the ancient town wall
• the Tenantry Column - much in the style of Nelson's Column, 83 feet tall and topped by the Percy Lion, symbol of the Percy family. The column was designed by Charles Harper and was erected to the second Duke of Northumberland in 1816.
• Brizlee Tower, a Grade 1 listed folly tower set atop a hill in Hulne Park, the Duke's walled estate, and designed by Robert Adam in 1777 and erected in 1781 for the First Duke of Northumberland.
• The Pinfold, a stone circular structure within the centre of the town, built to imprison stray cattle.

Formerly a largely rural and agrarian community, the town is now well within the "travel to work" radius of Morpeth and Newcastle Upon Tyne and has a sizeable commuter population. Some major or noteworthy employers in the town include:

• House of Hardy, world renowned makers of fly-fishing tackle.
• Greys of Alnwick, also world renowned makers of fly-fishing tackle!
• Northumberland Estates, which manages the Duke of Northumberland's agricultural, forestry and property interests.
• Barter Books, one of the largest second-hand book shops in the England, set in what was the town's railway staion.
• Sanofi Alnwick Research Centre, a very large research and testing centre owned by the Sanofi pharmaceutical company.
• Alnwick District Council.

Road

Alnwick town lies adjacent to the A1, the main national north/south trunk road, providing easy access to Newcastle upon Tyne (30 miles south) and to the Scottish capital Edinburgh (80 miles north).

Rail

The main East Coast railway link between Edinburgh (journey time approx. 1:10) and London (journey time approx. 3:45) can be accessed at the nearby Alnmouth for Alnwick Station, with a weekday service of 14 trains per day north to Edinburgh and 11 trains per day south to London.

Alnwick is located at 55°25'00" North, 01°42'00" West (55.4167, -1.7000)¹, and is bounded on it's north side by the River Aln.

• Alnwick District Council
• Alnwick Castle
• Alnwick Water Garden
• Barter Books
• House of Hardy
• Greys of Alnwick