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The historic town of Alnwick is a small settlement in the north-eastern corner of England, near to the coast, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Northumberland National Park. The market town is, of course, most famous for Alnwick Castle which stands within its boundaries, offering a striking example of a Northumberland fortification that has helped the town earn the flattering reputation of ‘the Windsor of the north’. A number of films and television programmes have made the most of the castle too meanwhile, with the likes of Blackadder and Harry Potter using the setting as a backdrop.
Alnwick is a small and picturesque market town in Northumberland that is mid-way between Berwick-upon-Tweed and the aforementioned Newcastle, while a short distance to the east is the heritage coast with its series of lovely coastal villages. The town itself is graced with many features that showcase something of its impressive heritage such as cobbled streets, narrow alleys and stone buildings. Further, Alnwick once had more than 50 inns along its streets and alleys, giving insight into its value as a stop-off point in this north-eastern corner of the country.
The history of Alnwick dates to approximately 600AD and it has had a prominent agricultural economy over the years. Much of its age-old character is still displayed, adding to the picturesque nature of the setting. As you might imagine the castle, which is more than 700 years old, has played a huge role in Alnwick’s past, providing a home for the Duke of Northumberland, the Percy house and the De Vesci house among others. The town’s position near Scotland has meant inevitable battle with the Scots at certain points of history, with a number of memorials dotted around the region as testimony to this. For example, in 1424 a group from Scotland burnt down much of the town while in 1093 the first Battle of Alnwick took place.
Next to Alnwick Castle are the Alnwick Gardens which are home to the likes of a rose garden, the grand cascades, the cherry orchard and the woodland walk. Other features of this elegant town are the Alnwick International Music Festival, the Farmers’ Market, the Bailiffgate Museum and the Barter Books second-hand bookshop. The Playhouse Theatre adds another angle of intrigue and attraction to the town too.
Alnwick is a small and picturesque market town in Northumberland that is mid-way between Berwick-upon-Tweed and the aforementioned Newcastle, while a short distance to the east is the heritage coast with its series of lovely coastal villages. The town itself is graced with many features that showcase something of its impressive heritage such as cobbled streets, narrow alleys and stone buildings. Further, Alnwick once had more than 50 inns along its streets and alleys, giving insight into its value as a stop-off point in this north-eastern corner of the country.
The history of Alnwick dates to approximately 600AD and it has had a prominent agricultural economy over the years. Much of its age-old character is still displayed, adding to the picturesque nature of the setting. As you might imagine the castle, which is more than 700 years old, has played a huge role in Alnwick’s past, providing a home for the Duke of Northumberland, the Percy house and the De Vesci house among others. The town’s position near Scotland has meant inevitable battle with the Scots at certain points of history, with a number of memorials dotted around the region as testimony to this. For example, in 1424 a group from Scotland burnt down much of the town while in 1093 the first Battle of Alnwick took place.
Next to Alnwick Castle are the Alnwick Gardens which are home to the likes of a rose garden, the grand cascades, the cherry orchard and the woodland walk. Other features of this elegant town are the Alnwick International Music Festival, the Farmers’ Market, the Bailiffgate Museum and the Barter Books second-hand bookshop. The Playhouse Theatre adds another angle of intrigue and attraction to the town too.