Alnwick ( ) is a

market town A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rura ...

Northumberland Northumberland ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England, on the Anglo-Scottish border, border with Scotland. It is bordered by the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, Cumb ...

, England, of which it is the traditional

county town In Great Britain and Ireland, a county town is usually the location of administrative or judicial functions within a county, and the place where public representatives are elected to parliament. Following the establishment of county councils in ...

. The population at the 2011 Census was 8,116. The town is south of

Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...

and the Scottish border, inland from the

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...

Alnmouth Alnmouth () is a coastal village in Northumberland, England, situated east-south-east of Alnwick. The population of the civil parish at the 2001 Census was 562, reducing to 445 at the 2011 Census. Located at the mouth of the River Aln, the vil ...

and north of

Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne, or simply Newcastle ( , Received Pronunciation, RP: ), is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is England's northernmost metropolitan borough, located o ...

; it is sited on the south bank of the

River Aln The River Aln () runs through the county of Northumberland in England. It rises in Alnham in the Cheviot Hills and discharges into the North Sea at Alnmouth on the east coast of England. The river gives its name to the town of Alnwick and the ...

. The town dates to about AD 600 and thrived as an agricultural centre.

Alnwick Castle Alnwick Castle () is a castle and country house in Alnwick in the English county of Northumberland. It is the seat of the Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland, 12th Duke of Northumberland, built following the Norman Conquest and renovated an ...

was the home of the most powerful medieval northern baronial family, the

Earls of Northumberland The title of Earl of Northumberland has been created several times in the Peerage of England and Peerage of Great Britain, of Great Britain, succeeding the title Earl of Northumbria. Its most famous holders are the House of Percy (''alias'' Per ...

. It was a staging post on the Great North Road between

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

and

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

Toponymy

The name ''Alnwick'' comes from the

Old English Old English ( or , or ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. It developed from the languages brought to Great Britain by Anglo-S ...

''wic'' ('dairy farm, settlement') and the name of the river Aln.

History

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 The Percy family is an old English nobility, English noble family. They were among the oldest and most powerful noble families in Northern England for much of the Middle Ages. The noble family is known for its long rivalry with the House of Nev ...

in 1309. The castle was founded as a timber structure by

Ivo de Vesci Ivo de Vesci, sometimes spelt Vescy and first name sometimes Yves, was a prominent 11th-century English noble. He obtained lands and the lordship of Alnwick in Northumberland from King William II of England. He was also given lands in Malton, ...

in about 1096. In 1136, it was first recorded as being captured by

David I of Scotland David I or Dauíd mac Maíl Choluim (Scottish Gaelic, Modern Gaelic: ''Daibhidh I mac haoilChaluim''; – 24 May 1153) was a 12th century ruler and saint who was David I as Prince of the Cumbrians, Prince of the Cumbrians from 1113 to 112 ...

. In 1147,

Alnwick Abbey Alnwick Abbey was founded as a Premonstratensian monastery in 1147 by Eustace fitz John near Alnwick, England, as a daughter house of Newhouse Abbey in Lincolnshire. It was dissolved in 1535, refounded in 1536 and finally suppressed in 1539. ...

was founded for Premonstratensian canons, a short distance west of the castle. At about the same time, the castle was rebuilt in stone. At various points in the town are memorials of the constant wars with the 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 Malcolm III (; ; –13 November 1093) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Alba from 1058 to 1093. He was later nicknamed "Canmore" (, , understood as "great chief"). Malcolm's long reign of 35 years preceded the beginning of the Scoto-Norma ...

was killed, during the first Battle of Alnwick in 1093. 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 William the Lion (), sometimes styled William I (; ) and also known by the nickname ; e.g. Annals of Ulster, s.a. 1214.6; Annals of Loch Cé, s.a. 1213.10. ( 1142 – 4 December 1214), reigned as King of Alba from 1165 to 1214. His almost 49 ...

of Scotland was captured during the second Battle of Alnwick in 1174 by a party of about 400 mounted knights, led by

Ranulf de Glanvill Ranulf de Glanvill (''alias'' Glanvil, Glanville, Granville, etc., died 1190) was Chief Justiciar of England during the reign of King Henry II (1154–89) and was the probable author of '' Tractatus de legibus et consuetudinibus regni Anglie ...

Hulne Priory Hulne Priory, Hulne Friary or Hulne Abbey was a friary founded in 1240 by the Carmelites or 'Whitefriars'. It is said that the Northumberland site, quite close to Alnwick, was chosen for some slight resemblance to Mount Carmel where the order or ...

, outside the town walls in

Hulne Park Hulne Park is the only one remaining of the three park A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urba ...

, the Duke of Northumberland's walled estate, was a friary founded in about 1240 for the

Carmelites The Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (; abbreviated OCarm), known as the Carmelites or sometimes by synecdoche known simply as Carmel, is a mendicant order in the Catholic Church for both men and women. Histo ...

William de Vesci William de Vesci (c.1125–1184) was an Anglo-Norman feudal lord and Sheriff. Born William fitz Eustace at Knaresborough Castle, Yorkshire, the son of Eustace Fitz John and Beatrix de Vesci, he took his mother's surname. He was appointed Sheri ...

. It is said that the site was chosen for some slight resemblance to

Mount Carmel Mount Carmel (; ), also known in Arabic as Mount Mar Elias (; ), is a coastal mountain range in northern Israel stretching from the Mediterranean Sea towards the southeast. The range is a UNESCO biosphere reserve. A number of towns are situat ...

where the order originated. In 1314, Sir John Felton was governor of Alnwick. During the 14th century the Percys did extensive work on the castle, adding new towers in the outer wall, strong gates to the wall and keep, and new domestic apartments. After the Percys challenged King Henry IV, the king moved against their castles, taking Alnwick in 1403, despite its improvements. 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 William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas, 2nd Earl of Avondale (1425 – 22 February 1452) was a late Medieval Scottish nobleman, Lord of Galloway, and Lord of the Regality of Lauderdale, and the most powerful magnate in Southern Scotland. He was ki ...

and

George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus, Lord Douglas, Abernethy and Jedburgh Forest (c. 1427 – 12 March 1463)Alan R. Borthwick, 'Douglas, George, fourth earl of Angus (c.1417–1463)’, ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University ...

. Following these setbacks, in the 15th century both monastic houses gained defensive towers and the town was walled. In addition to the threat from Scotland, Alnwick was heavily contested in the

Wars of the Roses The Wars of the Roses, known at the time and in following centuries as the Civil Wars, were a series of armed confrontations, machinations, battles and campaigns fought over control of the English throne from 1455 to 1487. The conflict was fo ...

. It was held for Henry VI until the Lancastrian collapse of 1461, when it fell to

Edward IV Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...

. That winter the Lancastrians recaptured it but, in July 1462, the

Yorkists The House of York was a cadet branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet. Three of its members became kings of England in the late 15th century. The House of York descended in the male line from Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, t ...

retook it. By the autumn, the Lancastrians were again in possession and quickly came under Yorkist siege. Despite Franco-Scottish reinforcements, the Lancastrians abandoned the castle to the Yorkists in January 1463, though by May they had regained it through betrayal. On 23 June, it was surrendered to the Yorkists for the final time. According to historian Dan Spencer, this made Alnwick the most besieged place in the country in the Wars of the Roses.

Sir Thomas Malory Sir Thomas Malory was an English writer, the author of ''Le Morte d'Arthur'', the classic English-language chronicle of the Arthurian legend, compiled and in most cases translated from French sources. The most popular version of ''Le Morte d'A ...

mentions Alnwick as a possible location for Lancelot's castle Joyous Garde. In the

English Reformation The English Reformation began in 16th-century England when the Church of England broke away first from the authority of the pope and bishops Oath_of_Supremacy, over the King and then from some doctrines and practices of the Catholic Church ...

, monastic life at Alnwick came to an end, with both Alnwick Abbey and Hulne Priory being suppressed in 1539. Shortly afterwards, the Percys also left Alnwick to decay, only resuming residence in the mid-18th century. Since then the Percys have remained at Alnwick. There was a

Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland (CoS; ; ) is a Presbyterian denomination of Christianity that holds the status of the national church in Scotland. It is one of the country's largest, having 245,000 members in 2024 and 259,200 members in 2023. While mem ...

congregation in Alnwick in the 17th and 18th centuries. A Royal Air Force distribution depot was constructed at Alnwick during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

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. The Alnwick by-pass takes the A1 London–Edinburgh trunk road around the town; it was opened in 1968.

Geography

Alnwick lies at (55.417, -1.700) ¹. The River Aln forms its unofficial northern boundary.

Governance

Historically, the town was partly within the Bamburgh Ward and Coquetdale Ward and later included in the East Division of Coquetdale Ward in 1832. George Tate
''The History of the Borough, Castle and Barony of Alnwick''
(Vol. 1). Alnwick: Henry Hunter Blair, 1866. Alnwick Town Hall was the home of the common council of Alnwick. By the time of the 2011 Census, an

electoral ward A ward is a local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes. In some countries, wards are usually named after neighbourhoods, thoroughfares, parishes, landmarks, geographical features and in some cases historical figures connected t ...

covering only part of Alnwick parish existed. The total population of this ward was 4,766.

Economy

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 *

Quotient Sciences In arithmetic, a quotient (from 'how many times', pronounced ) is a quantity produced by the division of two numbers. The quotient has widespread use throughout mathematics. It has two definitions: either the integer part of a division (in th ...

Alnwick, a large

pharmaceutical Medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal product, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy ( pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the ...

manufacturing, research and testing centre *

NFU Mutual NFU Mutual is a UK insurance composite. It is a mutual business, therefore policyholder members own the business, and the executives and directors are accountable to them. The full name of the organisation is National Farmers' Union Mutual In ...

, provider of insurance, pensions and investments *

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, ministerial department of the government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for environmental quality, environmenta ...

* House of Hardy, well-known supplier of

fly-fishing Fly fishing is an angling technique that uses an ultra-lightweight lure called an artificial fly, which typically mimics small invertebrates such as flying and aquatic insects to attract and catch fish. Because the mass of the fly lure is ins ...

equipment with retail space, manufacturing and a museum.

Education

Secondary schools in Alnwick include

The Duchess's Community High School The Duchess's Community High School is a co-educational secondary school and sixth form located in Alnwick in the English county of Northumberland. It is a community school administered by Northumberland County Council. History In 1809, the Du ...

Landmarks

The town's greatest building is

, one of the homes of the

Duke of Northumberland Duke of Northumberland is a noble title that has been created three times in English and British history, twice in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of Great Britain. The current holder of this title is Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of N ...

, and site of The Alnwick Garden. The castle has extensive grounds landscaped by

Capability Brown Lancelot "Capability" Brown (born c. 1715–16, baptised 30 August 1716 – 6 February 1783) was an English gardener and landscape architect, a notable figure in the history of the English landscape garden style. Unlike other architects ...

, which include several

follies ''Follies'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Goldman. The plot centers on a crumbling Broadway theater, now scheduled for demolition, previously home to a musical revue (based on the ''Ziegfeld Follies ...

as well as the ruins of St Leonard's Hospital,

and

The town centre is the marketplace, with its

market cross A market cross, or in Scots, a mercat cross, is a structure used to mark a market square in market towns, where historically the right to hold a regular market or fair was granted by the monarch, a bishop or a baron. History Market crosses ...

and the 19th century Northumberland Hall, used as a meeting place.

The Alnwick Playhouse The Alnwick Playhouse is an arts centre, theatre and cinema in the town of Alnwick in Northumberland, England. It is also the headquarters of the NTC Touring Theatre Company. The building itself consists of many different parts. There is the mai ...

is a thriving multi-purpose arts centre that stages theatre, dance, music, cinema and visual arts productions. In 2003, the Willowburn Leisure Centre was opened on the southern outskirts of the enlarged town; it replaced the old sports centre located by the Lindisfarne Middle School and the now-demolished youth centre. Front of Bailiffgate Museum squared up

Alnwick's museum, Bailiffgate Museum, is close to the Bailiffgate entrance to the castle. Its collection is dedicated to local social history and 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. Brizlee Tower - Alnwick - Northumberland - UK - 2006-03-04

Brizlee Tower - Alnwick - Northumberland - UK - 2006-03-04

Other places of interest in and near the town include: * Alnwick railway station (closed in 1968), a listed building and now a secondhand bookshop. * the

Bondgate Tower Bondgate Tower also known as the Hotspur Tower or the Hotspur Gateway in reference to Henry Percy (Hotspur), Sir Henry Percy (commonly known as Harry Hotspur), son of the Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland, 1st Earl of Northumberland and f ...

, also known as the Hotspur Tower or Hotspur Gate, the only upstanding survival of the medieval town wall and named after Sir Henry Percy, also called Harry Hotspur, the eldest son of the 1st Earl of Northumberland. *

Brizlee Tower Brizlee Tower (sometimes Brislee Tower) is a Grade 1 listed folly set atop a hill in Hulne Park, the walled home park of the Duke of Northumberland in Alnwick, Northumberland. The tower was erected in 1781 for Hugh Percy, 1st Duke of Northumber ...

, a

Grade I listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

folly tower A folly tower is a tower that has been built as an architectural folly, that is, constructed for ornamental rather than practical reasons. Folly towers are common in Great Britain and Ireland, and often do have some practical value as landmarks, or ...

on a hill in Hulne Park, the Duke's walled estate, designed by

Robert Adam Robert Adam (3 July 17283 March 1792) was a British neoclassical architect, interior designer and furniture designer. He was the son of William Adam (architect), William Adam (1689–1748), Scotland's foremost architect of the time, and train ...

in 1777 and erected in 1781 for

Hugh Percy, 1st Duke of Northumberland Hugh Percy, 1st Duke of Northumberland, (6 June 1786) was an English peer, politician, and landowner. Origins Hugh Smithson was born , the son of Langdale Smithson (b. 1682) of Langdale, and Philadelphia Reveley. He was a grandson of Sir Hu ...

. * Camphill Column, an 1814 construction celebrating British victories in Europe and possibly erected as a reaction against the French Revolution. * the Fenkle Street drill hall converted from a library in 1887. * the

Fusiliers Museum of Northumberland The Fusiliers Museum of Northumberland, formerly the Northumberland Fusiliers Museum, is a museum located within the Abbot's Tower of Alnwick Castle in Alnwick, Northumberland, England. History The museum was first established at Fenham Barra ...

, found within Alnwick Castle. * The

Nelson Memorial, Swarland The Nelson Memorial, Swarland is a white freestone obelisk at Swarland in north Northumberland, England. Erected in 1807, two years after the death of Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, victor of the Battle of Trafalgar, it was placed by hi ...

, emphasising a local link to the admired

Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...

. * the Pottergate Tower, a Gothick eye-catcher of 1768 straddling Pottergate on the site of the medieval gate. *

RAF Boulmer Royal Air Force Boulmer or more simply RAF Boulmer is a Royal Air Force station near Alnwick in Northumberland, England, and is home to Aerospace Surveillance and Control System (ASACS) Force Command, Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) Boulmer ...

was an airfield during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. It now has a role in early warning

radar Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...

surveillance and communications. * St Leonard's Hospital Chapel, within the castle park. Meagre ruins of ''c''. 1200 from a hospital founded for the soul of King Malcolm of Scotland. * St Mary's Chantry, in Walkergate, the ruins of a medieval

chantry A chantry is an ecclesiastical term that may have either of two related meanings: # a chantry service, a set of Christian liturgical celebrations for the dead (made up of the Requiem Mass and the Office of the Dead), or # a chantry chapel, a b ...

house licensed in 1448. * St Michael's Church on Bailiffgate, the main parish church of the town, a Grade I

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

dating from the 15th century with fragments from the 12th century. * the

Tenantry Column The Tenantry Column is a monument to the south of Alnwick town centre, in Northumberland, England. It was erected in 1816 by the tenants of Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland in thanks for his reduction of their rents during the post-Napoleo ...

—much in the style of

Nelson's Column Nelson's Column is a monument in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, Central London, built to commemorate Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson's decisive victory at the Battle of Trafalgar over the combined French and Spanish navies, during whi ...

, 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 Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom), Lieutenant General Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland (14 August 174210 July 1817) was an officer in the British army and later a British peer. He participated in the Battles of Lexington and Concord an ...

in 1816 in gratitude to the Duke. * the White Swan Hotel, an 18th-century coaching inn that now houses the First Class Lounge and other fittings from the ''

Titanic RMS ''Titanic'' was a British ocean liner that sank in the early hours of 15 April 1912 as a result of striking an iceberg on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, United States. Of the estimated 2,224 passengers a ...

'' near-identical sister ship RMS ''Olympic''.

Sport

Alnwick RFC Alnwick RFC is an amateur rugby union club based in the town of Alnwick, Northumberland in north-east England. The club play in Regional 1 North East, a level five league in the English rugby union system and are the most northerly rugby union ...

* Alnwick Town A.F.C.

Local media

Local news and television programmes is provided by

BBC North East and Cumbria BBC North East and Cumbria is one of the BBC's BBC English Regions, English regions covering Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Gateshead, South Tyneside, City of Sunderland, County Durham, Northumberland, north and mid Cumbria and parts of N ...

and

ITV Tyne Tees ITV Tyne Tees, previously known as Tyne Tees, Channel 3 North East and Tyne Tees Television, is the ITV television franchisee for North East England and parts of North Yorkshire. Tyne Tees launched on 15 January 1959 from studios at a convert ...

. Television signals are received from the

Chatton Chatton is a village in Northumberland, in England. It is roughly to the east of Wooler. History Chatton has been occupied for many centuries. There has been a church on the site since the twelfth century. There is evidence of occupation ...

TV transmitter. Alnwick's local radio stations are

BBC Radio Newcastle BBC Radio Newcastle is the Local BBC Radio, BBC's local radio station serving Newcastle upon Tyne, the neighbouring metropolitan boroughs, Northumberland and north east County Durham. It broadcasts on frequency modulation, FM, Digital Audio Br ...

on 96.0 FM, Hits Radio North East on 102.6 FM and

Lionheart Radio Lionheart Radio is a community radio station in the north east of England which broadcasts to Northumberland from Fenkle Street in Alnwick. It conducted three and a half months of successful RSL ( Restricted Service Licence) broadcasts and was aw ...

on 107.3 FM, a community-based radio station. The ''

Northumberland Gazette The ''Northumberland Gazette'' is a weekly newspaper published in Alnwick, Northumberland, England. It serves Alnwick, Amble, Seahouses, Rothbury, Wooler and List of places in Northumberland, outlying districts. The ''Gazette'' typically covers ...

'' is the town's local newspaper.

Events

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.

Transport

Road

Alnwick lies adjacent to the A1, the main national north–south trunk road, providing easy access to Newcastle upon Tyne ( south) and Edinburgh ( north).

Rail

The nearest

National Rail National Rail (NR) is the trading name licensed for use by the Rail Delivery Group, a group representing passenger train operating companies (TOCs) of England, Scotland, and Wales. The TOCs run the passenger services previously provided by ...

station is at , about away.

London North Eastern Railway London North Eastern Railway (LNER) is a British train operating company which operates most services on the East Coast Main Line. It is owned by DfT Operator for the Department for Transport (DfT). The company's name echoes that of the Londo ...

operates services between (journey time approximately 1h:10m) and (journey time approximately 3h:45m) on the

East Coast Main Line The East Coast Main Line (ECML) is a electrified railway between its northern terminus at and southern terminus at . The key towns and cities of , , , , and are on the line. The line is a key transport artery on the eastern side of Grea ...

. It has a weekday service of 15 trains per day north to Edinburgh and 13 trains per day south to London. The Alnwick branch line formerly linked Alnwick railway station to Alnmouth, but this line closed in January 1968. Since the 2010s, the Aln Valley Railway Trust have worked to reopen the branch as a

heritage railway A heritage railway or heritage railroad (U.S. usage) is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period (or periods) ...

but, due to construction of the A1 Alnwick bypass removing a section of the original trackbed on the edge of the town, their purpose-built station at is located near the Lionheart Enterprise Estate on the outskirts of the town. The reopening project is ongoing and, as of July 2020, the line's eastern terminus had reached a new station at Greenrigg Halt, approximately from Lionheart; it is yet to carry passengers over the full length.

Air

Newcastle Airport lies around 45 minutes away and provides 19 daily flights to

London Heathrow Heathrow Airport , also colloquially known as London Heathrow Airport and named ''London Airport'' until 1966, is the primary and largest international airport serving London, the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingdo ...

Gatwick Gatwick Airport , also known as London Gatwick Airport (), is the secondary international airport serving London, West Sussex and Surrey. It is located near Crawley in West Sussex, south of Central London. In 2024, Gatwick was the second-bu ...

Stansted Stansted Airport is an international airport serving London, the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It is located near Stansted Mountfitchet, Uttlesford, Essex, northeast of Central London. As London's third-busiest airport, Stan ...

and London City, with regular flights to other UK centres.

Twin towns

Alnwick is twinned with: *

Bryne Bryne (, ) is a List of towns and cities in Norway, town in Time, Norway, Time municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The town is the administrative centre of the municipality of Time and it is also List of urban areas in Norway by population ...

, Norway *

Lagny-sur-Marne Lagny-sur-Marne (, literally ''Lagny on Marne'') is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located in the Seine-et-Marne department in Île-de-France from the centre of Paris (20 minutes away from the centre of Paris). The ...

, France *

Voerde Voerde () is a town in the district of Wesel, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Rhine, approximately south-east of Wesel, and 20 km north of Duisburg. City structure According to art. 1(3) of the ...

, Germany

Notable people

Born in Alnwick

* William of Alnwick (–1333), Franciscan theologian and Bishop of Giovinazzo * Martin of Alnwick (d. 1336), Franciscan friar and theologian *

Henry 'Hotspur' Percy Sir Henry Percy (20 May 1364 – 21 July 1403), nicknamed Hotspur or Harry Hotspur, was an English knight who fought in several campaigns against the Scots in the northern border and against the French during the Hundred Years' War. Th ...

(1364?–1403), son of the 1st Earl of Northumberland *

John Busby John Busby (24 March 1765 – 10 May 1857) was an English-born surveyor and civil engineer, active in Australia. __NOTOC__ Early life Busby was born in Alnwick, Northumberland, England, eldest son of George Busby, a miner and coalmaster of St ...

(1765–1857), mining engineer * William Davison (1781–1858), pharmacist, apothecary, publisher and printer *

Prideaux John Selby Prideaux John Selby FRSE Linnean Society, FLS (23 July 1788 – 27 March 1867) was an English ornithologist, botanist and natural history artist. Life Selby was born in Bondgate Street in Alnwick in Northumberland, the eldest son of George ...

(1788–1867),

ornithologist Ornithology, from Ancient Greek ὄρνις (''órnis''), meaning "bird", and -logy from λόγος (''lógos''), meaning "study", is a branch of zoology dedicated to the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related discip ...

botanist Botany, also called plant science, is the branch of natural science and biology studying plants, especially Plant anatomy, their anatomy, Plant taxonomy, taxonomy, and Plant ecology, ecology. A botanist or plant scientist is a scientist who s ...

and artist *

William Henry Percy The Honourable William Henry Percy (24 March 1788 – 5 October 1855) was a British Royal Navy officer and politician. Family Percy was the sixth son of Algernon Percy, 1st Earl of Beverley, and his wife, the former Isabella Susannah Burrell, ...

(1788–1855), naval commander and politician *

James Catnach James Catnach (18 August 1792 – 1 February 1841) was an Alnwick-born printer and publisher of the early 19th century. He became a major publisher of chapbooks in the Seven Dials district of London. Early life James Catnach was born in Aln ...

(1792–1841), publisher *

George Biddell Airy Sir George Biddell Airy (; 27 July 18012 January 1892) was an English mathematician and astronomer, as well as the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics from 1826 to 1828 and the seventh Astronomer Royal from 1835 to 1881. His many achievements inc ...

(1801–1892),

Astronomer Royal Astronomer Royal is a senior post in the Royal Households of the United Kingdom. There are two officers, the senior being the astronomer royal dating from 22 June 1675; the junior is the astronomer royal for Scotland dating from 1834. The Astro ...

from 1835 to 1881 * George Tate (1805–1871), tradesman, local topographer, antiquarian and naturalist * Thomas Turner Tate (1807–1888), mathematical and scientific educator and writer *

James Patterson James Brendan Patterson (born March 22, 1947) is an American author. Among his works are the '' Alex Cross'', '' Michael Bennett'', '' Women's Murder Club'', '' Maximum Ride'', '' Daniel X'', '' NYPD Red'', '' Witch & Wizard'', '' Private'' and ...

(1833–1895), Australian colonial politician, premier of Victoria, born in Alnwick in 1833 * T. J. Cobden Sanderson (1840–1922), artist and

bookbinder Bookbinding is the process of building a book, usually in codex format, from an ordered stack of paper sheets with one's hands and tools, or in modern publishing, by a series of automated processes. Firstly, one binds the sheets of papers alon ...

associated with the

Arts and Crafts movement The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and America. Initiat ...

Ralph Tate Ralph Tate (11 March 1840 – 20 September 1901) was a British-born botanist and geologist, who was later active in Australia. Early life Tate was born at Alnwick in Northumberland, the son of Thomas Turner Tate (1807–1888), a teacher of math ...

(1840–1901), botanist and geologist * Bernard Bosanquet (1848–1923), philosopher * Jim Hilton (1894–1964), painter for Shell Oil and immigrant to Canada * David Adam (1936–2020), English minister and Canon of York Minster *

Sid Waddell Sidney Waddell (10 August 1940 – 11 August 2012) was an English sports commentator and television personality. He was nicknamed the 'Voice of Darts' due to his fame as a darts commentator, and worked for Granada Television, Granada, Yorkshire ...

(1940–2012), commentator and television personality *

Jeremy Darroch Sir David Jeremy Darroch (born 18 July 1962) is an English businessman who was the CEO of Sky from December 2007 until becoming executive chairman in January 2021. Early life He was born and brought up in Alnwick, Northumberland, the son of a t ...

(born 1962), chief executive of

Sky The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the planetary surface, surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere of Earth, atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from ...

Jonny Kennedy Jonathan "Jonny" Kennedy (4 November 1966 – 26 September 2003) was a British man who had a rare inherited condition known as dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (EB or DEB). Kennedy ultimately died of skin cancer, a complication of EB. Biograph ...

(1966–2003), spokesperson with the skin condition

epidermolysis bullosa Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a group of rare medical conditions that result in easy blistering of the skin and mucous membranes. Blisters occur with minor trauma or friction and are painful. Its severity can range from mild to fatal. Inherite ...

Stella Vine Stella Vine (born Melissa Jane Robson, 1969) is an English artist, who lives and works in London. Her work is figurative painting, with subjects drawn from personal life, as well as from rock stars, royalty, and other celebrities. In 2001, she ...

(born 1969), artist *

Laura Weightman Laura Weightman (born 1 July 1991) is a former British middle-distance runner. She reached the 1500 metres final at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio Olympics. She won a silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and bronze medals at t ...

(born 1991), former British middle-distance runner, Olympic competitor * Kelland Watts (born 1999), professional footballer *

J. Arthur Reavell James Arthur Reavell (10 June 1872—26 August 1973) M.I.Mech.E., M.I.Chem.E., F.Inst.F., F.I.M. was a British chemical engineer, who created a major company and was one of the founders and a president of the Institution of Chemical Engineers. ...

(1872-1973), chemical engineer

Lived in Alnwick

John Scafe John Scafe (1776–1843) was a poet and writer on geology. Scafe was born in London to William Scafe, a barrister, and Frances (née Hodgson) in June 1776. He went to University College, Oxford in January 1794 to study, but never completed a de ...

(1776–1843), poet. *

Lucy Bronze Lucia Roberta Tough Bronze (born 28 October 1991) is an English professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Women's Super League club Chelsea and the England women's national team. She has previously played for Sunderland, Everto ...

(born 1991), footballer for

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

and

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, played junior football in Alnwick and had plaque erected in her honour at Alnwick Town FC.

Died in Alnwick

(died 1093) *

Stan Anderson Stanley Anderson (27 February 1933 – 10 June 2018) was an English football player and manager. The only player ever to have played for and captained all the big 3 North-East teams, Sunderland, Newcastle and Middlesbrough. Playing career And ...

(1871–1942), English international rugby union player.

Freedom of the Town

The following people have received the Freedom of the Town of Alnwick: * Bill Batey: 2019 * Adrian Ions: 12 November 2021 * William "Bill" Hugonin: 18 March 2022.

Filming location

Alnwick has been used as a setting in films and television series: ; Films * 2000

Harry Potter ''Harry Potter'' is a series of seven Fantasy literature, fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young Magician (fantasy), wizard, Harry Potter (character), Harry Potter, and his friends ...

* 2012 ''Villains'' * 2011 ''

Your Highness ''Your Highness'' is a 2011 American stoner comic fantasy film directed by David Gordon Green. It stars Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, and Justin Theroux. Written by McBride and Ben Best, the film was relea ...

'' ; Television * 1987 '' Treasure Hunt'' - episode: Northumberland (1987) * 1991–1993 ''

Spender ''Spender'' is a British television police procedural drama, created by Ian La Frenais and Jimmy Nail, that first broadcast on 8 January 1991 on BBC1. The series, which also starred Nail as the titular character, ran for three series between 1 ...

'' * 1998-2011 ''

History's Mysteries ''History's Mysteries'' is an American documentary television series that aired on the History Channel. Overview The 154 episodes of the series were produced from 1998 to 2011. Each season consisted of 12 to 14 one-hour episodes that focused on ...

'' - episode: Doomed Sisters of the Titanic (1999) * 2011- '' All Over the Place'' - episode: Tree Houses, Buses and Pie Eating! (2011) * 2011- '' All Over the Place'' - episode: Scary Castles, Teapots and Onion Eating! (2011) * 2013- ''The Other Child'' * 2014 ''

Vera Vera may refer to: Names *Vera (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) * Vera (given name), a given name (including a list of people and fictional characters with the name) **Vera (), archbishop of the archdiocese of Tarr ...

'',

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: Television TV stations/networks/channels ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network and company, including: **ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network in the United Kingd ...

murder mystery Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, crime novel, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives or fiction that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a profession ...

, Series 4, episode 1: On Harbour Street (2014)'' * 2015 ''

'',

, Series 5, episode 3: Muddy Waters filmed a scene in Alnwick's market place; the filming took place while the market was going on and was not staged for the episode, except for two stalls that were created just for the episode. * 2013- '' Tales from Northumberland with Robson Green'' - episode: More Tales from Northumberland with Robson Green: Industrial Heritage (2015) * 2018- ''

The Heist A heist is a robbery or burglary, especially from an institution such as a bank or museum. Heist may also refer to: Places *Heist, Germany, a municipality in Schleswig-Holstein *Heist-aan-Zee, West Flanders, Belgium *Heist-op-den-Berg, Antwerp, ...

'' * 2012- '' Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railways'' - episode: Railways of the Somme (2019)

References

External links

Visit Alnwick
– Alnwick Tourism Association
Alnwick described
on the ''Keys to the Past'' website. {{Authority control Market towns in Northumberland Towns in Northumberland Civil parishes in Northumberland