Alwinton
Encyclopedia
Alwinton is a village and parish in Northumberland
, England
. It is about 18 miles (29 km) to the west of Alnwick
.
Alwinton village lies at the head of the Coquet valley
, on the edge of both the Otterburn Army Training Estate and the Northumberland National Park
, roughly 10 miles (16.1 km) from the border with Scotland
. A road continues past Alwinton into the Cheviot Hills
where it terminates at the ancient Roman encampment
of Chew Green
. Having no shops, Alwinton's social life centres on the Rose and Thistle Public House
. Regular Church of England
services are offered at St. Michael and All Angels, which traditionally serves the parish of Alwinton encompassing the nearby townships of Biddlestone
, Burradon
, Clennell
, Fairhaugh, Farnham, Linbriggs, Netherton, Peels, and Sharperton
.
constituency of Berwick-upon-Tweed
.
Census
records for Alwinton township during the 19th and 20th centuries indicate a gradual decline in population:
, is an early Norman
church, and was built on a hillside in the late 11th century or 12th century. Little historical information is available about Alwinton prior to 1245, when the value of its vicarage was first recorded. In 1279, two prisoners escaped from Harbottle castle and fled to the Alwinton church where they confessed to thievery and abjured the realm
.
The church building was significantly neglected in the 15th and 16th centuries, to the extent that a Court of High Commission reported "the walls of the church and chancell are in great decay, noe glass in the windowes and noe doores for the church". Major repairs were finally funded and completed in the 1720s. The church was largely rebuilt in the 19th century. The crypt was last used for a burial in 1868 and is now inaccessible. The church is now a Grade II* listed building.
s Show, a traditional agricultural show
or fair
featuring sheep farming in the borders area of England and Scotland, is held on the second Saturday of October. The Alwinton show is the last agricultural show of the season in the borders area. Traditionally, it marks the end of summer and the time for hill farmers to begin preparations for winter.
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is about 18 miles (29 km) to the west of Alnwick
Alnwick
Alnwick is a small market town in north Northumberland, England. The town's population was just over 8000 at the time of the 2001 census and Alnwick's district population was 31,029....
.
Alwinton village lies at the head of the Coquet valley
River Coquet
The River Coquet runs through the county of Northumberland, England, discharging into the North Sea on the east coast of England at Amble. Warkworth Castle is built in a loop of the Coquet....
, on the edge of both the Otterburn Army Training Estate and the Northumberland National Park
Northumberland National Park
Northumberland National Park is the northernmost national park in England. It covers an area of more than 1030 km² between the Scottish Border in the north to just south of Hadrian's Wall. It is one of the least populated and least visited of the National Parks...
, roughly 10 miles (16.1 km) from the border with Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. A road continues past Alwinton into the Cheviot Hills
Cheviot Hills
The Cheviot Hills is a range of rolling hills straddling the England–Scotland border between Northumberland and the Scottish Borders.There is a broad split between the northern and the southern Cheviots...
where it terminates at the ancient Roman encampment
Roman military frontiers and fortifications
Roman military borders and fortifications were part of a grand strategy of territorial defense in the Roman Empire. By the early 2nd century, the Roman Empire had reached the peak of its territorial expansion and rather than constantly expanding their borders as earlier in the Empire and Republic,...
of Chew Green
Chew Green
Chew Green is the site of the ancient Roman encampment Ad Fines in Northumberland, England, north of Rochester and west of Alwinton. The encampment was adjacent to Dere Street, a Roman road that stretched south to York , and almost on the present-day border with Scotland.Archaeological excavation...
. Having no shops, Alwinton's social life centres on the Rose and Thistle Public House
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
. Regular Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
services are offered at St. Michael and All Angels, which traditionally serves the parish of Alwinton encompassing the nearby townships of Biddlestone
Biddlestone
Biddlestone is a village in Northumberland, England. It is about to the west of Alnwick.- Governance :Biddlestone is in the parliamentary constituency of Berwick-upon-Tweed.- Landmarks :...
, Burradon
Burradon, Northumberland
Burradon is a village in Northumberland, in England. It is about to the south-west of Alnwick.- Governance :Burradon is in the parliamentary constituency of Berwick-upon-Tweed....
, Clennell
Clennell
Clennell is a small village in Northumberland, England. It is about north-east of Alwinton.- Governance :Clennell is in the parliamentary constituency of Berwick-upon-Tweed....
, Fairhaugh, Farnham, Linbriggs, Netherton, Peels, and Sharperton
Sharperton
Sharperton is a small settlement in Northumberland, England.- Governance :Sharperton is in the parliamentary constituency of Berwick-upon-Tweed....
.
Governance
Alwinton is in the parliamentaryBritish House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
constituency of Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed (UK Parliament constituency)
Berwick-upon-Tweed is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
.
Historical population and surnames
Surnames of Alwinton residents during the period 1538 to 1828 gathered from militia lists, parish books, feodary books and poll books include Belany, Bell, Bertram, Bland, Brokyt, Brown, Browne, Burn, Charleton, Clarke, Clavering, Clennell, Davison, Drybrough, Dykson, Foreste, Gibson, Gladstaines, Hall, Handley, Heatherington, Kirkup, Levingstone, Martin, Moses, Myngzies, Nesbit, Nevison, Patonson, Peary, Potts, Pratt, Robson, Scott, Selby, Starbecke, Steynson, Stuart, Thirwall, Trumble, Turnbull, Wallis, Whyt, Widdrington, Wilkinson, Wilson, and Young (Dixon, 1903, pp. 173, 215, 230).Census
Census in the United Kingdom
Coincident full censuses have taken place in the different jurisdictions of the United Kingdom every ten years since 1801, with the exceptions of 1941 and in both Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State in 1921; simultaneous censuses were taken in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, with...
records for Alwinton township during the 19th and 20th centuries indicate a gradual decline in population:
| Year | 1801 | 1811 | 1821 | 1831 | 1841 | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 102 | 103 | 106 | 85 | 78 | 71 | 64 | 83 | 88 | 60 |
| Year | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | ||||||
| Population | 58 | 53 | 51 | 43 |
Religious sites
The Parish Church of St. Michael and All AngelsAll Angels
All Angels are a British classical crossover group formed in 2006, consisting of Daisy Chute, Rachel Fabri, Melanie Nakhla andCharlotte Ritchie....
, is an early Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
church, and was built on a hillside in the late 11th century or 12th century. Little historical information is available about Alwinton prior to 1245, when the value of its vicarage was first recorded. In 1279, two prisoners escaped from Harbottle castle and fled to the Alwinton church where they confessed to thievery and abjured the realm
Abjuration
Abjuration is the solemn repudiation, abandonment, or renunciation by or upon oath, often the renunciation of citizenship or some other right or privilege. .-Abjuration of the realm:...
.
The church building was significantly neglected in the 15th and 16th centuries, to the extent that a Court of High Commission reported "the walls of the church and chancell are in great decay, noe glass in the windowes and noe doores for the church". Major repairs were finally funded and completed in the 1720s. The church was largely rebuilt in the 19th century. The crypt was last used for a burial in 1868 and is now inaccessible. The church is now a Grade II* listed building.
Alwinton Border Shepherds Show
The annual Border ShepherdShepherd
A shepherd is a person who tends, feeds or guards flocks of sheep.- Origins :Shepherding is one of the oldest occupations, beginning some 6,000 years ago in Asia Minor. Sheep were kept for their milk, meat and especially their wool...
s Show, a traditional agricultural show
Agricultural show
An agricultural show is a public event showcasing the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show , a trade fair, competitions, and entertainment...
or fair
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
featuring sheep farming in the borders area of England and Scotland, is held on the second Saturday of October. The Alwinton show is the last agricultural show of the season in the borders area. Traditionally, it marks the end of summer and the time for hill farmers to begin preparations for winter.
External links
- Alwinton Village Website
- Alwinton Parish Council
- Local history
- Alwinton on GENUKI
- Alwinton: Historic Village in Northumberland National Park
- Clennell Hall Riverside Holiday Park
- The Rose and Thistle
- St Michael & All Angels Church, Panoramic Photograph of the interior.
- Alwinton Photos
- Northumberland parish index Index of all the parish locations in Northumberland