Alnwick District

Alnwick
Former District
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	North East England
Administrative county	Northumberland
Founded	1 April 1974
Abolished	1 April 2009
Admin. HQ	Alnwick
Government
• Type	Alnwick District Council
• Leadership:	Leader & Cabinet
• MPs:	Alan Beith
Area
• Total	410 sq mi (1,070 km2)
Population  (2001 Census)
• Total	31,029
• Density	75/sq mi (29/km2)
Time zone	UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (British Summer Time)
ONS code	35UB
Ethnicity	99.6% White
Website	alnwick.gov.uk

Alnwick was a local government district of Northumberland, England. Its council was based in Alnwick town and the district had a population of 31,029 according to the 2001 census.

It was one of the most rural and sparsely populated districts in the United Kingdom, having a resident population of 31,029 in an area of 1,070 square kilometres, according to the 2001 census. (That is 29 persons per km² compared with the UK average of 245 persons per km².) Just over 50% of the population was located in the three main towns of Alnwick (7,600), Amble (6,100) and Rothbury (2,500), with the remainder dispersed across large and small villages, hamlets and isolated dwellings.

It was the second most racially homogeneous community in the country, in the terms measured in the 2001 census with 99.6% of the population recording their ethnicity as White.

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 as a merger of the urban districts of Alnwick and Amble and the rural districts of Alnwick and Rothbury. The district was abolished as part of structural changes to local government in England effective from 1 April 2009. Its responsibilities were transferred to Northumberland County Council, which became a unitary authority.

Politics

See also: Alnwick local elections

Elections to the district council were held every 4 years from 1973 to the last election in 2007. Independents, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats held majorities on the council at different times, but from 1995 onwards no party had a majority. As of the last election in 2007 the council was composed of the following councillors:-

Year	Liberal Democrat	Conservative	Independent	Labour
2007	11	9	8	2

Main towns

Alnwick

Alnwick was the largest of the three main towns in the district. It is a reasonably busy rural market town, which has - by way of yardstick - the district hospital and maternity home, and the main banks. According to Country Life, October 2002, "Alnwick is the most picturesque market town in Northumberland, and the best place to live in Britain". The town dates back approximately to the 7th century, and is the ancestral seat of the Duke of Northumberland, who still resides at Alnwick Castle. Historically, Alnwick was a fortified town, an agricultural centre and a staging post on the Great North Road between Edinburgh and London. The fabric of the town, in parts, reflects its history, although there has been much contemporary development.

Amble

The historic port of Amble, which describes itself as 'the friendliest port', is located on the River Coquet estuary and is the southern gateway to Northumberland's Heritage Coast.

Rothbury

Rothbury is a picturesque historic market town with its origins dating back to the 11th century. It is situated on the River Coquet, and provides a gateway to Upper Coquetdale and the Northumberland National Park.

Other settlements

The district has many small rural villages with a variety of properties from estate houses to agricultural workers' cottages set in Northumberland countryside; the eastern seaboard of the district has a number of small coastal communities.

Services

Education

Alnwick District falls within the Northumberland Education Authority. Northumberland's schools are currently organised in a three-tier system:

• 43 First Schools: ages 4–9 years
• 45 Middle Schools: ages 9–13 years
• 16 Upper Schools: ages 13–19 years

The numbers of Northumberland Education Authority schools within the three main settlements are:

• Alnwick town has 3 First, 3 Middle and 1 High schools
• Amble has 3 First, 1 Middle and 1 High schools
• Rothbury has 1 First and 1 Middle School – the feeder High School is located in Morpeth.

Healthcare

Alnwick town, Amble and Rothbury all have more than one GP surgery. There are over 25 GP surgeries within a 20-mile radius of Alnwick Town. Alnwick Infirmary has a small Accident and Emergency Department, although the main one for the district is located in Ashington at the Wansbeck General Hospital, some 25 miles south of Alnwick town.

Industry

There are a range of small industrial estates located on the outskirts of Alnwick town, Amble and Rothbury offering opportunities for local business development and inward investors. The estates offer a range of existing development premises and sites. There are about 15 companies in the district that employ 50 or more people.

Alnwick

The Alnwick Garden is a world-renowned, year-round visitor attraction, which was officially opened by HRH Prince Charles, Prince of Wales - "The project is a bold and ambitious one which I am delighted to support. The restored garden will be a true work of art for everyone to enjoy, and a statement both of gratitude to the past and hope for the future. I wish the project every possible success."

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

Major events in the Alnwick town calendar include: Alnwick Fair, 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 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.

Amble

Amble's harbour is home to a modern marina and the town's fishing fleet, which can be seen landing its catch daily. Amble's links with the sea are celebrated in the Amble Sea Fayre Festival, which is held every July.

In the springtime, there is the Amble Spring Community Carnival, which is held in May. This is a carnival with live music, stalls, children's races and a tug-of-war event.

Amble makes a good base from which to explore the Northumberland Heritage Coast. Historic towns and monuments, unspoiled beaches, wide open spaces and the area's unique nature reserves are all within easy reach. The Hauxley and Druridge Bay nature reserves are nearby and during the summer regular boat trips run out from Amble to Coquet Island where the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds operates a sanctuary.

Many areas of the town have been extensively refurbished. The traditional main street and waterfront areas have been restored and the town now has a unique town square which can best be described as a beautiful work of art. It contains, amongst other things, one of the largest sundials in Europe.

Rothbury

In Rothbury, you can visit the magnificent (National Trust) Cragside House, once home of industrialist Lord William Armstrong, the imposing Brinkburn Priory and of course Northumberland National Park.

The Street Fairs, Village Shows and Musical Events are a wonderful way of experiencing the unique Northumberland culture of Rothbury and Coquetdale. Some examples are:

• Rothbury Street Fair (May): Local fair with stalls of mainly local crafts and home produce, children's entertainment, fancy dress and entertainment by local musicians & dancers.
• Rothbury Traditional Music Festival (July): A well-established Traditional Country Music Fair featuring pipes, fiddles, bodrun, guitars, folk singing, and dialect poetry.
• Brinkburn Priory Summer Music Festival (July): The Festival takes the form of a Classical Music festival in and around this beautiful Priory with superb acoustics.

In addition Coquetdale is best known as walking country, with the vast expanse of the Cheviot Hills and the stunning views over the valleys of the River Coquet there for all to enjoy. This region is also a haven for rock climbing, cycling, fishing, golfing, horse riding and includes the Northumberland National Park with its abundant wildlife.

Transport

Road

Alnwick town lies adjacent to the A1, the main national north/south trunk road, providing easy access to Newcastle upon Tyne (35 miles south) and to the Scottish capital Edinburgh (80 miles north).

Rail

The main East Coast railway link between Edinburgh (journey time about 1:10) and London (journey time about 3:45) runs via the nearby Alnmouth for Alnwick Station, with a weekday service of 15 trains per day north to Edinburgh and 13 trains per day south to London. The town was once connected to the main line by the Alnwick branch line, but this was closed in January 1968.

Air

Newcastle Airport lies around 45 minutes drive-time away, and provides 19 daily flights to London (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and London City), with regular flights to other UK centres. The airport also operates regular flights to many European destinations, along with destinations in Africa and North America.

Sea

Port facilities are available at the Port of Blyth (Blyth) and the Port of Tyne (South Shields), both about 30 miles south of Alnwick, providing shipping and passenger services to Europe and Scandinavia.

Surrounding Area

The County of Northumberland offers endless opportunities for leisure activities and places of interest to visit. Alnwick town benefits from its very central location in the County, giving easy access to the outstanding coastline, Northumberland National Park with its beautiful hills and valleys, a wide variety of National Trust and English Heritage properties and dramatic castles. A wide and exciting range of museums, art galleries and theatres can all be found in the county and in nearby Newcastle and Tyneside.

External links

• Alnwick District Council
• Alnwick Castle
• Alnwick Garden
• Statistics about the Alnwick district from the Office for National Statistics Census 2001