To be seen at its best, the castle should be approached from the north. Standing nobly on a grassy bank rising from the River Aln, it is the second largest occupied castle in England, and is surpassed only by Windsor Castle itself. In fact, the Victorians considered it to be the Windsor of the North.
In recent years, the castle has been used as a backdrop for many films, including Mary Queen of Scots, Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, Elizabeth and Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
Surmounting
the bridge that spans the Aln is a symbol of the Percy family - a lion, tail
stretched out behind. He looks north, as though still on guard against an
invasion from the Scots.On the southern side of town, high up on what was known as the Tenantry Column, is another Percy Lion. In 1863, the column was given to the 3rd Duke by his tenants for his generosity - he lowered the rents. When a later Duke raised them again, however, it was renamed the Farmer's Folly.
The winding road, Narrowgate, is flanked on either side by houses, some of which are 18th century. One such house belonged to Dorothy Forster, who is reputed to have smuggled her brother out of the Tower of London after he was arrested for his part in the Jacobite rebellion.
Further
along, on the opposite side, is Ye Olde Cross Inn, part of which dates back to
the 17th century. The bow window at the front holds a row of bottles which have
not been touched for nearly 200 years. The man who was arranging them collapsed
and died for no apparent reason, since when no one has dared to touch them for
fear of suffering the same fate. The pub has been aptly named "Dirty
Bottles."Alnwick was once a walled town with gates on four sides. Over the years the walls have disappeared and only one gateway has survived. Built more than 500 years ago, the Hotspur Tower spans
the main road, forcing traffic to travel in single file through the narrow arch.Some 200 or 300 years ago, a curfew bell in the Town Hall was rung at dusk to call the people back into the town before the gates were closed for the night. Even today, the bell is rung every evening at 8 pm.
In the Market Place, stands the Town Hall, built in 1771, and Northumberland Hall, constructed in 1826 by the 3rd Duke of Northumberland for use as assembly rooms and presented as a gift to the people of Alnwick by a later Duke. Beneath Northumberland Town Hall are the Shambles, where butcher's shops once stood, and at one corner of the
Market Place, is a stepped Market Cross.As far back as 1297, an annual fair was introduced and the Market Place resounded with the boisterous sports of bull-baiting and cock-fighting.
A weekly market has been held for over 800 years and today the market is held twice a week, on Thursdays and Saturdays.
In June, there is a week-long medieval fair, with re-enactments of some of the scenes of yesteryear. The crowing of the Alnwick Fair Queen precedes the grand parade - which has been known to attract more than 8,000 people - that heralds the festivities. Townspeople in medieval costume sell their wares and there is a full programme of dancing, busking and mime throughout the day.
One highlight is the Market Courts, known as the Pied Powder Courts. These are held three times a day and show wenches, found guilty of imaginary crimes, strapped to a ducking stool and plunged into the water below. A different fate awaits the guilty men, however, they are fastened to a whipping-post or are locked in a pillory.
The fun goes on...during August, Alnwick plays host to an International Music Festival, also held in the Market Place, while in September, horse-driving trials take place at the castle, and there is the Alnwick Show.
To the left of the Market Place is a water fountain - one of six in the town - depicting St. Michael and the dragon. The base is medieval and the top was rebuilt in 1765. The main hotel in Alnwick is the White Swan, the front of which is typically 19th century. The restaurant at the back, however, was once part of the Olympic, sister ship to the Titanic. The "Olympic Room," as it is known, was salvaged and transported to Alnwick when the ship was broken up at Jarrow in 1935.
There is so much of interest to see and do in and around this appealing town. The ruins of Hulne Priory, once a fortified abbey, founded in 1240, lies a couple of miles to the north-west, and Brizlee Tower, thought to have been designed by Robert Adam, is situated two miles north-west of the castle. Built in 1781, this ornamental tower is still a spectacular sight.
Then, there are the castles of Bamburgh and Lindisfarne to the north and, to the south, is the historic market-town of Morpeth, for those who want to travel a little further afield in this endlessly fascinating part of the north-east.
