Alnwick

Alnwick
The town of Alnwick, including Alnwick Castle
Alnwick
Location within Northumberland
Population8,116 (2011 census)
OS grid referenceNU186129
Civil parish
  • Alnwick
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townALNWICK
Postcode districtNE66
Dialling code01665
PoliceNorthumbria
FireNorthumberland
AmbulanceNorth East
UK Parliament

Alnwick (/ˈænɪk/ AN-ik) is a market town in Northumberland, England, of which it is the traditional county town. The population at the 2011 Census was 8,116.

The town is 32 miles (51 km) south of Berwick-upon-Tweed and the Scottish border, 5 miles (8 km) inland from the North Sea at Alnmouth and 34 miles (55 km) north of Newcastle upon Tyne; it is sited on the south bank of the River Aln.

The town dates to about AD 600 and thrived as an agricultural centre. Alnwick Castle was the home of the most powerful medieval northern baronial family, the Earls of Northumberland. It was a staging post on the Great North Road between Edinburgh and London.