Alnwick
| Alnwick | |
|---|---|
The town of Alnwick, including Alnwick Castle | |
Location within Northumberland | |
| Population | 8,116 (2011 census) |
| OS grid reference | NU186129 |
| Civil parish |
|
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ALNWICK |
| Postcode district | NE66 |
| Dialling code | 01665 |
| Police | Northumbria |
| Fire | Northumberland |
| Ambulance | North 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.