Alwinton

Alwinton
Northumberland
St Michael and All Angels
Location
Grid reference:	NT925065
Location:	55°21’0"N, 2°6’36"W
Data
Population:	71  (2001)
Post town:	Morpeth
Postcode:	NE65
Dialling code:	01669
Local Government
Council:	Northumberland
Parliamentary constituency:	Berwick-upon-Tweed

Alwinton (previously named "Allenton" and sometimes still referred to as this) is a village in Coquetdale, high in the hills about 18 miles to the west of Alnwick.

Alwinton village stands at the head of the Coquet valley, on the edge of both the Otterburn Army Training Estate and the Northumberland National Park, roughly ten miles from the bounds of Roxburghshire. 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 Inn 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.

Historical 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, 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).

Parish church

The Parish Church of St Michael and All Angels, 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 before 1245, when the value of its vicarage was first recorded. In 1279 it is recorded that 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.

Alwinton Border Shepherds Show

The annual Border Shepherds Show, a traditional agricultural show or fair featuring sheep farming in the Middle Shires, is held on the second Saturday of October.

The Alwinton show is the last agricultural show of the season in the Middle Shires. Traditionally, it marks the end of summer and the time for hill farmers to begin preparations for winter.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Alwinton)

• Coquetdale,net: Alwinton
• Alwinton Parish Council
• Information on Alwinton  from GENUKI
• Alwinton: Historic Village: Northumberland National Park Authority
• The Rose and Thistle
• St Michael & All Angels Church, panoramic interior photograph
• Alwinton pictures

References

• Dixon, D. D. (1903). Upper Coquetdale. Reprinted 1987 by Sandhill Press, Alnwick.
• Dodds, M. H. (1940). A history of Northumberland (vol.15). Newcastle upon Tyne: Andrew Reid & Company