Alnmouth
Encyclopedia
Alnmouth is a village in Northumberland
, England
. It is situated just off the main A1068 road (to Ashington
), about 4 miles (6 km) south-east of Alnwick
.
Located at the mouth of the River Aln
, the village has been an important trading port in Northumberland's past, mainly involved in the export
of grain
, and smuggling
. Due to the trade in grain, the village contained a number of granaries. The port declined after the river changed course during a violent storm in 1806. This incident also resulted in the original church which stood on Church Hill being destroyed. The church had already suffered much erosion by the river and was in a state of collapse. After the loss of the grain exports, the old granaries were converted to houses.
Today, Alnmouth is a popular tourist resort. It is within the Northumberland Coast
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The village boasts the fourth oldest golf course in the country.
and tributary
at the mouth of the River Aln
at Alnmouth.
Here, according to Bede's account in Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum
, Book IV, ch. 28, Archbishop Theodore
presided over a synod
in 684 (in the presence of King Ecgfrith of Northumbria
), at which bishop Tunberht
of Hexham
was deposed and St Cuthbert
elected Bishop of Lindisfarne
.
According to the Encyclopaedia Metropolitana
, Alnmouth was taken and fortified by the French
during the reign of Queen Elizabeth
. Schooner Hotel
was built in the 1600s and is reported to be one of the most haunted locations in the United Kingdom.
During the American War of Independence, Alnmouth was attacked by the American privateer John Paul Jones
. On September 23, 1779, Jones fired a cannonball at the town; fortunately it missed the church tower and landed in a field before striking a farmhouse roof.
An exhaustive history of the village was written in 1851 by one William Dickson, entitled Four Chapters from the History of Alnmouth.
The village was in 1860 selected as one of fourteen weather stations, and equipped with barometer
by the Duke of Northumberland
acting as president of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution
. The barometer and a chart of recent readings was kept on public display, to seek to provide fishermen with indications of likely weather patterns so as to assist in diminishing losses at sea. The barometer remains on display, in the window of a cottage facing on the main street, to this day.
which is situated in Hipsburn, a mile inland to the west.
is reputed to have visited Alnmouth in 1742 and stayed at the Schooner Hotel
and afterwards said about the village that it was famous for all kinds of wickedness.
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is situated just off the main A1068 road (to Ashington
Ashington
Ashington is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England with a population of around 27,000 people; it was once a centre of the coal mining industry. The town is located some north of Newcastle upon Tyne off the A189. The south of the town is bordered by the River Wansbeck...
), about 4 miles (6 km) south-east of Alnwick
Alnwick
Alnwick is a small market town in north Northumberland, England. The town's population was just over 8000 at the time of the 2001 census and Alnwick's district population was 31,029....
.
Located at the mouth of the River Aln
River Aln
The River Aln runs through the county of Northumberland in England, discharging into the North Sea on the east coast of England.The river gives its name to the town of Alnwick and to the village of Alnmouth, and its source, Alnham in the Cheviot Hills...
, the village has been an important trading port in Northumberland's past, mainly involved in the export
Export
The term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...
of grain
GRAIN
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
, and smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
. Due to the trade in grain, the village contained a number of granaries. The port declined after the river changed course during a violent storm in 1806. This incident also resulted in the original church which stood on Church Hill being destroyed. The church had already suffered much erosion by the river and was in a state of collapse. After the loss of the grain exports, the old granaries were converted to houses.
Today, Alnmouth is a popular tourist resort. It is within the Northumberland Coast
Northumberland Coast
The Northumberland Coast is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covering 39 miles of coastline from Berwick-Upon-Tweed to the River Coquet estuary in the north-east of England...
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The village boasts the fourth oldest golf course in the country.
History
Adtwifyrdi or Adtuifyrdi ("at the two fords") is the name used by the Venerable Bede believed to describe the meeting of riverRiver
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
and tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
at the mouth of the River Aln
River Aln
The River Aln runs through the county of Northumberland in England, discharging into the North Sea on the east coast of England.The river gives its name to the town of Alnwick and to the village of Alnmouth, and its source, Alnham in the Cheviot Hills...
at Alnmouth.
Here, according to Bede's account in Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum
Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum
The Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum is a work in Latin by Bede on the history of the Christian Churches in England, and of England generally; its main focus is on the conflict between Roman and Celtic Christianity.It is considered to be one of the most important original references on...
, Book IV, ch. 28, Archbishop Theodore
Theodore of Tarsus
Theodore was the eighth Archbishop of Canterbury, best known for his reform of the English Church and establishment of a school in Canterbury....
presided over a synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
in 684 (in the presence of King Ecgfrith of Northumbria
Ecgfrith of Northumbria
King Ecgfrith was the King of Northumbria from 670 until his death. He ruled over Northumbria when it was at the height of its power, but his reign ended with a disastrous defeat in which he lost his life.-Early life:...
), at which bishop Tunberht
Trumbert
Trumbert was a monk of Jarrow, a disciple of St. Chad and later Bishop of Hexham.-Life:He was educated at Lastingham by Ceadda, and was a teacher of Bede. He was the Bishop of the See of Hexham from 681 until he was deposed in 685 and was succeeded by Eata. He had previously been a monk at Ripon...
of Hexham
Hexham
Hexham is a market town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, located south of the River Tyne, and was the administrative centre for the Tynedale district from 1974 to 2009. The three major towns in Tynedale were Hexham, Prudhoe and Haltwhistle, although in terms of population, Prudhoe was...
was deposed and St Cuthbert
Cuthbert of Lindisfarne
Saint Cuthbert was an Anglo-Saxon monk, bishop and hermit associated with the monasteries of Melrose and Lindisfarne in the Kingdom of Northumbria, at that time including, in modern terms, northern England as well as south-eastern Scotland as far as the Firth of Forth...
elected Bishop of Lindisfarne
Bishop of Lindisfarne (Saxon)
The Bishop of Lindisfarne was the ordinary of several early medieval episcopal sees in Northumbria and pre-Conquest England. The first such see was founded at Lindisfarne in 635 by Saint Aidan.-List of Bishops of Lindisfarne:...
.
According to the Encyclopaedia Metropolitana
Encyclopaedia Metropolitana
The Encyclopædia Metropolitana was an encyclopedic work published in London, from 1817 to 1845, by part publication. In all it came to quarto, 30 vols., having been issued in 59 parts .-Origins:...
, Alnmouth was taken and fortified by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
during the reign of Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. Schooner Hotel
Schooner Hotel
The Schooner Hotel & Bar is a Grade II listed 17th century coaching inn and hotel located at 8 Northumberland Street in the coastal village of Alnmouth, Northumberland, England...
was built in the 1600s and is reported to be one of the most haunted locations in the United Kingdom.
During the American War of Independence, Alnmouth was attacked by the American privateer John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones
John Paul Jones was a Scottish sailor and the United States' first well-known naval fighter in the American Revolutionary War. Although he made enemies among America's political elites, his actions in British waters during the Revolution earned him an international reputation which persists to...
. On September 23, 1779, Jones fired a cannonball at the town; fortunately it missed the church tower and landed in a field before striking a farmhouse roof.
An exhaustive history of the village was written in 1851 by one William Dickson, entitled Four Chapters from the History of Alnmouth.
Barometer
A barometer is a scientific instrument used in meteorology to measure atmospheric pressure. Pressure tendency can forecast short term changes in the weather...
by the Duke of Northumberland
George Percy, 5th Duke of Northumberland
George Percy, 5th Duke of Northumberland PC , styled Lord Lovaine between 1790 and 1830 and known as The Earl of Beverley between 1830 and 1865, was a British Tory politician. He served as Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard under Sir Robert Peel between 1842 and 1846...
acting as president of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways....
. The barometer and a chart of recent readings was kept on public display, to seek to provide fishermen with indications of likely weather patterns so as to assist in diminishing losses at sea. The barometer remains on display, in the window of a cottage facing on the main street, to this day.
Transport
Alnmouth is served by Alnmouth railway stationAlnmouth railway station
Alnmouth for Alnwick is a station on the East Coast Main Line about one mile from Alnmouth in Hipsburn, Northumberland, northern England. It is 10–15 minutes by road to the town of Alnwick.-History:...
which is situated in Hipsburn, a mile inland to the west.
Notable people
John WesleyJohn Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
is reputed to have visited Alnmouth in 1742 and stayed at the Schooner Hotel
Schooner Hotel
The Schooner Hotel & Bar is a Grade II listed 17th century coaching inn and hotel located at 8 Northumberland Street in the coastal village of Alnmouth, Northumberland, England...
and afterwards said about the village that it was famous for all kinds of wickedness.
- Val McDermidVal McDermidVal McDermid is a Scottish crime writer, best known for a series of suspense novels starring her most famous creation, Dr. Tony Hill.-Biography:...
The famous crime writer lives in Alnmouth.
- George Ernest Rochester (1898–1966) was born in Alnmouth, probably in Front Street. With his character Harry Davies, the 'Flying Beetle, Rochester became the most popular writer of air adventure stories during the 20s and early 30s, before the advent of W.E. Johns and BigglesBiggles"Biggles" , a pilot and adventurer, is the title character and main hero of the Biggles series of youth-oriented adventure books written by W. E. Johns....
. In 1924, he was living in Alnmouth at the same time as Johns was in residence down the coast in Whitley BayWhitley BayWhitley Bay is a town in North Tyneside, in Tyne and Wear, England. It is on the North Sea coast and has a fine stretch of golden sandy beach forming a bay stretching from St. Mary's Island in the north to Cullercoats in the south...
.