National Gazetteer (1868) - Alwinton

"ALWINTON, (or Allenton), a parish in the western division of Coquetdale ward, in the county of Northumberland, Smiles to the N.W. of Rothbury, and 313 miles N. of London. Alnwick is the post town. It is situated on the river Allen or Alwin, at its confluence with the river Coquet, which flows in a winding course through the parish. It contains the townships of Allenton, or Alwinton, Biddleston, Burrowdon, Clennell, Fairhaigh, Farnham, Linbriggs, Netherton north and south sides, Peals and Sharperton. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Durham, value with the curacy of Hallystone, £200, in the patronage of the Duke of Northumberland. The church is dedicated to St. Michael, and is a handsome stone building, erected in the 12th century, and restored in 1853, in the early English style. The register dates from 1719. There is a free school for 26 children, endowed by John Dixon and others. Barrow Peel and Ridlee Cairn Hill, on the south bank of the Coquet, are remains, probably, of ancient British burial-places.

"BARROW, a township in the parish of Alwinton, ward of Coquetdale, in the county of Northumberland, 9 miles to the W. of Rothbury."

"BIDDLESTONE, a township in the parish of Alwinton, ward of Coquetdale, in the county of Northumberland, 7 miles to the N.W. of Rothbury. It is situated at the foot of the Cheviot Hills, on the river Coquet. Biddlestone Hall, a modern mansion at the foot of Silverton, one of the most southern peaks of the Cheviots, overlooking the valley of the Coquet, is the seat of the Selbys, who have held the manor since the 13th century, when it was granted to Sir Walter Selby. James I., on his progress to London in 1603, was entertained here, and conferred the honour of knighthood on five members of the Selby family."

"BORROWDON, (or Burradon), a township in the parish of Alwinton, ward of Coquetdale, in the county of Northumberland, 6 miles to the N.W. of Rothbury. It is situated near the river Coquet.

"CLENNELL, a township in the parish of Alwinton, in the western division of the ward of Coquetdale, in the county of Northumberland, 9 miles N.W. of Rothbury, and 1 N. of Alwinton, its post town. It is situated on the river Alwine. In Edward I.'s reign the Clennells possessed this place, and its present owner, Anthony Wilkinson, Esq., is a descendant of that family."

"DUESHILL, a township in the parish of Alwinton, W. division of the ward of Coquetdale, in the county of Northumberland, ½ a mile S.E. of Holystone, and 6 miles W. of Rothbury. It is situated on the river Coynet, and is chiefly moorland. There are some remains of a strongly fortified Saxon camp."

"FAIRHAUGH, a township in the parish of Alwinton, W. division of the ward of Coquetdale, county Northumberland, 12 miles N.W. of Rothbury, in the neighbourhood of Shill Moor."

"FARNHAM, a township in the parish of Alwinton, W. division of the ward of Coquetdale, county Northumberland, 5 miles W. of Rothbury. The river Coquet flows in the vicinity. Christopher Clennell, Esq., is lord of the manor."

"HARBOTTLE, a township in the parish of Alwinton, W. division of Coquetdale ward, county Northumberland, 8 miles W. of Rothbury, and 24 W. of Morpeth, situated on the river Coquet. Here was anciently a strong castle, the seat of the lords of the marshes. It was built anterior to 1075, and was twice taken by the Scots, in 1173 and 1314, after the battle of Bannockburn. Queen Margaret retired here in 1518, on her marriage with Lennox. The English Presbyterian church is a stone structure, and was rebuilt in 1854. There are parochial and Sunday schools. The former has an endowment of £16 per annum, for the education of 12 children. At the E. end of the village on the banks of the river Coquet, is Harbottle Castle, the seat of Percival Fenwick Clennell, Esq. A cattle fair is held on the 19th September."

"HOLYSTONE, (or Hallystone), a parochial chapelry in the parish of Alwinton, W. division of Coquetdale ward, county Northumberland, 3 miles S.E: of Alwinton, and 7 W. of Rothbury. The village, which is small, is situated on the S. Bide of the river Coquet. The chapelry consists of five townships, viz: Holystone, Harbottle, Barrow, Dueshill, and Linsheels, and is surrounded on the N. and E. by Alwinton, and on the S. and W. by Elsdon parish There is a large proportion of moorland, and the cultivated land is a light gravelly soil. The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of Durham, united with Alwinton, and in the gift of the Duke of Northumberland. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is a stone structure, and was thoroughly repaired and the chancel rebuilt in 1849. Two memorial windows to the Dawson family were inserted in 1857. The parochial charities produce £1 10s. per annum. There are parochial and Sunday Schools. In this township, near the Mill House, are the remains of a Benedictine nunnery, founded about 1254; and near it is Our Lady's well, shaded by trees, whore Paulinus is Said to have baptized his early converts. The principal residence is Campville, about half a mile W. of Holystone, occupying the site of a Roman encampment.

"LINBRIGGS, a township in the parish of Alwinton, W. division of Coquetdale ward, county Northumberland, 11 miles N.W. of Rothbury. It is situated on the river Coquet, here crossed by a bridge. The Ridlee Burn and several brooks run through the glens in the neighbourhood to join the river Coquet."

"LINSHEELES, (or Linshields), a township in the parish of Alwinton, W. division of Coquetdale ward, county Northumberland, 5 miles W. of Holystone, and 11 W. of Rathbury. It is situated at the confluence of the Redlees Burn, and on the S. side of the river Coquet. It is famed for its breed of Cheviot sheep. The soil is various in quality.

"NETHERTON NORTH SIDE, a township in the parish of Alwinton, W. division of Coquetdale ward, county Northumberland, 4½ miles N.E. of Alwinton, and 14 N.W. of the Alnwick railway station. The township, which is of small extent, is situated on the river Allen or Alwin, a branch of the river Coquet. Walter Selby, Esq., is lord of the manor."

"NETHERTON SOUTH SIDE, a township in the parish of Alwinton, W. division of Coquetdale ward, county Northumberland, 4 miles N.E. of Alwinton, and 6 N.W. of Rothbury. It is situated on a branch of the river Coquet, adjoining the township of Netherton North Side."

"PEALS, a township in the parish of Alwinton, W. division of Coquetdale ward, county Northumberland, 8 miles N.W. of Rothbury. It is situated on the river Coquet."

"SHARPERTON, a township in the parish of Alwinton, or Allenton, W. division of Coquetdale ward, county Northumberland, 7 miles N.W. of Rothbury, its post town. It is situated on the river Coquet, and is chiefly agricultural."