The county has an area of 5,013 km2 (1,936 sq mi) and a population of 324,362, making it the least-densely populated county in England. The south-east contains the largest towns:Blyth,Cramlington,Ashington,Bedlington, andMorpeth, the last of which is the administrative centre. The remainder of the county is rural, the largest towns beingBerwick-upon-Tweed in the far north andHexham in the south-west. For local government purposes Northumberland is aunitary authority area. The countyhistorically included the parts of Tyne and Wear north of theRiver Tyne.
The west of Northumberland contains part of theCheviot Hills andNorth Pennines, while to the east the land becomes flatter before reaching the coast.The Cheviot (815 m (2,674 ft)), after which the range of hills is named, is the county's highest point. The county contains the source of the River North Tyne and much of the South Tyne; nearHexham they combine to form the Tyne, which exits into Tyne and Wear shortly downstream. The other major rivers in Northumberland are, from south to north, theBlyth,Coquet,Aln, Wansbeck andTweed, the last of which forms part of the Scottish border. The county containsNorthumberland National Park and twonational landscapes: theNorthumberland Coast and part of theNorth Pennines.
Much of the county's history has been defined by its position on a border. In the Roman era most of the county lay north ofHadrian's Wall, and the region was contested between England and Scotland into the Early Modern era, leading to the construction of many castles,peel towers andbastle houses, and the early modern fortifications atBerwick-upon-Tweed. Northumberland is also associated withCeltic Christianity, particularly the tidal island ofLindisfarne. During theIndustrial Revolution the area had significant coal mining, shipbuilding, and armaments industries.
An early mention of Northumberland asnorð hẏmbra land "north of Humber land" in theAnglo-Saxon Chronicle
The name of Northumberland is recorded in theAnglo-Saxon Chronicle asnorð hẏmbra land, meaning "the land north of theHumber". The name of the kingdom ofNorthumbria derives from the Old EnglishNorþan-hymbre meaning "the people or province north of the Humber",[6] as opposed toSouthumbria, south of theHumber Estuary.
Nearly 2,000-year-old Roman boxing gloves were uncovered atVindolanda in 2017 by the Vindolanda Trust experts, led byAndrew Birley. Being similar in style and function to the full-hand modern boxing gloves, those found at Vindolanda look like leather bands dating back to 120AD. It is suggested that, based on their difference from gladiator gloves, the gloves were not used in mortal combat, but rather in a sport for promoting fighting skills. The gloves are currently displayed at Vindolanda's museum.[8]
Present-day Northumberland formed the core of theAnglian kingdom ofBernicia from about 547. It was united withDeira (south of theRiver Tees) to form the kingdom ofNorthumbria in the 7th century. The boundaries of Northumbria under KingEdwin (reigned 616–633) stretched from theHumber in the south to theForth in the north. Northumberland is often called the "cradle of Christianity" in England because Christianity flourished onLindisfarne—a tidal island north ofBamburgh, also called Holy Island—after KingOswald of Northumbria (r. 634–642) invited monks fromIona to come to convert the English. The monastery at Lindisfarne was the centre of production of theLindisfarne Gospels (around 700). It became the home ofSt Cuthbert (c. 634–687, abbot fromc. 665), who is buried inDurham Cathedral.
The Kingdom of Northumbria fragmented into a series of successor states following the Viking invasion. In the south, Viking settlers established theKingdom of York between the Humber and Tees. However, Viking influence petered out at the Tees, with the river serving as the northern boundary of the Danelaw. Between the Tyne and Tees rivers, the Community of St. Cuthbert emerged as the successors to the Bishops of Lindisfarne; north of the Tyne, the earls of Bamburgh, who traced their lineage back to the Kings of Northumbria, continued to exercise authority and governance over this northern expanse. York was eventually integrated as a shire into the unified Kingdom of England by the House of Wessex. However, the West Saxon governmental structures were not extended beyond Tees, leaving the Earldom of Bamburgh and the Community of St. Cuthbert as contested buffer states with the emerging Kingdom of Scotland.[9][10]After the battle ofNechtansmere, Northumbrian influence north of the Tweed began to decline as the Picts gradually reclaimed the land previously invaded by the Anglian kingdom. In 1018, its northern part, the region between theTweed and the Forth (includingLothian, which includes present-dayEdinburgh), was ceded to the Kingdom of Scotland.
TheEarldom of Northumberland was briefly held by the Scottish royal family by marriage, between 1139–1157 and 1215–1217.[citation needed] Scotland relinquished all claims to the region as part of theTreaty of York (1237). The earls of Northumberland once wielded significant power in English affairs because, as powerful and militaristic lords in theScottish Marches, they had the task of protecting England from Scottish retaliation for English invasions.
Northumberland has a history of revolt and rebellion against the government, as seen in theRising of the North (1569–1570) againstElizabeth I. These revolts were usually led by the earls of Northumberland, the Percy family.Shakespeare makes one of the Percys, the dashingHarry Hotspur (1364–1403), the hero of hisHenry IV, Part 1. The Percys were often aided in conflict by other powerful Northern families, such as theNevilles and the Patchetts. The latter were stripped of all power and titles by the victorious Parliamentarians after theEnglish Civil War of 1642–1651.
After theRestoration in 1660, the county was a centre forRoman Catholicism in England, as well as a focus ofJacobite support. Northumberland was long a wild county, where outlaws andBorder Reivers hid from the law. However, the frequent cross-border skirmishes and accompanying local lawlessness largely subsided after theUnion of the Crowns of Scotland and England underKing James I and VI in 1603.[11]
Northumberland played a key role in theIndustrial Revolution from the 18th century on. Manycoal mines operated in Northumberland until thewidespread closures in the 1970s and 1980s.Collieries operated atAshington, Bedlington,Blyth, Choppington, Netherton,Ellington, andPegswood. The region's coalfields fuelled industrial expansion in other areas of Britain, and the need to transport the coal from the collieries to the Tyne led to the development of the first railways.Shipbuilding andarmaments manufacture were other important industries before the deindustrialisation of the 1980s.
Northumberland remains largely rural, and is the least densely populated county in England. In recent years, the county has had considerable growth in tourism. Visitors are attracted both to its scenic beauty and to its historical sites.
Physical geography of Northumberland and surrounding areas
Northumberland has a diverse physical geography. It is low and flat near theNorth Sea coast and increasingly mountainous towards the northwest. Being in the far north of England, above 55°latitude, and having many areas of high land, Northumberland is one of the coldest areas of the country. But as the county lies on the east coast, it has relatively low rainfall, with the highest amounts falling on the high land in the west.[12]
About a quarter of the county forms theNorthumberland National Park, an area of outstanding landscape that has largely been protected from development and agriculture. The park stretches south from the Scottish border and includesHadrian's Wall. Most of the park is over 240 metres (790 feet) above sea level. TheNorthumberland Coast is also a designatedArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). A small part of theNorth Pennines AONB is also in the county.
There is a variety of nature reserves in Northumberland includingHoly Island National Nature Reserve and Farne Islands National Nature Reserve. Moreover, 50% of England'sred squirrel population lives in the Kielder Water and Forest Park.
TheNorthumberland Coalfield extends across the southeast corner of the county, from the River Tyne as far north asShilbottle. There were smaller-scale workings forcoal within the Tyne Limestone Formation as far north asScremerston.[15][16][17] The term 'sea coal' likely originated from chunks of coal, found washed up on beaches, that wave action had broken from coastal outcroppings.
Northumberland'sgreen belt is in the south of the county, surrounding Cramlington and other communities along the county border, to afford a protection from theTyneside conurbation. The belt continues west along the border, pastDarras Hall, and on to Hexham, stopping beforeHaydon Bridge. Its border there is shared with theNorth Pennines AONB. There are also some separated belt areas, for example to the east of Morpeth. The green belt was first drawn up in the 1950s.
From thecounty council's formation in 1889 until 1981 Newcastle was thecounty town, being briefly the county town of two counties when the city became a part of theTyne and Wearmetropolitan county in 1974.[19] Thecounty council has been governed fromMorpeth since 1981. In 2009 the county council became aunitary authority when the county's districts were abolished and the county council took on their functions.
Northumberland is divided into four parliamentary constituencies: Berwick-upon-Tweed, Blyth Valley, Wansbeck and Hexham. The 2019 general election produced the following total votes, with changes since previous election:
On 23 June 2016 Northumberland took part in the UK-wide referendum on the UK's membership of the EU. In Northumberland a majority voted to leave the European Union. The only one of the four parliamentary constituencies in Northumberland to vote Remain wasHexham.
This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(September 2018)
At the2001 UK Census Northumberland registered a population of 307,190,[20] estimated to be 309,237 in 2003,[21] The 2011 UK Census gave a population of 316,028.[22]
In 2001 there were 130,780 households, 10% of the population were retired, and one-third rented their homes. Northumberland has an ethnic minority population at 0.985% of the population, far lower compared to the average of 9.1% for England as a whole. In the2001 UK Census, 81% of the population reported their religion as Christianity, 0.8% as "other religion", and 12% as having no religion.[23]
Being primarily rural with significant areas of upland, the population density of Northumberland is only 62 persons per square kilometre, giving it one of thelowest population density in England.
Northumberland's industry is dominated by some multinational corporations:Coca-Cola, MSD,GE andDrager all have significant facilities in the region.[24]
Tourism is a major source of employment and income in Northumberland. In the early 2000s the county annually received 1.1 million British visitors and 50,000 foreign tourists, who spent a total of £162 million.
Coal mining in the county goes back toTudor times. Coal mines continue to operate today; many of them are open-cast mines. Planning approval was given in January 2014 for an open-cast mine atHalton Lea Gate nearLambley.[25]
Pharmaceutical, health care and emergingbiotechnology companies form a very significant part of the county's economy.[28] Many of these companies are part of the approximately 11,000-worker[29]Northeast of England Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC) and include Aesica Pharmaceuticals,[30] Arcinova,MSD,Piramal Healthcare,Procter & Gamble,Shire Plc (formerly SCM Pharma),[31] Shasun Pharma Solutions,[32] Specials Laboratory,[33] andThermo Fisher Scientific. The cluster also includes Cambridge Bioresearch, GlaxoSmithKline, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotech, Leica Bio, Data Trial, High Force Research, Non-Linear Dynamics, and Immuno Diagnostic Systems (IDS). The towns of Alnwick, Cramlington, Morpeth, Prudhoe all have significant pharmaceutical factories and laboratories.[34]
Newcastle University andNorthumbria University are the leading academic institutions nearby. The local industry includes commercial or academic activity in pre-clinical research and development, clinical research and development, pilot-scale manufacturing, full-scale active pharmaceutical ingredient/intermediate manufacturing, formulation, packaging, and distribution.[35]
(Civil parishes used for population counts where possible, otherwise the source closest to the locality's boundaries.) The five largest settlements currently in Northumberland, as of the 2021 UK census. – Red.[36][37][38][39][40][41] A conurbation of suburban villages merged in a civil parish, which as of the 2021 UK census is larger than one of the above five towns (central settlement in the conurbation:Seaton Delaval).[42] – Purple. The five largest settlements which were historically in Northumberland, but now lie outside the modern county boundaries, as of the 2021 UK census.[43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54] – Orange. Town which has been earmarked for a large scale planned population increase.[55][56][57] – Green.
Newcastle United were first division champions three times in the early 20th century, reaching the FA Cup Final three times before winning it at the fourth attempt in 1910.[63]Today, top quality professional football remains in Northumberland. Since the 2017 – 18 season, Newcastle United is aPremier League team.St James' Park in Newcastle is a first class football venue, often used for international games at all levels.Blyth Spartans A.F.C. have had success and public attention throughFootball Association Cup runs.
There are many notable footballers from the county, pre Second World War and immediate post war greats wereGeorge Camsell andHughie Gallacher, these were described in the "Clown Prince of Football" byLen Shackleton. The author played for Newcastle United andNorthumberland County Cricket Club. Shackleton's book was controversial when it was first published because chapter 9, named "The Average Director's Knowledge of Football", was produced as a blank page.[64] Notable players after the Second World War includedJoe Harvey,Jackie Milburn,[65]Brian Clough[66] and Newcastle'sBobby Moncur who led his team to win the Inter City Fairs Cup in 1969.[67]
Two of Jackie Milburn's nephews fromAshington,Bobby Charlton andJackie Charlton are perhaps the two most significant players forEngland.[68][69] Bobby joinedManchester United and JackieLeeds United both contributing much to the success and history of their respective clubs. They both became permanent fixtures inAlf Ramsey's 1966 England World Cup winning team.[70]Malcolm Macdonald was a successful Newcastle player of the 1970s. Great national players who played at Northumberland clubs in the 1980s and 1990s includePeter Beardsley,Paul Gascoigne,Chris Waddle andAlan Shearer. Shearer remains the highest scoring player in Premier League history with 260 goals in 441 appearances.[71]
Early races were held at Newcastle's Killingworth Moor from 1632 before moving to the Town Moor. The 'Pitmen's Derby' orNorthumberland Plate was held from 1833 and moved toGosforth in 1882.[72] Modern day horse racing still takes place atNewcastle Racecourse.[73]
Golf is a Scottish import to many countries, but it is said to have been played in this region bySt Cuthbert on the dunes of the Northumberland coast. The oldest club in Northumberland was atAlnmouth, founded in 1869, it is the fourth oldest in the country and is now Alnmouth Village Club; it is a 9 hole links course.[74]
There is one oldlinks course atGoswick. It is a James Braid design which is widely acknowledged as a classic Northumberland links course;[75] so much so, that the Royal and Ancient Golf Club (R&A) chose Goswick as a regional qualifier for theOpen Championship for five years from 2008.
During theEnglish Civil War of 1642–1651,King Charles played 'Goff' in the Shield Fields suburb of Pandon during his imprisonment in the town.[76]
Today inland golf courses are abundant in the county,[77]
The county has a professional golfer who has played in many professional golf tour events:Kenny Ferrie fromAshington, who has won events on the prestigiousEuropean Tour.
The annualGreat North Run, one of the best known half marathons in which thousands of participants run from Newcastle to South Shields. In 2013 the 33rdGreat North Run had 56,000 participants most of whom were raising money for charity.
Northumberland has a completelycomprehensive education system, with 15state schools, two academies and one independent school. LikeBedfordshire, it embraced the comprehensive ideal with thethree-tier system of lower/middle/upper schools with large school year sizes (often around 300). This eliminated choice of school in most areas: instead of having two secondary schools in one town, one school became a middle school and another became an upper school. A programme introduced in 2006 known as Putting the Learner First has eliminated this structure in the former areas of Blyth Valley and Wansbeck, where two-tier education has been introduced. Although the two processes are not officially connected, the introduction of two tiers has coincided with the move to build academy schools in Blyth, withBede Academy and in Ashington at Hirst. One response to these changes has been the decision ofPonteland High School to apply for Trust status.
Cramlington Learning Village has almost 400 pupils in each school year, making it one of the largest schools in England.The Blyth Academy in southeast Northumberland can hold 1,500 students throughout the building.Astley Community High School inSeaton Delaval, which accepts students from Seaton Delaval,Seaton Sluice andBlyth, has been the subject of controversial remarks from politicians claiming it would no longer be viable once Bede Academy opened in Blyth, a claim strongly disputed by the headteacher.
The county of Northumberland is served by one Catholic high school,St Benet Biscop Catholic Academy inBedlington, which is attended by students from all over the area. Students from Northumberland also attend independent schools such as theRoyal Grammar School in Newcastle.
Bloody crane's-bill at Hauxley on the Northumberland coast
Northumberland has traditions not found elsewhere in England. These include therapper sword dance, theclog dance and theNorthumbrian smallpipe. Northumberland also has its owntartan or check, sometimes referred to inScotland as the Shepherd's Tartan. TraditionalNorthumbrian music has more similarity toLowland Scottish and Irish music than it does to that of other parts of England, reflecting the strong historical links between Northumbria and theLowlands ofScotland, and the large Irish population on Tyneside.
Theborder ballads of the region have been famous since late mediaeval times.Thomas Percy, whose celebratedReliques of Ancient English Poetry appeared in 1765, states that most of the minstrels who sang the border ballads in London and elsewhere in the 15th and 16th centuries belonged to the North. The activities ofSir Walter Scott and others in the 19th century gave the ballads an even wider popularity.William Morris considered them to be the greatest poems in the language, whileAlgernon Charles Swinburne knew virtually all of them by heart.
One of the best-known is the stirring"Chevy Chase", which tells of the Earl of Northumberland's vow to hunt for three days across the Border "maugre the doughty Douglas". Of it, the Elizabethan courtier, soldier and poetSir Philip Sidney famously said, "I never heard the old song of Percy and Douglas that I found not my heart moved more than with a trumpet".Ben Jonson said that he would give all his works to have written "Chevy Chase".
Overall the culture of Northumberland, as with theNorth East of England in general, may have more in common with Scottish Lowland culture than with that of Southern England. Both regions have their cultural origins in the oldAnglianKingdom of Northumbria, a fact borne out by the linguistic links between the two regions. These include manyOld English words not found in other forms ofModern English, such asbairn for child (seeScots language andNorthumbrian dialect).[78][79]
The lands just north or south of the border have long shared certain aspects of history and heritage; it is thus thought by some that theAnglo-Scottish border is largely political rather than cultural.[79][80]
Attempts to raise the level of awareness of Northumberland culture have also started, with the formation of a Northumbrian Language Society to preserve the unique dialects (Pitmatic and otherNorthumbrian dialects) of this region, as well as to promote home-grown talent.[78][79]
The historic county of Northumberland hasits own flag, which is a banner of the arms of Northumberland County Council. The shield of arms is in turn based on the arms medieval heralds had attributed to theKingdom of Bernicia (which the first County Council used until it was granted its own arms). The Bernician arms were fictional but inspired byBede's brief description of a flag used on the tomb ofSt Oswald in the 7th century.[81]
The current arms were granted to the county council in 1951, and adopted as the flag of Northumberland in 1995.[82]
Mickley was the birthplace ofThomas Bewick, an artist, wood engraver and naturalist born in 1753, andBob Stokoe, a footballer and F.A. Cup-winning manager (withSunderland in 1973) born in 1930.
William Armstrong, engineer and inventor, born at Newcastle in 1810, builtCragside, one of the first houses powered byhydroelectric technology, near the town ofRothbury in Northumberland.
Thomas Burt, one of the first working-class members of parliament and was secretary of the Northumberland Miners' Association in 1863
^"History of Newcastle upon Tyne"(PDF).Local Studies Factsheet No. 6. Newcastle City Council. 2009. p. 2. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 15 October 2011. Retrieved8 October 2023.
^"Pharmaceuticals Brochure"(PDF). Northeast of England Process Industry Cluster. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 4 September 2015. Retrieved19 September 2013.
^Bede'sEcclesiastical History of the English People, Book III, Ch. 11: "And to furnish a lasting memorial of the royal saint, they hung the King's banner of purple and gold over his tomb."
^Wilford, N. (1993).The life and work of William Hewson, haematol- ogist and immunologist. In: Medicine in Northumbria; Essays on the History of Medicine in the North East of England (Chapter 8). New- castle-upon-Tyne.: Pybus Society for the History and Bibliography of Medicine.ISBN978-0952209706.
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