Berwick-upon-Tweed
Scots: Berwick
Berwick-upon-Tweed from across the river
Berwick-upon-Tweed shown within Northumberland
Population	11,665 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference	NT995525
District	Berwick-upon-Tweed
Shire county	Northumberland
Region	North East
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BERWICK-UPON-TWEED
Postcode district	TD15
Dialling code	01289
Police	Northumbria
Fire	Northumberland
Ambulance	North East
European Parliament	North East England
UK Parliament	Berwick-upon-Tweed
List of places: UK • England • Northumberland

Coordinates: 55°46′16″N 2°00′25″W / 55.771, -2.007

Berwick-upon-Tweed (pronunciation (help·info); IPA: /ˈbɛrɪk-/), (Scots: Berwick or historically South Berwick), situated in the county of Northumberland, is the northernmost town in England, on the east coast at the mouth of the River Tweed. Scots ( The Scots leid) refers to Anglic varieties derived from early northern Middle English spoken in parts of Scotland and Northern Northumberland is a county in the North East of England. The non-metropolitan county of Northumberland borders Cumbria to the west In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology A nationwide Census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001 The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government Berwick-upon-Tweed is a local government district and Borough in Northumberland in the north-east of England, on the border with Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of Subdivisions of England used for the purposes of Local government outside Greater London Northumberland is a county in the North East of England. The non-metropolitan county of Northumberland borders Cumbria to the west The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one North-East England is one of the nine official Regions of England and comprises the combined area of Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged gives an overview of States around the world with information on the extent of their Sovereignty. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system UK Postal codes are known as postcodes. UK postcodes are Alphanumeric. The, also known as the Galashiels postcode area, is a group of postal districts around Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Cockburnspath, Coldstream, Cornhill-on-Tweed The UK Telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, is the system used for assigning Telephone numbers in the United There are a number of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom. Northumbria Police is the Home Office Police force responsible for policing the areas of Northumberland and Tyne and Wear in England. The fire service in the United Kingdom operates under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service is the Statutory fire and rescue service which covers the area of Northumberland, England. The North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust (NEAS is the authority responsible for providing NHS Ambulance services in North East England, covering North East England is a Constituency of the European Parliament. This is a list of the 646 constituencies currently represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, as at the 2005 general election Berwick-upon-Tweed is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. A Gazetteer of place names in the United Kingdom showing each place's County, Unitary authority or council area and its geographical coordinates List of places --> List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places This is a list of places in Northumberland, in England. The area covered is the ceremonial county, hence the exclusion of places traditionally regarded A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Scots ( The Scots leid) refers to Anglic varieties derived from early northern Middle English spoken in parts of Scotland and Northern Northumberland is a county in the North East of England. The non-metropolitan county of Northumberland borders Cumbria to the west England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland There are other rivers with this name see Tweed River The River Tweed ( Uisge Thuaidh in Gaelic (156 kilometres or long flows primarily through the It is situated 2. 5 miles (4 km) south of the Scottish border and forms part of the wider Borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed local government district. The Anglo-Scottish border (or English-Scottish border) runs for 96  Miles nbsp(154  km) between Berwick-upon-Tweed is a local government district and Borough in Northumberland in the north-east of England, on the border with

Berwick-Upon-Tweed, the former county town of Berwickshire, had a population of 11,665 at the time of the United Kingdom Census 2001. A county town is the 'capital' of a County in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. Berwickshire or the County of Berwick is a Registration county, a Committee area of the Scottish Borders Council, and a lieutenancy A nationwide Census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001 The wider Borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed has a population of 25,949. There is consideration in Berwick about the possibility of creating a parish council for the town. ^[1]

Being central to a border war between the Kingdoms of Scotland and England since the 11th century, the town has lain within England since 1482. The Kingdom of Scotland ( Gaelic: Rìoghachd na h-Alba, Scots: Kinrick o Scotland) was a State in northwest Europe The Kingdom of England was a State (927-1707 located in Western Europe dating from the ninth or tenth century to the early eighteenth century when it was legally However, lying as geographically north as Glasgow, Berwick has strong cultural links with Scotland. Glasgow (ˈglæzgoʊ is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom The culture of Scotland refers to the peculiar cultural norms of Scotland and the Scottish people, particularly in relation to the more general British Berwick remains, though, a traditional market town at heart. The town also boasts some notable architectural features, in particular the defence ramparts and the barrack buildings.

History

Early history

The origin of the town's name is probably Norse, or Anglo-Saxon, with the second element "wick" either coming from "vik" meaning a bay, or a "wic" meaning a settlement. Old Norse is the North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age Headlands and bays are two related features of the coastal environment The first element is also ambiguous, and may refer to either barley (baer) or the headland ("bar") which cuts across the Tweed estuary. Barley ( Hordeum vulgare) is an annual Cereal Grain, which serves as a major animal Feed crop, with smaller amounts used for Another interpretation claims "Corn Farm" as the meaning of Berwick. ^[2]

In the post-Roman period, the area would have been inhabited by the Brythons of Bryneich, who were in turn conquered by the Anglo-Saxons, who created the kingdom of Bernicia, which united with the Kingdom of Deira to form Northumbria. Bernicia was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom established by Anglian settlers of the 6th century in what is now the South-East of Scotland and the North-East of Bernicia was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom established by Anglian settlers of the 6th century in what is now the South-East of Scotland and the North-East of Deira was a kingdom in Northern England during the 6th century AD The area was then settled by the Norse, mainly Danes. The term Dane may refer to People with a Danish ancestral or ethnic identity whether living in Denmark, emigrants or the descendants of emigrants

In 1018, Northumbria north of the Tweed was ceded to Scotland, after the Scots defeated the Northumbrians at the Battle of Carham, which occurred across the River Tweed opposite Coldstream. The Battle of Carham was a battle between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Northumbrians at Carham on Tweed in 1018 or possibly 1016 There are other rivers with this name see Tweed River The River Tweed ( Uisge Thuaidh in Gaelic (156 kilometres or long flows primarily through the Coldstream is a Burgh in the Scottish Borders. It lies on the north bank of the River Tweed in Berwickshire, while Northumberland

Middle Ages

Berwick station stands on the site of an historic mediaeval castle, where Robert Bruce's claim was originally declined, and John Balliol's accepted.

Berwick's strategic position on the English-Scottish border during centuries of war between the two nations and its relatively great wealth led to a succession of raids, sieges and take-overs. Between 1147 and 1482 the town changed hands between England and Scotland more than 13 times, and was the location of a number of momentous events in the English-Scottish border wars. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. One of the most brutal sackings was by King Edward I of England in 1296, and set the precedent for bitter border conflict in the Scottish Wars of Independence. Edward I (17 June 1239 – 7 July 1307 popularly known as Longshanks, was a King of England who achieved historical fame by conquering large parts of Wales and almost The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th

In the 13th century Berwick was one of the most wealthy trading ports in Scotland, providing an annual customs value of £2,190, equivalent to a quarter of all customs revenues received north of the border. A contemporary description of the town asserted that "so populous and of such commercial importance that it might rightly be called another Alexandria, whose riches were the sea and the water its walls". Alexandria ( Egyptian Arabic: اسكندريه Eskendereyya; Standard Arabic: ar الإسكندرية Al-Iskandariyya; Ἀλεξάνδρεια [2]. Amongst the town's exports were wool, grain and salmon, while merchants from Germany and the Low Countries set up businesses in the town in order to trade. Wool is the fiber derived from the specialized skin cells called follicles of animals in the Caprinae family principally sheep, but the hair of certain species Salmon is the common name for several species of Fish of the family Salmonidae. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt

The Scots also had a mint at Berwick, producing Scottish coinage. The coinage of Scotland covers currency issued under a variety of local and national rulers including the Kingdom of Scotland. In contrast, under English rule, Berwick was a garrison town first, and a port second. In around 1120, King David I of Scotland made Berwick one of Scotland's four royal burghs, which allowed the town's freemen a number of rights and privileges. David I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim ( Modern: Daibhidh I mac Chaluim; b A royal burgh was a type of Scottish Burgh which had been founded by or subsequently granted a Royal charter.

Berwick had a mediaeval hospital for the sick and poor which was administered by the Church. A charter under the Great Seal of Scotland, confirmed by King James I of Scotland, grants the king's chaplain "Thomas Lauder of the House of God or Hospital lying in the burgh of Berwick-upon-Tweed, to be held to him for the whole time of his life with all lands, teinds, rents and profits, etc. The Great Seal of Scotland ( Seala Mòr na h-Alba in Gaelic) allows the monarch to authorise official documents without having to sign each document individually James I ( December 10, 1394 &ndash February 21, 1437) was nominal King of Scots from April 4, 1406, and Thomas Lauder (or Thomas de Lawedre; d November 4, 1481) was a 15th century Scottish churchman , belonging to the said hospital, as freely as is granted to any other hospital in the Kingdom of Scotland; the king also commands all those concerned to pay to the grantee all things necessary for the support of the hospital. Dated at Edinburgh June 8, in the 20th year of his reign. "

Struggles for control

In 1174, Berwick was paid as part of the ransom of William I of Scotland to Henry II of England. William I ( Mediaeval Gaelic: Uilliam mac Eanric; Modern Gaelic Uilleam mac Eanraig) known as the Lion or Garbh, "the Rough" It was sold back to Scotland by Richard I of England, to raise money to pay for Crusades. Richard I (8 September 1157 &ndash 6 April 1199 was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents It was destroyed in 1216 by King John of England, who attended in person the razing of the town with some barbarity. John (24 December 1167 &ndash 19 October 1216 reigned as a King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death

Eddington remarks "Berwick, by the middle of the 13th century, was considered a second Alexandria, so extensive was its commerce". However, Berwick appended its signature to King John Balliol's new treaty with France, England's old enemy, and on March 30, 1296, Edward I stormed Berwick after a prolonged siege, sacking it with much bloodshed. Events 240 BC - 1st recorded Perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. Edward I (17 June 1239 – 7 July 1307 popularly known as Longshanks, was a King of England who achieved historical fame by conquering large parts of Wales and almost His army slaughtered almost everyone who resided in the town, even if they fled to the churches. Some eight thousand inhabitants being put to the sword. "From that time", states Eddington, "the greatest merchant city in Scotland sank into a small seaport. "

Edward I went again to Berwick in August 1296 to receive formal homage from some 2,000 Scottish nobles, after defeating the Scots at the Battle of Dunbar in April and forcing John I of Scotland (John Balliol) to abdicate at Kincardine Castle the following July. (The first town walls were built during the reign of Edward I. ) The "homage" was not received well, and the Ragman Roll as it was known, earned itself a name of notoriety in the post-independence period of Scotland. Some believe it to be the origin of the term "rigmarole", although this may be a folk etymology. Folk etymology is a term used in two distinct ways A commonly held misunderstanding of the origin of a particular word a False etymology.

Motte and keep wall of Berwick Castle, with the rail bridge to the right. Berwick Castle is a ruined castle in Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England (

An arm of William Wallace was displayed at Berwick after his execution and quartering on 5 August 1305. Sir William Wallace ( Scottish Gaelic: Uilleam Uallas; c 1272 – 23 August 1305 was a Scottish Knight, Landowner, and Patriot Events 642 - Battle of Maserfield - Penda of Mercia defeats and kills Oswald of Bernicia. In 1314 Edward II of England mustered 25,000 men at Berwick, who later fought in (and lost) the Battle of Bannockburn. For the play see Edward II (play. For the film see Edward II (film. The Battle of Bannockburn ( Blàr Allt a' Bhonnaich in Gaelic (24 June 1314 was a significant Scottish victory in the Wars of Scottish Independence

On 1 April 1318, it was captured by the Scots; Berwick Castle was also taken after a three-month siege. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Berwick Castle is a ruined castle in Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England ( In 1330 "Domino Roberto de Lawedre" of The Bass, described as Custodian or Keeper of the Marches and the Castle of Berwick-upon-Tweed, received, apparently upon the termination of his employment there, £33. The Bass Rock, or simply The Bass, is an island in the outer part of the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland, approximately one mile off North Berwick Castle is a ruined castle in Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England ( 6s. The solidus (the Latin word for solid) was originally a Gold coin issued by the Romans. 8d, plus a similar amount, from the Scottish Exchequer. The Roman Currency system included the denarius (plural denarii) after 211 BC a small Silver coin, ^[3]

The English retook Berwick some time shortly after the Battle of Halidon Hill in 1333. Battle of Halidon Hill ( July 19, 1333) was fought during the Second War of Scottish Independence. In October 1357, a treaty was signed at Berwick by which the Scottish estates undertook to pay 100,000 marks as a ransom for David II of Scotland, who had been taken prisoner at the Battle of Neville's Cross on 17 October 1346. Daibhidh a Briuis ( Modern Gaelic: Dàibhidh Bruis) anglicised as David II ( 5 March 1324 &ndash 22 February The Battle of Neville's Cross took place near Durham, England on October 17, 1346. Events 539 BC - King Cyrus The Great of Persia marches into the city of Babylon, releasing the Jews from almost

In 1461/2 Berwick was recovered by the Scots and Robert Lauder of Edrington was put in charge of the castle. For the whisky company please see The Edrington Group. Edrington is an ancient estate occupying the lower part of Mordington parish in Berwickshire Scott relates: "About 1462 Berwick Castle was put into the hands of Robert Lauder of Edrington, an important official and soldier in Scotland at that time. Berwick Castle is a ruined castle in Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England ( Lauder kept his position uninterruptedly until 1474 when he was succeeded by David, Earl of Crawford. David Lindsay 1st Duke of Montrose ( 1440 - December 25 1495) was a Scottish nobleman In 1464 Robert Lauder was paid £20 for repairs made to Berwick Castle. "

On February 3, 1478 Robert Lauder of The Bass and Edrington was again appointed Keeper of the castle at Berwick-upon-Tweed with a retainer of £250 per annum. Events 1112 - Ramon Berenguer III of Barcelona and Douce I of Provence marry uniting the fortunes of those two states Sir Robert Lauder of The Bass, (born before 1440 - died just before February 1508 was a Scottish knight Armiger, and Governor of the Castle at Berwick-upon-Tweed He continued in that position until the last year of Scottish occupation, when Patrick Hepburn, 1st Lord Hailes, had possession. Patrick Hepburn (1487 &ndash 1573 was a 16th century Scottish Prelate.

English rule

Part of the town walls

In 1482 the town was captured by Richard Duke of Gloucester, the future King Richard III, although not officially merged into England. Richard III ( 2 October 1452 &ndash 22 August 1485) was King of England from 1483 until his death England has administered the town since this date.

In 1551, the town was made a county corporate. A county corporate or corporate county was a form of Local government in England, Ireland and Wales.

During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England, vast sums — one source reports "£128,648, the most expensive undertaking of the Elizabethan period" [3] — were spent on its fortifications, in a new Italian style (trace italienne), designed both to withstand artillery and to facilitate its use from within the fortifications. A star fort or trace italienne is a Fortification in the style that evolved during the age of Black powder, when cannons came Although most of Berwick Castle was demolished in the 19th century to make way for the railway, the military barracks remain, as do the town's rampart walls — one of the finest remaining examples of its type in the country. Berwick Castle is a ruined castle in Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England ( The East Coast Main Line ( ECML) is the electrified high-speed railway link between London and Edinburgh connecting Yorkshire, North East

In 1603, Berwick was the first English town to greet James VI of Scotland on his way to being crowned James I of England - upon crossing Berwick Bridge, James is supposed to have declared the town neither belonging to England nor belonging to Scotland but part of the united Crown's domain. James VI and I (19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625 was King of Scotland as James VI, and King of England and King of Ireland as James

In 1639 the army of Charles I faced that of General Alexander Leslie at Berwick in the Bishops' Wars, which were concerned with bringing the Presbyterian Church of Scotland under Charles' control. Charles I, (19 November 1600 &ndash 30 January 1649 was King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution. Alexander Leslie 1st Earl of Leven (c 1580 - April 4, 1661) was a Scottish soldier in Dutch and then Swedish service from 1605 Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity The Church of Scotland (Eaglais na h-Alba known informally by its Scots language name The Kirk, is the National church of Scotland. The two sides did not fight, but negotiated a settlement, "the Pacification of Berwick", in June, under which the King agreed that all disputed questions should be referred to another General Assembly or to the Scottish Parliament.

Holy Trinity Church was built in 1650–52, on the initiative of the governor, Colonel George Fenwicke. Churches of the Commonwealth period are very rare. The church has no steeple, supposedly at the behest of Oliver Cromwell, who passed through the town in 1650 on his way to the Battle of Dunbar. Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 Old Style &ndash 3 September 1658 Old Style) was an English military and political leader best known

Modern history

Berwick was never annexed to England. Contention about whether the town belongs to England or Scotland was ended though in 1707 by the union of the two. Year 1707 ( MDCCVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The Acts of Union were a pair of Parliamentary Acts passed during 1706 and 1707 by the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland to put into Berwick remains within the laws and legal system of England and Wales. History The Roman occupation of Britain was the first period in which the area of present-day England and Wales was administered as a single unit (with the exception The Wales and Berwick Act 1746 (since repealed) deemed that whenever legislation referred to England, it applied to Berwick, without attempting to define Berwick as part of England. The Wales and Berwick Act 1746 (20 Geo II c 42 was an act of the Parliament of Great Britain explicitly expressing that all future laws applying to England (England now is officially defined as "subject to any alteration of boundaries under Part IV of the Local Government Act 1972, the area consisting of the counties established by section 1 of that Act, Greater London and the Isles of Scilly. The Local Government Act 1972 (1972 c 70 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in England and Wales "^[4], which thus includes Berwick. )

Berwick remained a county in its own right, and was not included in Northumberland for Parliamentary purposes until 1885. Northumberland is a county in the North East of England. The non-metropolitan county of Northumberland borders Cumbria to the west

The Redistribution Act 1885, reduced the number of Members of Parliament [MPs] returned by the town from two to one.

On 1 April 1974, the current Borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed was created by the merger of the previous borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed with Belford Rural District, Glendale Rural District and Norham and Islandshires Rural District. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Berwick-upon-Tweed is a local government district and Borough in Northumberland in the north-east of England, on the border with Norham and Islandshires was a Rural district in Northumberland, England from 1894 to 1974

The Interpretation Act 1978 provides that in legislation passed between 1967 and 1974, "a reference to England includes Berwick upon Tweed and Monmouthshire" (Monmouthshire is now fully in Wales). The Interpretation Act 1978 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that governs the interpretation of terms within acts of Parliament Ancient county See also Monmouthshire (historic The ancient county of Monmouthshire was formed from the Welsh Marches by the Laws in Wales

In 2008, SNP MSP Christine Grahame made calls in the Scottish Parliament for Berwick to become part of Scotland again, saying

"Even the Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council leader, who is a Liberal Democrat, backs the idea and others see the merits of reunification with Scotland. Christine Grahame (born September 9, 1944, Burton-on-Trent) is a Scottish politician The Scottish Parliament ( Scottish Gaelic: Pàrlamaid na h-Alba; Scots: Scottish Pairlament) is the devlolved national unicameral " [4]

However, Alan Beith, the Liberal Democrat MP for Berwick, said the move would require a massive legal upheaval and is not realistic^[5]. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the However he is contradicted by another member of his party, the Liberal Democrat MSP Jeremy Purvis, who was born and brought up in Berwick. Jeremy Purvis (born 15 January 1974) is a Scottish Liberal Democrat politician and has been Member of the Scottish Parliament for Purvis has asked for the border to be moved twenty miles south (i. e. , south of the Tweed) to include Berwick borough council rather than just the town, and has said:

"There’s a strong feeling that Berwick should be in Scotland, Until recently, I had a gran in Berwick and another in Kelso, and they could see that there were better public services in Scotland. Berwick as a borough council is going to be abolished and it would then be run from Morpeth, more than 30 miles away. Morpeth is the County town of Northumberland, England. It is situated on the River Wansbeck which flows east through the town "^[6].

According to a poll conducted by a TV company, 60% of residents favoured Berwick rejoining Scotland. ^[7] The issue is to be the centre of a new BBC comedy-drama series, A Free Country, commissioned in 2008 from writer Tony Saint. Antony David Saint (born 1968 west Northumberland) is a British writer ^[8]

Governance

Berwick was originally the county town of Berwickshire, but from 1482 (when Berwick became part of England) to its abolition in 1975, Berwickshire had the unique distinction of being the only UK county named after a town in another country. Berwickshire or the County of Berwick is a Registration county, a Committee area of the Scottish Borders Council, and a lieutenancy After 1482, Berwickshire's administration was conducted at Duns or Lauder until Greenlaw became the county town in 1596. Duns was created a Burgh of Barony in 1490 by James IV, and is a former County town of Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders. The Royal Burgh of Lauder is a town in the Scottish Borders council area. Greenlaw is a small town in the Borders of Scotland. It was for a time the County town of Berwickshire. ^[9] When a county council was established in 1890 the county town once more became Duns.

The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 that abolished Berwickshire incorporated its area into the Borders Region. The Local Government (Scotland Act 1973 (1973 c 65 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in Scotland The Scottish Borders, often referred to simply as the Borders, is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. The region existed from 1975 until 1996, and was divided into four districts, one of which was named Berwickshire. The regions and districts of Scotland were established under the Local Government (Scotland Act 1973 as a two-tier system of Local government in Scotland. The District of Berwickshire was not identical with the former county however.

The town of Berwick was a county corporate for most purposes from 1482, up until 1885, when it was fully incorporated into Northumberland. A county corporate or corporate county was a form of Local government in England, Ireland and Wales. Northumberland is a county in the North East of England. The non-metropolitan county of Northumberland borders Cumbria to the west Between 1885, and 1974, Berwick (north of the Tweed) was a borough council in its own right, and then on April 1, 1974 it was merged with Belford Rural District, Glendale Rural District and Norham and Islandshires Rural District. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Norham and Islandshires was a Rural district in Northumberland, England from 1894 to 1974 There is currently talk of abolishing this council area, and merging it with ones to the south.

Confusingly, during this period, Berwick borough council and Berwickshire existed on either side of the border, both named after the same town, but covering entirely different areas. Berwick-upon-Tweed is a local government district and Borough in Northumberland in the north-east of England, on the border with Berwickshire or the County of Berwick is a Registration county, a Committee area of the Scottish Borders Council, and a lieutenancy

The name "Berwickshire" is still in common, though unofficial, usage. The Berwickshire News is still published weekly, and numerous organisations and groups have retained Berwickshire in their titles (i. e. : the Berwickshire Housing Association, Berwickshire Sports Council). The Berwickshire Civic Society is currently (2007) campaigning for road signs at the entrances to the old county to have notices added saying 'You are now entering the ancient county of Berwickshire', and they hold an annual Keep Berwickshire Tidy Campaign, judged each April.

State of war with Russia

There is a curious apocryphal story that Berwick is (or recently was) technically at war with Russia. The story tells that since Berwick had changed hands several times, it was traditionally regarded as a special, separate entity, and some proclamations referred to "England, Scotland and the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed". One such was the declaration of the Crimean War against Russia in 1853, which Queen Victoria supposedly signed as "Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, Ireland, Berwick-upon-Tweed and all British Dominions". The Crimean War, also known in Russia as the Eastern War (Восточная война Vostochnaya Vojna) (March 1854–February 1856 was fought Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Year 1853 ( MDCCCLIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland However, when the Treaty of Paris (1856) was signed to conclude the war, "Berwick-upon-Tweed" was left out. The Treaty of Paris of 1856 settled the Crimean War between Russia and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the Kingdom of Sardinia, France This meant that, supposedly, one of Britain's smallest towns was officially at war with one of the world's largest powers – and the conflict extended by the lack of a peace treaty for over a century. There are several claims of wars extended by diplomatic irregularity, often by a small country named in a Declaration of war being accidentally omitted from the concluding

The BBC programme Nationwide investigated this story in the 1970s, and found that while Berwick was not mentioned in the Treaty of Paris, it was not mentioned in the declaration of war either. Nationwide was a BBC current affairs television series broadcast on BBC One each weekday following the early evening news This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. The question remained of whether Berwick had ever been at war with Russia in the first place. The true situation is that since the Wales and Berwick Act 1746 had already made it clear that all references to England included Berwick, the town had no special status at either the start or end of the war. The Wales and Berwick Act 1746 (20 Geo II c 42 was an act of the Parliament of Great Britain explicitly expressing that all future laws applying to England

Nevertheless, in 1966 a Soviet official waited upon the Mayor of Berwick, Councillor Robert Knox, and a peace treaty was formally signed. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Mr Knox is reputed to have said "Please tell the Russian people that they can sleep peacefully in their beds. " To complicate the issue, some have noted that Knox did not have any authority with regard to foreign relations, and thus may have exceeded his powers as mayor in concluding a peace treaty. Ultra vires is a Latin phrase that literally means "beyond the powers" The whole curious scenario was the focus of a question on the third series of the gameshow QI. In traditional Chinese culture, qi (zh [[wikt氣 氣]] Pinyin qì, Wade-Giles ch'i Jyutping

Economy

Slightly more than 60% of the population is employed in the service sector, including shops, hotels and catering, financial services and most government activity, including health care. About 13% is in manufacturing; 10% in agriculture, and 8% in construction. ^[10] Some current and recent Berwick economic activities include salmon fishing, shipbuilding, engineering, sawmilling, fertilizer production, and the manufacture of tweed and hosiery. Salmon is the common name for several species of Fish of the family Salmonidae. A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards Sawmill process A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of 100 years ago a log enters Fertilizers ( also spelt fertiliser are chemical compounds given to Plants to promote growth they are usually applied either through the soil for uptake by plant

Berwick Town Centre comprises the Mary Gate and High Street where many local shops and some retail chains exist. There is a small supermarket in the vincity too. A new office development is due to be built in the Walker Gate. ^[11]

There is a retail park in Tweedmouth consisting of some units. Berwick Borough Council refused a proposal from ASDA in 2006 to build a store near the site ^[12], later giving Tesco the green light for their new store in the town. ^[13]

A Morrison's supermarket and petrol station, alongside a branch of McDonald's and a hotel all exist on Loaning Meadows close to the outskirts of the town near the current A1.

Culture

Berwick dialect

The local dialect, known as "Berwick", is a combination of Lowland Scots and the North East accent. A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος dialektos) is a variety of a Language that is characteristic of a particular group of Scots ( The Scots leid) refers to Anglic varieties derived from early northern Middle English spoken in parts of Scotland and Northern North-East England is one of the nine official Regions of England and comprises the combined area of Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear The accent appears to be leaning more and more towards the south with each generation. ^[14]

Sport

The town is represented by Berwick Rangers F.C., who play in the Scottish Football League. Berwick Rangers Football Club are a football team based in the English Border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, who play in the Scottish Football League Founding members The Scottish League's first season of competition was in 1890-91. The club's home stadium is Shielfield Park. Shielfield Park is a football stadium that is home to Berwick Rangers and also to the Berwick Bandits speedway team

The town also has a rugby union side, Berwick RFC who play in Scottish Rugby Union's Premiership Division Three. Berwick Rugby Football Club is a Rugby union team originally founded in 1926 but were reformed in 1968 Scottish Hydro Electric Premiership Division Three is one of Scotland 's national Rugby union league divisions and therefore part of the Scottish Hydro Electric

Motorcycle speedway has taken place in Berwick in two separate eras. Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a Motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise The sport was introduced to Shielfield Park in May 1968. A dispute between the speedway club and the stadium owners ended the first spell. The sport returned to Shielfield Park in the mid-1990s. The lack of a venue in the town saw the team move to a rural location called Berrington Lough. The team, known as The Bandits, have raced at all levels from First Division to Conference League (first to third levels).

Berwick is unique for an English town in that both their football and rugby teams play their matches in the Scottish leagues.

Transport

The old A1 road passes through Berwick. The modern A1 goes around the town to the west.

Landmarks

The Royal Border Bridge seen through the span of the Royal Tweed Bridge in Berwick

• Berwick Barracks, now maintained by English Heritage, and built between 1717 and 1721, the design attributed to Hawksmoor. Royal Border Bridge spans the River Tweed between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Tweedmouth in Northumberland, England at. The Royal Tweed Bridge is a 1920s Road bridge in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England, that carries Pudding Lane across the River English Heritage is a Non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom government ( Department for Culture Media and Sport) with a broad remit of Nicholas Hawksmoor (probably 1661 - 25 March 1736) was a British Architect born to a humble family in Nottinghamshire
• The ramparts or defensive wall around the town centre. See also List of cities with defensive walls A defensive wall is a Fortification used to defend a city or settlement from potential aggressors
• The Old Bridge, 15-span sandstone arch bridge measuring 1,164 feet in length, built between 1610 and 1624, at a cost of £15,000. Berwick Bridge, also known as the Old Bridge, spans the River Tweed in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England. Sandstone is a Sedimentary rock composed mainly of Sand -size Mineral or rock grains. The Pound Sterling ( symbol £; ISO code: GBP) subdivided into 100 pence (singular penny) is the Currency The bridge continues to serve road traffic, but in one direction only. The bridge, part of the main route from London to Edinburgh was ordered by James VI of Scotland. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Edinburgh ( ˈɛdɪnb(ərə Dùn Èideann) is the Capital of Scotland and is its second largest city after Glasgow. James VI and I (19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625 was King of Scotland as James VI, and King of England and King of Ireland as James
• The Royal Border Bridge, designed and built under the supervision of Robert Stephenson in 1847 at a cost of £253,000, is a 720-yard-long railway viaduct with 28 arches, carrying the East Coast Main Line 126 feet above the River Tweed. Royal Border Bridge spans the River Tweed between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Tweedmouth in Northumberland, England at. Robert Stephenson FRS (16 October 1803 &ndash 12 October 1859 was an English Civil engineer. "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. A viaduct is a Bridge composed of several small spans The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to The East Coast Main Line ( ECML) is the electrified high-speed railway link between London and Edinburgh connecting Yorkshire, North East It was opened by Queen Victoria in 1850. Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901 was from 20 June 1837 the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
• The Royal Tweed Bridge, built in 1925 and in its time having the longest concrete span in the country at 361 feet, was originally designed to carry the A1 road across the Tweed; the town now has a road bypass to the west. The Royal Tweed Bridge is a 1920s Road bridge in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England, that carries Pudding Lane across the River In the early 2000s, its fabric was renovated, the road and pavement layout amended, and new street lighting added.
• The Union Bridge (five miles upstream), the world's oldest surviving suspension bridge. The Union Bridge, also called the Chain Bridge, spans the River Tweed between Horncliffe, Northumberland, England and Fishwick
• The Guildhall, built in 1750 in a Classical style, and formerly housing the town's prison on the top floor.
• Berwick Parish Church, unique for having been built during the Commonwealth of Oliver Cromwell. Berwick Parish Church is an Anglican church in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland The building, constructed around 1650 using stone from the 13th century castle (parts of which still stand by the railway station), began as a plain preaching box, with no steeple, stained glass or other decorations. Much altered with a conventional interior layout, contents include a pulpit thought to have been built for John Knox during his stay in the town.
• Dewars Lane Runs down Back Street just off Bridge Street, and was once painted by LS Lowry. Dewar’s Lane is an alley-way of Medieval origin Over the centuries heavy cart-wheels have cut deep grooves in its setts [5]

Notable people

John Knox who had strong connections with the town

Henry Travers as the angel in Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life

• Writer Alan Martin, co-creator of the cult-comic and Hollywood movie character Tank Girl currently lives and writes in Berwick. John Knox (c 1510 – 24 November 1572 was a Scottish clergyman and leader of the Protestant Reformation who is considered the founder of the Presbyterian Henry Travers ( March 5, 1874 &ndash October 18, 1965) was an English Actor. Frank Russell Capra ( May 18, 1897 &ndash September 3, 1991) was an Academy Award winning Italian-American Film It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Film produced and directed by Frank Capra and based on the short story " The Greatest Alan Martin could refer to Alan Martin (Australian rules footballer - Former Australian rules footballer Alan Martin (footballer born 1923 Tank Girl is a British comic character created by Damon Albarn and written by Alan Martin and originally drawn by Jamie Hewlett, and is currently
• Berwick was the first parish in which John Knox, the 16th century Scottish religious reformer, who founded the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, was appointed a preacher. John Knox (c 1510 – 24 November 1572 was a Scottish clergyman and leader of the Protestant Reformation who is considered the founder of the Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity The Church of Scotland (Eaglais na h-Alba known informally by its Scots language name The Kirk, is the National church of Scotland.
• Mason Jackson, engraver, was born in Berwick in about 1820. Mason Jackson (1819 &ndash December 1903 was an English Engraver. Engraving is the practice of incising a design onto a hard usually flat surface by cutting grooves into it
• Alan Beith is currently the Member of Parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed. Sir Alan James Beith (born 20 April 1943 A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament.
• John Campbell Renton of Lamberton and Mordington (born 1814), Member of Parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed. Mordington is an agricultural parish in the extreme south-east of Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders region
• Alexander Knox, Canadian actor, died at Berwick in 1995
• Eric Lomax, author of The Railway Man, lives in Berwick. You may be looking for Alexander Knox (1757-1831, Irish theologian Alexander Knox ( January 16, 1907 &ndash Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Eric Sutherland Lomax (born 1919 was a British Army officer who was sent to a Japanese Prisoner-of-war camp in 1942
• L. S. Lowry holidayed in Berwick regularly, and painted a number of pictures of the town and beaches. Laurence Stephen Lowry (1 November 1887 – 23 February 1976 was an English Artist born on Barrett Street Stretford, Lancashire. [6]
• Wendy Wood, controversial founder of the Scottish Patriots was arrested on more than one occasion for moving the border signs to the old bridge over the Tweed. Wendy Wood (born Gwendoline Emily Meacham (1892-June 1981 was a well-known campaigner for Scottish independence and founder of the Scottish Patriots.
• The sitcom Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? also featured an episode where the 'lads' visited Berwick. Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? was a hit British sitcom broadcast between January 1973 and April 1974, as the colour sequel to the In it, the two northern Englishmen refer to Berwick as "Scottish".
• Trevor Steven, (born Berwick-upon-Tweed, September 21, 1963) was a highly-regarded England footballer who played in the Everton side of the 1980s. Trevor McGregor Steven (born Berwick-upon-Tweed, England, 21 September 1963 was a highly-regarded England footballer who shot to fame with the Events 1217 - The Estonian tribal leader Lembitu of Lehola was killed in a battle against Teutonic Knights. Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
• Peter Ramage lived in Berwick for the majority of his childhood. Peter Iain Ramage (born 22 November 1983 in Ashington, Northumberland) is an English footballer, primarily played as a He is now a professional football player for Queens Park Rangers. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English football club, based in Shepherds Bush in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in West London
• Henry Travers, born in Berwick in 1874, was a character actor best known for his roles in Hollywood film productions, most famously as Clarence the angel in It's a Wonderful Life (1946). Henry Travers ( March 5, 1874 &ndash October 18, 1965) was an English Actor. It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Film produced and directed by Frank Capra and based on the short story " The Greatest
• Antony Lambton, Lord Lambton, was the controversial Tory Member of Parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed from 1951 until 1973. Antony Claud Frederick Lambton (10 July 1922 &ndash 30 December 2006 briefly 6th Earl of Durham, styled before 1970 as Viscount Lambton, and widely known as "Lord In the political tradition of some English-speaking countries, the term Tory has referred to a variety of political parties and Creeds since it was A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Lambton was a cousin of Sir Alec Douglas-Home, the former Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary; he resigned from Parliament and ministerial office in 1973 following a scandal involving his liaisons with prostitutes. Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home Baron Home of the Hirsel, KT, PC (2 July 1903 - 9 October 1995 14th Earl of Home from 1951 to 1963 was a British The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a member of the United Kingdom Government heading the
• Gavin Kerr lived in Berwick for most of his childhood, went on to play professional rugby for Leeds Tykes and now the Border Reivers, a regular in the Scotland rugby team has 36 caps and 1 try. Gavin Kerr is a Rugby union footballer who plays prop for Edinburgh Rugby and Scotland. Leeds Carnegie is an English Rugby union club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire that currently plays in the National Division One after being relegated See also Border Reivers for the historical background Border Reivers, originally known as 'Scottish Borders Rugby' were one of four professional The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international Rugby union.
• Craig Smith lived in Berwick for most of his childhood and attended Berwick County High School, went on to play professional rugby union for the Edinburgh Gunners (now just plain Edinburgh), a regular in the Scotland rugby team with 18 caps. Craig James Smith (born 30 August, 1978) is a professional Rugby union player for Edinburgh Rugby in Scotland. Edinburgh Rugby (formerly Edinburgh Reivers, Edinburgh Gunners) is one of two Professional Rugby union teams in Scotland competing The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international Rugby union.
• Jeremy Purvis, Liberal Democrat MSP, and youngest person in Scottish Parliament at time of election. Jeremy Purvis (born 15 January 1974) is a Scottish Liberal Democrat politician and has been Member of the Scottish Parliament for The Scottish Parliament ( Scottish Gaelic: Pàrlamaid na h-Alba; Scots: Scottish Pairlament) is the devlolved national unicameral
• Natalie Pike, FHM High Street Honey winner and subsequent glamour model; used to live in Berwick. Natalie Pike (born April 4, 1983 in Edinburgh) is a English model FHM or For Him Magazine is an international monthly Men's Lifestyle magazine.

See also Berwick Castle for Governors of the castle and Berwick-upon-Tweed (UK Parliament constituency) for a list of former MPs. Berwick Castle is a ruined castle in Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England ( Berwick-upon-Tweed is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

See also

• Berwick-upon-Tweed (UK Parliament constituency)
• Berwick-upon-Tweed railway station
• Debatable Lands
• Scottish Marches
• Scots' Dike
• Three Hundred and Thirty Five Years' War

References

• Scott, John (1888). Berwick-upon-Tweed is a Constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Berwick-upon-Tweed railway station serves the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northumberland. The Debatable Lands, also known as Debatable ground or batable ground, was land lying between Scotland The Scottish Marches is a term for the Border country on both sides of the border between Scotland and England. The Scots' Dike or dyke is a three and a half mile / 525 km long linear earthwork, constructed by the English and the Scots in the year 1552 The Three Hundred and Thirty Five Years' War (1651–1986 was a War between the Netherlands and the Isles of Scilly (located off the southwest coast of Berwick-upon-Tweed, The History of the Town and Guild.  
• Burnett, George (ed.) (1886). George Burnett, LLD, WS (1822–1890 was a long-serving Scottish officer of arms. "vol. IX: 1480–1487", The Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, pp. 63/4. 81, 145 & 157.   Record that payments were made to Robert Lauder of The Bass as Captain and Keeper of the castle at Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1480 and 1481.
• Eddington, Alexander (1926). Castles and Historic Homes of the Border, 1st edition, pp. 58–59.  
• Hewlings, R (1993), “Hawksmoor’s Brave Designs for the Police”, in Bold, J & Cheney, E, English Architecture Public and Private: Essays for Kerry Downes, London: Hambledon Press, pp. 214 - 229, ISBN 1-85285-095-7 

External links

• The Lowry Trail around the town
• Images and the history of Berwick's shipbuilding
• Explore Berwick
• Images of the 'Berwick Bounds' English–Scottish border
• A tale of one town - 2004 BBC news story concerned with a tongue-in-cheek debate about whether Berwick should be part of England or Scotland.
• Berwick Photos
• A photographic tour of Berwick
• We can learn a lot from Scotland's "lost limb"

Major settlements in Northumberland
Alnwick | Ashington | Bamburgh | Bedlington | Berwick-upon-Tweed | Blyth | Cramlington | Haltwhistle | Hexham | Morpeth | Newbiggin-by-the-Sea | Ponteland | Prudhoe | Rothbury | Seahouses | Wooler