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Alston(See also Alston High Mill)
Cheese lovers take note that Alston makes a number of local specialties, including Cumberland Mustard and Alston cheese. Train buffs will enjoy a 2 ¼ mile journey on the South Tynedale Railway, the highest narrow gauge in the country. Both steam and diesel locomotives run between Alston's restored Victorian station and Kirkhaugh.
Location Map of Alston Alston Moor Tourist Information Centre
Nenthead Mine Centre Photos courtesy Graeme Dougal and Julian Thurgood © 1997-2008 by The Cumbria Directory. Reproduction of this work in whole or in part, including images, and reproduction in electronic media, without documented permission from The Cumbria Directory is prohibited. |
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Cumbria's Eden district
isn't as well known as the Lakes district, but its scenery, though different, is just as
dramatic. The North Pennine region is sparsely settled, and Alston, a high market village, is at
the junction of highways that lead through the mountains. The village's isolated position, in a
narrow dale surrounded by fells and moors, miles away from any other major settlement, makes it
particularly appealing for walkers and wilderness lovers.
The surrounding area is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural
Beauty. Heather clad moors, fells, valleys, and the South Tyne River enhance the changing moods
of the landscape. The Blackburn, Nent, and Gildersdale Burn rivers tumble and twist through deep
dells. Tutman Hole, a large cavern, is at nearby Gildersdale Fell. On the south side of Alston
Moor, at Dun Fell, is another large cavern with a spider web of chambers and passages. Red
squirrel, roe deer, grouse, peregrines, curlews, and lapwings are among the many species that
flourish here. Alpine wild flowers grace the hills. Trout frequent the rivers. Cloud-berries
(bramble-like cranberries) grow wild.
Alston is noted for its cobbled streets, 17th century stone buildings,
and market cross, donated by a former townsman, the Right Hon. Sir William Stephenson, who became
Lord Mayor of London in 1764. Alston saw more than markets in its streets. Sheep and cattle
fairs, wrestling matches, and races were regular events.
An Iron Age earthwork is sited by the
South Tyne River. In William I's time the area was under the control of Scotland. Maiden Way, a
Roman road, passes near the town and leads to the site of a Roman fort. The Romans mined lead
extensively in the area. In the early 18th century the Quakers set up the London Lead
Company and established a purpose-built mining community (similar to Lanark in Scotland) at
Nenthead, 4 miles away. By 1718, there were 119 functioning mines that brought in an income of
£70,000 per year. Other forms of employment were provided by a brewery, a candle house, and a
worsted mill. As mining died out in the middle 1800's, Alston's population decreased. The Mines
Heritage Centre, in former workshops, tells the story of the history and geology of the area.
Self-guided trails add to the experience.
When the demand for lead fell off, unemployed workers had no remedy
except to become inmates of the poorhouse. Alston's was built in the mid 1700's. Ten hours of
hard work was the payment for a bed and a meagre diet of porridge, bread, and broth with a bit of
milk. Charles Dickens visited Alston in 1838 for background material for his novel, Nicholas
Nickleby. Because the town had changed so little since Dickens's day, it was the perfect setting
to film Oliver Twist. A town trail, 'Oliver Twist's Alston' begins opposite the post office and
leads into the marketplace.
Alston boasts a restored
watermill in the village centre. The first mill was built in the 1300's and then rebuilt in 1767.
It featured a 'pitch back' design where water fell onto the buckets at the top of the wheel. A
subscription library was instituted at Alston in 1821 to commemorate the coronation of George
IV.
A church has existed in the village since the mid
12th century. The early one became a ruin and was pulled down and a new one was built
in 1769. It, too, suffered a similar fate when the present St Augustine's was built in 1869. Look
for the one-handed 16th century clock inside. It first belonged to the Earl of Derwentwater,
whose home was Dilston Hall. The church bell, cast in 1714, also came from the Earl. It was
recast in 1845, and is now one of a peel of ten bells. A stone scoup and a few decorated stones
in the church porch are all that remain of the original church.
Today sheep farming and walkers along the Pennine Way are
major sources of income for the locals. Alston, in the heart of the North Pennines, abounds with
natural beauty, historic sites, and wildlife. Uncrowded trails, cycle ways, and compelling
countryside provide unforgettable views in every direction.
South Tynedale Railway