Rothbury

:"For the town of the same name in New South Wales, Australia see Rothbury, New South Wales":"For the town of the same name in Michigan, USA see Rothbury, Michigan"

infobox UK place

country = England
official_name= Rothbury
latitude= 55.3097
longitude= -1.9109
population = 2,500
shire_district= Alnwick
region= North East England
shire_county = Northumberland
constituency_westminster= Berwick-upon-Tweed
post_town= MORPETH
postcode_district = NE65
postcode_area= NE
dial_code= 01669
os_grid_reference= NU056017

Rothbury is a town in Northumberland, England, located on the River Coquet near the Simonside Hills and the Northumberland National Park. The town is popular with walkers, and is known for the Victorian mansion "Cragside", located nearby.

Development as a market town

The first mention of Rothbury, according to a local history, [ Frank Graham (1975) "Rothbury and Coquetdale". Northern History Booklet No. 65. ISBN 0-85983-092-6] was in around 1100 AD, as "Routhebiria", or "Routha's town" ("Hrotha", according to Beckensall). [Stan Beckensall (2001) "Northumberland The Power of Place". Tempus Publishing Ltd ISBN 0-7524-1907-2 ] An Anglican cross in the town's church is the only surviving pre-conquest remains. The town was retained as a crown possession after the conquest, being made over to the lords of Warkworth in 1204. Rothbury was a relatively important town in Coquetdale, being a crossroads situated on a ford of the river Coquet, with turnpike roads leading to Newcastle upon Tyne, Alnwick, Hexham and Morpeth. It was chartered as a market town in 1291, and became a centre for dealing in cattle and wool for the surrounding villages. A market cross was erected in 1722, but demolished in 1827. In the 1760s, according to Bishop Pococke, the town also had a small craft industry, including hatters. At that time, the town's vicarage and living was in the gift of the Bishop of Carlisle, and worth £500 per year.

Parish church

The current parish church is from circa 1850, largely replacing but in parts incorporating the fabric of a former Saxon edifice, including the chancel, the east wall of the south transept, and the chancel arch. The church has a font with pre-Saxon stem or pedestal, and what is reputed to be the earliest carved representation in Great Britain of the Ascension of Christ.

Railway

The town was the terminus of a branch line from Scots Gap on the North British Railway line from Morpeth to Reedsmouth. It was closed to passenger trains on 15 September 1952, and is now closed completely. The town is now served by a bus service which runs via Longframlington, Longhorsley, Morpeth and continues to Newcastle, the nearest city.

Racecourse

Until 1965, Rothbury was the location of a racecourse, which staged only one meeting per year, in April.

References

ee also

*Rothbury, Michigan
*Rothbury Music Festival

External links

* [http://www.rothbury.com/village/index.htm Rothbury: The Village]
* [http://www.northumberland-cam.com/rothbury/index.htm Rothbury Photos]
* [http://www.northumbrian-railways.co.uk/rothbury.html Northumbrian Railways]
* [http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-cragsidehousegardenandestate/] - information about "Cragside"