Alston, Cumbria - general view - postcard c.1990s

Postcard
• Picture / Image:  Alston, Cumbria - shows a general view
• Publisher:  Smileys of Alston
• Postally used:  no
• Stamp:  n/a
• Postmark(s): n/a
• Sent to:  n/a
• Notes / condition: 

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Text from the free encyclopedia WIKIPEDIA may appear below to give a little background information (internal links may not  work) :

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Alston is a small town in Cumbria, England on the River South Tyne. It is the highest market town in England, at about 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level. Despite being at such an altitude and in remote location the town is easily accessible via the many roads which link the town to Weardale valley, Hartside Pass (and towns in Cumbria such as Penrith) as well as the Tyne valley. Alston lies within the North Pennines, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town has beautiful views of the surrounding fells and the South Tyne Valley, within which the town is situated.

Alston is the highest market town in England, being about 1,000 feet above sea level. It lies within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, more than 15 miles (24 km) from the nearest town, and is surrounded by moorland.^[1] Nearby villages include Garrigill and Nenthead.

The town lies on the confluence of the River South Tyne and the River Nent. On 18 May 2013 very heavy rain resulted in flooding in seven areas of Alston, affecting thirty-six properties. The Environment Agency records indicate that 51mm of rain fell that day.^[2]

The landscape of the area is built up from limestone, sandstone and shale. The area is rich in minerals, in particular lead deposits, and the landscape has been heavily influenced by the effects of varying methods of mining over the centuries.

In the 10th century, Alston Moor was part of The Liberty of Tynedale, which was an estate of the Scottish Kings within England, a situation that resulted in many years of confusion over the sovereignty of the area.

In 1085, the Barons de Veteriponte became the first recorded Lords of the Manor; they held the moor on behalf of the kings of Scotland while the kings of England retained the mineral rights. This was confirmed in a hearing during 1279 that concluded that the miners of the area were distinct from the local population, thus paying their dues to the English crown instead of to Scotland. As a result the miners lived in their own self-regulated communities under English protection.

In 1269 John de Balliol, the king of Scotland, invaded the north of England; as a result Edward I moved to reclaim the Scottish estates and Tynedale, which included Alston Moor, was taken under direct control of the English crown where it remains.

Despite the town being on the Tyne and being historically part of Tynedale, the area has never been part of either Hexhamshire or Northumberland but part of Cumberland and later Cumbria. This was probably because the mines in the area were at one time administered from Carlisle.

type=printed

city/ region=alston

period=post-war (1945-present)

postage condition=unposted

number of items=single

size=continental/ modern (150x100 mm)