Alston, Cumbria - Market Cross - local postcard c.1990s

Postcard
• Picture / Image:  Alston, Cumbria - in the North Pennines - shows the Market Cross
• 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.

The earliest evidence of population in the area comes from pottery fragments, a gold basket-earring and flint tools found in one of two barrows excavated in 1935 (2 miles or 3 kilometres NNW of Alston at Kirkhaugh), these were dated between 2000 BC and 1700 BC.

Evidence of Roman activity in the area comes from the earth remains of Whitley Castle, thought to be the Roman fort (Castra) of Epiacum^[3] built and rebuilt by the Sixth and Twentieth Legions between the 2nd and 3rd centuries. The fort's main purpose was to extract and protect lead and silver deposits in the upper reaches of the south Tyne valley.

The name of the town is recorded in 1164–71 as Aldeneby and in 1209 as Aldeneston,^[4] and seems to mean ""the settlement or farmstead belonging to [a Viking man named] Halfdan"".

Although the town does not hold a regular market it still maintains the legal right to do so. The market cross, which acts as a focal point in the centre of town, was constructed in 1981 to replace one which was demolished by a wagon in January 1980. That earlier cross had itself replaced a cross of 1883 which was knocked down by a lorry in 1968.^[9]

A regular producers' market now takes place in the Town Hall from April to September selling food and crafts produced in Cumberland, Northumberland, and Durham, celebrating Alston's position at the crux of these three counties.

type=printed

city/ region=alston

period=post-war (1945-present)

postage condition=unposted

number of items=single

size=continental/ modern (150x100 mm)