Scottish Or British – The Town Of Berwick-Upon-Tweed

Berwick-upon-Tweed is a town located in Northumberland. It is the most northernmost town found in England and is at the mouth of the Tweed River. You are just a short walk from the Scottish border. This spot was a historic border between Scotland and England as it has changed hands over 13 times.

There were settlers at Berwick long before the Romans arrived as Berwick was part of the Ancient kingdom of Northumbria. Because of its proximity to the Scottish border the town has figured prominently in the English-Scottish border wars as well as the Scottish Wars of Independence. The area was quite prosperous due to the many raids as well as its success as an important trade port.

There was once a mint that created Scottish coinage. The development of the town is a bit different from other British towns on the coast as it was first a garrison town before it became a port. One of the times that ruler ship of the town changed hands was during the crusades as it was sold to the Scottish for funding. The last time that ruler ship changed hands was when the British recaptured the city in 1482.

Interestingly enough Berwick actually follows the legal systems and laws of both Wales and England as it was never formally annexed. It did not officially become a part of Northumberland until 1885.

The main industries in town are in the service industry though agriculture and farming are still important. Some other prosperous but smaller industries important to the economy include tweed and stocking manufacture, engineering, salmon farming, ship building and sawmilling. You can easily reach the city by driving or by taking the East Coast Main Line.

Berwicks town wall is still intake and surrounds most of the town. Spend about 45 minutes to walk the entire length of the all. There is also a large artillery bastions that took 20 years to complete and were started in 1558. There are several bridges over the Tweed River with the Royal Border Railway Viaduct being the most impressive. This bridge has 28 arches and was opened in 1850.

There are plenty of arts in the town and you should not miss the Maltings Theatre and Arts Center or any of the museums. The Berwick Barracks and Main Guard should not be missed. There are some unique town celebrations such as the Border Marches and the Riding of the Bounds. There is plenty around to interest everyone in the family.

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