Tag: Alston
Alston is a small town in Cumbria, England on the River South Tyne. It is one of the highest elevation towns in the country, at about 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level.
The town lies on the confluence of the River South Tyne and the River Nent. 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 name of the town is recorded in 1164-1171 as Aldeneby and in 1209 as Aldeneston, and seems to mean “the settlement or farmstead belonging to [a Viking man named] Halfdan”.
Alston claims to be the highest market town in England, being about 1000 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.
Nearby villages include Garrigill and Nenthead.
The earliest evidence of population in…
