Local Case Study: Alnwick
Our ‘Map of Sites’ continues to grow and we are now gaining insights into how the First World War affected villages, towns, and cities throughout the country. Recording First World War sites in your area may allow you to create a Case Study which will help build up a picture of the Home Front. Your research may also reveal interesting stories and recollections from the Home Front which you can attach to your records.
Alnwick
Thanks to the hard work of our contributors M. Grant & John M., the story of the Alnwick Home Front is now being told.
Alnwick, a market town in Northumberland, and the surrounding countryside was very active during the First World War. Buildings were requisitioned by the Army, a Voluntary Aid Hospital established, and soldiers provided with French language lessons while billeted in the town.
Billets and Officer’s Mess
Buildings within Alnwick were requisitioned by the Army to act as Billets and Mess facilities for Soldiers of the Northumberland Fusiliers Battalions. Eventually a purpose built training camp was constructed to the North-East of Alnwick Castle, across the river Aln.
The White Swan Hotel was requisitioned to serve as the Officer’s Mess and the nearby Alnbank House was taken over to act as an Officer’s Billet during 1915.
Rifle Ranges
Three Rifle Ranges in the Alnwick area have been recorded so far. Shooting was an important part of a soldier’s training, rifle ranges were needed to allow soldiers to hone their skills.
A Rifle Range is located behind the Alnwick Registry Office, formerly the Alnwick Drill Hall. This small brick built structure would have housed a small rifle range, probably for .22 rifles. These sub-calibre, or miniature rifle ranges were used to teach soldiers the basics of shooting and could be housed in a relatively small building.
Two ‘full bore’ rifle ranges survive to the West of Alnwick in the local Moorland. These rifle ranges would have been used to practice shooting the larger calibre .303 Lee-Metford and Lee-Enfield rifles used by the Army at the time. Full bore rifle ranges are often sited away from heavily populated areas to minimise the danger of stray bullets and ricochets.
Drill Hall
Alnwick Drill Hall, in Fenkle Street, became the Head Quarters of the 7th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (HQ, D and F Companies) and drill station of the Northumberland Hussars (C Squadron) in 1914.
Alnwick Drill Hall
Doing Their Bit
Lady Margaret Percy, daughter of the Duke of Northumberland, provided French lessons to soldiers billeted in Alnwick and Alnwick Camp. These lessons took place in the Parish Hall from October 1914.
Alnwick Parish Hall
Enemy Alien Holding Centre
Alnwick Workhouse was temporarily used as an internment centre during 1914. The Workhouse held interned German seamen who had been in harbour at Amble at the outbreak of hostilities. The Workhouse continued to be used as billet throughout the war.
Alnwick Workhouse
Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital
The 8th Northumberland VAD Hospital was established in 1914 within the Duchess’s School, now known as Derwentwater House. The building continued to house the Hospital up until 1916, when the hospital moved to the nearby Alnwick Training Camp, following the departure of the Battlion in training.
Derwentwater House
Landing Fields
Given the limited range and endurance of First World War fighter aircraft many Emergency Landing Fields were established within close proximity of Home Defence Squadron Airfields.
These pre-selected fields would be used by Fighters on anti-Zeppelin patrols in the event of an emergency. Sometimes these fields were equipped with Accommodation Huts, a guard detachment; usually provided by the local Volunteer Training Unit, flares and landing beacons; consisting of stoves filled with asbestos wool covered in paraffin which would be set alight to guide in landing fighter aircraft.
Rennington Landing Field
Alnwick Direction Finding Station
Although the exact location has not been identified, a Wireless Direction Finding Station was established in Alnwick. Can you identify the location of this site? Find out more in our ‘Help Located and Record Secret Listening Stations’ section.
Over To You
Recording First World War sites in your local area will help you to build up a picture of the home front, allowing you to add to the story of your village, town, or city. You may discover that many remaining local buildings had a war time function that is yet to be recorded.
To get involved with Home Front Legacy simply register to access our on-line Toolkit, recording app, and resources.
You can also explore the records in the Alnwick area further on our ‘Map of Sites’ below (If the Red Pins are not visible press the ‘Search’ button).
