Berwick upon Tweed

[DanJ]

Went to NW Scotland in early September and came back via Berwick upon Tweed and the Northumberland Coast

Berwick was on the Anglo-Scottish Border for hundreds of years and its defences were fully modernised by Elizabeth the first then almost immediately were rendered unnecessary by the Union of the Crowns under James 1.  Fortunately almost the entire Elizabethan circumference can still be seen and walked around, both from below and from above.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Wow, cool!

[Techno]

Nice pics, that man !
Cheers - Phil

[howayman]

It was also at war with Russia until quite recently.

[Maenoferren]

I thought it still was at war with Russia...
who Surrendered???

[Ithoriel]

I thought it still was at war with Russia...
who Surrendered???

A treaty was signed in 1966 iirc.

Pretty sure that Berwick was not technically or actually at war with Russia but still a nice PR stunt.

[FierceKitty]

Wot, no safety rails?

[FierceKitty]

http://northeasthistorytour.blogspot.com/2010/06/berwick-v-russia-and-other-unfinished.html  for the peace treaty.

By the way, for overlong wars, how about the third Punic war? Ended 1985 A. D. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_extended_by_diplomatic_irregularity

Berwick looks stunning. Who'd have thought it of dull little Britain?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Thank you FK, I now have a new war to add to my 'conflicts that never happened'
Huéscar vs Danmark sounds fun!

[nikharwood]

Nice pics, Dan - thanks for posting 

[Poggle]

Great photos, thanks for sharing.

[DanJ]

Northumberland has much to offer the military enthusiast, apart from Berwick, its got the best bits of Hadrian's Wall, reputedly more castles, towers and fortified houses per square mile than any other county in England, the whole border reiver thing and Flodden Field is just over the border.

Its also got a fantastic coast and great food and drink.

[Subedai]

Northumberland has much to offer the military enthusiast, apart from Berwick, its got the best bits of Hadrian's Wall, reputedly more castles, towers and fortified houses per square mile than any other county in England, the whole border reiver thing and Flodden Field is just over the border.

Its also got a fantastic coast and great food and drink.

Do you by any chance work for the Northumberland Tourist Board? 

[Maenoferren]

Northumberland has much to offer the military enthusiast, apart from Berwick, its got the best bits of Hadrian's Wall, reputedly more castles, towers and fortified houses per square mile than any other county in England, the whole border reiver thing and Flodden Field is just over the border.

Its also got a fantastic coast and great food and drink.

I lived in one of, if not the most fortified towns in Britain. Every other house was a Bastle or similar. Those Reivers made Haltwhistle a safer place.

[fred.]

Berwick's walls are very cool. We were there last year, and there are no fences around the walls, just the odd sign warning of big drops!

Most of the photos show the casemates built behind the ravelins (?) that were there to provide fire along the walls - presumably to shoot away any attackers who made it close to the walls - not sure if the matching casemate at the opposite end would have been vulnerable to this fire?

Is the second from last picture from the other side of the river? I don't recognise the walls into the water?