the most northerly county of England, and formerly a distinct kingdom, is bounded on the north and west by the river Tweed, which divides it from Scotland, the Cheviot hills, and part of Cumberland; washed on the east by the German ocean; and separated from Durham on the south by the rivers Tyne and Derwent. This county, which gives the title of duke to a nobleman, who married the daughter of Algernon duke of Somerset, whose mother was heiress of the Percy family, extends about 66 miles in length from north to south, and about 47 in breadth from east to west. It is remarkably populous, containing 12 market towns, 280 villages, and 460 parishes. The face of the country, especially towards the west, is roughened with huge mountains, the most remarkable of which are the Cheviot hills, and the high ridge called Redesdale; but the lands are level towards the sea side and the borders of Durham. The climate, like that of every other mountainous country in the neighbourhood of the sea, is moist and disagreeable: the air, however, is pure and healthy, as being well ventilated by breezes and strong gales of wind; and in winter mitigated by the warm vapours from the two seas, the Irish and the German ocean, between which it is situated. The soil varies in different parts of the county. Among the hills it is barren; though it affords good pasture for sheep, which cover those mountains. The low country, when properly cultivated, produces plenty of wheat, and all sorts of grain; and great part of it is laid out in meadow lands and rich enclosures. Northumberland is well watered with many rivers, rivulets, and fountains: its greatest rivers are the Tweed and the Tyne. The Tyne is composed of two streams called South and North Tyne: the first rises on the verge of Cumberland, near Alston moor; enters Northumberland, running north to Haltwhistle; then bends easterly, and receiving the two small rivers East and West Aln, unites above Hexham with the other branch, taking its rise at a mountain called Fane-head in the western part of the county, thence called Tyne-dale; is swelled in its course by the little river Shele; joins the Read near Billingham; and running in a direct line to the south-east, is united with the southern Tyne, forming a large river that washes Newcastle, and falls into the German ocean near Tynemouth.

In all probability the mountains of Northumberland contain lead ore and other mineralized metals in their bowels, as they in all respects resemble those parts of Wales and Scotland where lead mines have been found and prosecuted. Perhaps the inhabitants are diverted from inquiries of this nature, by the certain profits and constant employment they enjoy in working the coal pits, with which this county abounds. The city of London, and the greatest part of England, are supplied with fuel from these stores of Northumberland, which are inexhaustible, enrich the proprietors, and employ an incredible number of hands and shipping. About 658,858 chaldrons are annually shipped for London.

There are no natural woods of any consequence in this county; but many plantations belonging to the seats of noblemen and gentlemen, of which here is a great number. As for pot herbs, roots, saladings, and every article of the kitchen garden and orchard, they are here raised in great plenty by the usual means of cultivation; as are also the fruits of more delicate flavour, such as the apricot, peach, and nectarine. The spontaneous fruits it produces in common with other parts of Great Britain, are the crab-apple, the sloe or bullace, the hazel nut, the acorn, hipe, and haws, with the berries of the bramble, the juniper, wood strawberries, cranberries, and bilberries.

Northumberland raises a good number of excellent Northumberland hares and black cattle, and affords pasture for numerous flocks of sheep; both the cattle and sheep are of a large breed, but the wool is coarser than that which the more southern counties produce. The hills and mountains abound with a variety of game, such as red deer, foxes, hares, rabbits, heathcock, grouic, partridge, quail, plover, teal, and woodcock: indeed, this is counted one of the best sporting counties in Great Britain. The sea and rivers are well stocked with fish; especially the Tweed, in which a vast number of salmon is caught and carried to Tynemouth, where being pickled, they are conveyed by sea to London, and sold under the name of Newcastle salmon.

The Northumbrians were anciently stigmatized as a savage, barbarous people, addicted to cruelty, and inured to rapine. The truth is, before the union of the two crowns of England and Scotland, the borderers on each side were extremely licentious and ungovernable, trained up to war from their infancy, and habituated to plunder by the mutual incursions made into each kingdom; incursions which neither truce nor treaty could totally prevent. People of a pacific disposition, who proposed to earn their livelihood by agriculture, would not on any terms remain in a country exposed to the first violence of a bold and desperate enemy; therefore the lands lay uncultivated, and in a great measure deserted by every body but lawless adventurers, who subsisted by theft and rapine. There was a tract 50 miles in length and fix in breadth, between Berwick and Carlisle, known by the name of the debatable land, to which both nations laid claim, though it belonged to neither; and this was occupied by a set of banditti who plundered on each side, and what they stole in one kingdom, they sold openly in the other: nay, they were so dexterous in their occupation, that by means of hot bread applied to the horns of the cattle which they stole, they twisted them in such a manner, that, when the right owners saw them in the market, they did not know their own property. Wardens were appointed to guard the marches or borders in each kingdom; and these officers were always conferred on noblemen of the first character for influence, valour, and integrity. The English border was divided into three marches, called the east, west, and middle marches; the gentlemen of the county were constituted deputy wardens, who held march courts, regulated the watches, disciplined the militia, and took measures for assembling them in arms at the first alarm: but in the time of peace between the two nations, they were chiefly employed in suppressing the insolence and rapine of the borderers. Since the union of the crowns, however, Northumberland is totally changed, both with respect to the improvement of the lands, and the reformation of the inhabitants. The grounds, being now secure from incursion and insult, are settled by creditable farmers, and cultivated like other parts of the kingdom. As hostilities have long ceased, the people have forgotten the use of arms; and exercise themselves in the more eligible avocations of peace, in breeding sheep and cattle, manuring the grounds, working at the coal pits, and in different branches of commerce and manufacture. In their persons they are generally tall, strong, bold, hardy, and fresh coloured; and though less polished than their ancestors, not quite so civilized as their Northumberland southern neighbours. The commonalty are well fed, lodged, and clothed; and all of them remarkably distinguished by a kind of shibboleth or whurle, being a particular way of pronouncing the letter R as if they hawked it up from the windpipe, like the cawing of rooks. In other respects, the language they speak is an uncoth mixture of the English and Scottish dialects. There is no material distinction between the fashionable people of Northumberland and those of the same rank in other parts of the kingdom; the same form of education will produce the same effects in all countries. The gentlemen of Northumberland, however, are distinguished for their industry, knowledge of rural affairs, and hospitality. The number of inhabitants in 1801 was reckoned at 157,101; of houses 22,742.

A great number of Roman monuments have been found in this county; but the most remarkable curiosity of that kind consists in the remains of Hadrian's vallum and the wall of Severus. See ADRIAN, note (A), and SEVERUS'S Wall.

The most noted towns in Northumberland are Newcastle, Morpeth, Alnwick, Berwick, Hexham, and North Shields. It sends two members to parliament.