a thoroughfare town in Northumberland, on the road to Scotland. Here, in 1093, Malcolm king of Scotland, making an inroad into Northumberland, was killed, with Edward his son, and his army defeated, by Robert Moubray, earl of this county. Here also William king of Scotland, in 1174, invading England with an army of 80,000 men, was encountered, his army routed, and himself made prisoner. The town is in general well built; and has a large town-house, where the quarter-sessions and county-courts are held, and members of parliament elected. It has a spacious square, in which a market is held every Saturday. From the vestiges of a wall still visible in many parts, and three gates which remain almost entire, Alnwick appears to have been formerly fortified. This borough is governed by four chamberlains, and 24 common council men. It is ornamented by a stately old Gothic castle, the seat of the noble family of Percy, dukes of Northumberland. The manner of making freemen is peculiar to this place, and is indeed as ridiculous as singular. The persons who are to be made free, or, as the phrase is, "leap the well," assemble in the market-place, very early in the morning, on the 25th of April, being St Mark's day. They appear on horseback, with every man his sword by his side, dressed in white, and with white nightcaps, attended by the four chamberlains and the castle bailiff, mounted and armed in the same manner. From hence they proceed, with music playing before them, to a large pool called Freeman's Well, where they dismount, and draw up in a body, at some distance from the water; and then rush into it all at once, and scramble through the mud as fast as they can. As the water is generally very foul, they come out in a dirty condition; but they put on dry clothes, remount their horses, and ride at full gallop round the confines of the district; then re-enter the town, sword in hand, and are met by women dressed in ribbons, with bells and garlands, dancing and singing. They are called timber-waists. The houses of the new freemen are on this day distinguished by a great holly bush, as a signal for their friends to assemble and make merry with them after their return. The establishment of this singular ceremony is traditionally referred to King John, who was mired in this well, and, as a punishment for not mending the road, made this a part of their charter. Alnwick is 310 miles north by west from London, 33 north of Newcastle, and 29 south of Berwick. Long. 1.42. W. Lat.55.24. N. Pop.in 1851,6231.