Berwick Upon Tweed - A Fascinating, Quirky and Historic Town

During our stay in Waren Mill we visited Berwick upon Tweed a couple of times. Primarily to obtain a fill up of petrol as the Asda store in Berwick is one of the cheapest around! However, Berwick is a lovely town with a few quirks to it.

For instance, did you know that it is the only English city that plays in the Scottish Football League?

Berwick Station stands on the site of the Great Hall of Berwick Castle?

Berwick was a Royal Burgh of Scotland in 1120 and during the many centuries of border warfare changed hands no fewer than 14 times, the last being in 1482.



Three bridges span the River Tweed at Berwick.

Berwick Bridge (Old Bridge) in front, Royal Tweed Bridge (New Bridge) is next back, and the Royal Border Bridge (Railway Bridge) is at the back.

The red sandstone Berwick Bridge, also known as the Old Bridge, is the fifth known bridge crossing the River Tweed on or near this location. Initially constructed between 1611 and 1624, was finally completed in 1634.

The Royal Border Bridge, also known as the Railway Bridge was designed by Robert Stephenson and built between 1847 and 1850.


The Royal Tweed Bridge, also known as the New Bridge, was built between 1925 and 1928 as part of the A1 trunk road, prior to construction of the Berwick bypass in the 1984.

Berwick was given a special status as being "of" the Kingdom of England but not "in" it. As a result the town thereafter needed special mention in royal proclamations.



This had one odd effect. When Queen Victoria signed the declaration of war on Russia in 1853, she did so in the name of "Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, Ireland, Berwick-upon-Tweed and the British Dominions beyond the sea." But Berwick was not mentioned in the Treaty of Paris that concluded the Crimean War in 1856, leaving the town technically still at war with Russia.


A peace treaty was only finally signed by a Russian diplomat and the the Mayor of Berwick in 1966. As the mayor said at the time: "You can tell the Russian people that they can now sleep peacefully in their beds".




Berwick is also renowned for its Elizabethan Walls Some of the town walls can still be seen today, dating mainly from the later Elizabethan period. They are among the finest of their kind in Europe.

Bewick's defences

Berwick is one of the most picturesque towns on the region's coast, mainly because of its attractive red roofed houses, pinkish grey Georgian buildings and the fine seventeenth century bridge, which spans the River Tweed.

Most notable of the town's buildings are the spired town hall of 1754 and the Berwick parish church, called Holy Trinity which is one of only a few built in England in Cromwellian times. For an historic parish church it is unusual, in that it has no steeple, tower or church bell.

Berwick Holy Trinity Church

 Berwick Holy Trinity Church

Instead a bell in the Town Hall is used to summon people to the church services at Holy Trinity. It is no wonder that many visitors to Berwick mistake the Town Hall for the parish church.

Berwick Town Hall

The is also the King's Own Scottish Borderer's Museum, Berwick Barracks and Main Guard, with its "By Beat of Drum" Exhibition, and the Berwick Museum and Art Gallery to visit. All these are situated opposite the Parish Church on the Parade.