Alnwick, former district, unitary authority and historic county of Northumberland, northern England, that borders Scotland on the northwest and the North Sea on the east. Alnwick descends eastward from the peaty moorlands of the Cheviot Hills, which reach elevations above 2,000 feet (610 metres) along the Scottish border, and extends across the upper valleys of the Rivers Aln and Coquet and the sandstone uplands of the area known as Rothbury Forest to the fertile coastal plain, meeting the North Sea in low cliffs and shallow bays backed by sand dunes.
Sheep are grazed throughout the area, with the hardy Cheviot being the significant breed. Lesser numbers of both beef and dairy cattle are raised in the upper Aln and Coquet valleys and on the coastal plain. Crops cultivated on large farms, especially on the coastal plain, include oats, barley, clover, turnips, and cabbage. The small coastal village of Craster is known for its production of kippers (smoked herring). Alnwick town, a historic county town (seat) of Northumberland, has a noted castle, as do the villages of Dunstanburgh and Warkworth. The area also includes the towns of Amble and Rothbury.