Apart from the obvious tourist attractions of Alnwick Castle and Alnwick Garden, there are many other fascinating buildings and attractions in the town.

Another part of the castle grounds open to the public is Hulne Park. The 500 acres of rolling moorland and woods is home to Hulne Priory, an early monastery built in 1240; Alnwick Abbey entrance tower dating back to the 12th century; and Brislee Tower, designed by Robert Adam to provide a superb view of seven castles.

Take Bondgate Tower, which is exactly what many a frustrated driver said about this single-lane gateway to the town of Alnwick when it used to straddle the main route from London to Edinburgh before Alnwick Bypass was built. Bondgate Tower, or Hotspur Tower, was built around 1450 as part of the town wall. It was originally designed to have a drawbridge and portcullis - a deep groove can still be seen inside the archway.

Across the other side of town stands Pottergate Tower, which, despite its name, has no connection with Master Harry. This one was named well before JK Rowling's day! Pottergate Tower has had many guises since it was first built in the early 1600s. Unfortunately, in 1812, a storm tore down the tower's ornate spire, which mimicked St Nicholas' Church in Newcastle. It now stands spireless, but nonetheless impressive.

The Bailiffgate Museum, located in the former St Mary's Church, which dates from 1836, brings to life the history of Alnwick and the district. It is appropriately near Alnwick Castle and well worth a visit.

Alnwick has it's own rival to the bizarre Flatiron Building in New York. As the streets of Narrowgate and Fenkle Street converge at an acute angle, so the buildings become narrower, culminating in the former Savings Bank, originally built in 1816, but pulled down and rebuilt in 1835.

The Pinfold, a curious round, walled pen, which now has the dubious honour of acting as a traffic roundabout, was once used to impound stray animals until someone paid up for them. It has moved around town since it was first erected in 1611.

The former Alnwick Station is these days home to Barter Books, one of the largest secondhand bookshops in Europe. Housed as it is in quite splendid station building, this is no ordinary bookshop, and attracts visitors from all over the country.

By contrast to most of the rest of Alnwick, the House of Hardy Museum, which pays homage to the famous fishing rods and tackle made in Alnwick since 1879, is in a new building on the edge of town. It presents a history of the world's finest manufacturer of fishing gear - and it's free!

Visit Useful Links (above left) to find out more about some of these places.