amble

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Coordinates: 55°19′50″N 1°34′42″W / 55.3306°N 1.5783°W / 55.3306; -1.5783

Amble
The sundial in the town square
Amble  Amble shown within Northumberland
Population	6,044
OS grid reference	NU267041
Civil parish	Amble by the Sea
Unitary authority	Northumberland
Ceremonial county	Northumberland
Region	North East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	MORPETH
Postcode district	NE65
Dialling code	01665
Police	Northumbria
Fire	Northumberland
Ambulance	North East
EU Parliament	North East England
UK Parliament	Berwick-upon-Tweed
List of places: UK • England • Northumberland

Amble is a town, civil parish and seaport on the North Sea coast, in Northumberland, England. It lies at the mouth of the River Coquet, and the nearby Coquet Island is clearly visible from its beaches and harbour. The civil parish, which has town status, is called Amble by the Sea, and has a population of 6,044.^[1]

There are two suggested origins of the place-name Amble. Paul Younger of Newcastle University favours a Gaelic origin from "Am Béal", meaning "the river mouth",^[2] while Nottingham University's Institute for Name-Studies quotes (in their Key to English Place Names) an Old English origin of "Amma's/Anna's bile", meaning "Amma's/Anna's headland".^[3]

The town

Amble grew in the nineteenth century as collieries were opened, and its then newly built railway links to the Northumberland coalfields, made it an ideal centre for the transport and export of coal. Other industries, such as ship building and repair on an area known as the Braid, now a greenfield site with a modern marina, and sea fishing, expanded with the growth of the town, although traditional Northumbrian fishing vessels such as cobles have sheltered in the natural harbour for centuries previously. A part of the harbour wall suffered a partial collapse in the late summer of 2008 due to flooding of the River Coquet.

Today, the collieries in Northumberland are all closed (the last, Ellington, closed in 2005), and the railway no longer serves Amble. However, the fishing industry survives, albeit with a somewhat reduced numbers of vessels, as does a small marine industry, mainly concentrated around the construction and repair of yachts and other pleasure craft. A small industrial estate is located to the southwest of the town, whose clients include vehicle repairs and telecommunications companies.

Tourism forms an important sector of the town's economy - part of the harbour has been redeveloped into a marina, and a caravan park called Amble Links, which boasts 5 Star status, guest houses and B&Bs exist to serve visitors to the Northumberland coast.

The Friendliest Port

Amble holds the title 'Friendliest Port'. This derives from the 1930s when the RMS Mauretania was heading on her last voyage to the breaker's yard at Rosyth and the Amble town council (Amble Urban District Council) sent a telegram to the ship saying "still the finest ship on the seas". The Mauretania replied with greetings "to the last and friendliest port in England".

Governance

On 1 April 2009, the local government structure of Northumberland was reorganised. The six former districts were combined with the county to form the unitary authority of Northumberland, based in Morpeth. Amble was in the former Alnwick district based in the town of Alnwick. Many in Amble thought this arrangement was unfair because for two towns of very similar populations (Alnwick 8,000/ Amble 6,100) more money and attention was being spent in Alnwick.

Climate

As with the rest of the British Isles and the North of England, Amble experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters - The nearest MetOffice weather station for which average's are available is Boulmer, about 9 miles to the north.

Communications

Road

Amble town is situated on the A1068 that runs along the north-eastern coastline. This road is the old corn trading road which runs from Hexham in south west Northumberland through Cramlington, Bedlington, Guide Post, Ashington and Ellington. The road continues through more open coastal areas towards Amble and continues approximately 6 miles (10 km) to the north to Alnmouth, then winds on to Alnwick.

Amble also lies near to the A1, (A1[M1]), providing easy access to nearest city Newcastle upon Tyne (30 miles (48 km) south), Gateshead [Metro Centre] (30 miles (48 km) south) and to the Scottish capital Edinburgh (80 miles (130 km) north).

Rail

The East Coast Main Line railway link between Edinburgh (journey time approximately 1:10) and London (journey time approximately 3:45) runs via the nearby Alnmouth for Alnwick Station or Widdrington Station.

Air

Newcastle Airport lies around an hours drive-time away from Amble, and provides nineteen daily flights to London (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, and London City), with regular flights to other UK centres. The airport also operates regular flights to many European destinations, along with destinations in Africa and North America.

Notable people

• Phil Airey (born 1991), Newcastle United footballer
• Jimmy Allen (1913–1979), footballer
• John Angus (born 1938), Burnley and England footballer
• John Shiel (born 1917) footballer, known as Jack Shiel, oldest surviving Newcastle player
• Sir James Calvert Spence (1892–1954), nutritionist and paediatrician
• Samuel Johnson MBE (1922–1994). NZ national athletic coach.

Images of the town

• 

  Birds on the grass in the car park leading on to the 'little shore'

• 

  Small fishing boats moored-up.

• 

  Amble pier

• 

  The sundial in the town square at the eastern end of Queen Street.

References

External links

• The History of Amble and District
• Amble Tourist Information Centre
• Photographs of Amble
• The former Amble branch railway
• Northumberland Communities
• Tide times for Amble from the BBC and Easytide.