Alwinton Summer Concerts take place in the Church of St Michael and All Angels, located just outside of the remote, rural village of Alwinton in Upper Coquetdale, Northumberland. The series has established itself as one of the major cultural events in the North-East of England and the church, with its fine acoustic, is surrounded by beautiful and dramatic landscape. This beautiful church nestles i
nto the hillside at the foot of the Cheviot Hills on a site where people have met and worshiped since the ninth century. Parts of the present building date back to the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth centuries, but it was the fourteenth century which saw the creation of the most striking feature of the building. The chancel floor was raised to provide a crypt for the Clennell family. This has dictated that subsequent developments - particularly the most recent by Durham architect George Pickering in 1852 - have retained plenty of height, an important factor in creating the wonderful acoustic. Musicians and performers with national and international reputations perform at the four concerts in the church every summer. They consistently comment on the welcome they receive in Coquetdale and frequently report that their Alwinton date has been their favourite of their tour or even performing year.
