Alston conservation area

Designation of Alston conservation area

The central part of Alston town was designated as a conservation area on 27 May 1976 and revised on 14 March 2023.

Description of Alston

Alston lies in the heart of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, set on the upper reaches of the South River Tyne. It is reputed to be Britain's highest market town at over 1,000ft above sea level. It has a cobbled main street and most of the buildings around the Market Square date from the late 17th and early 18th centuries. There are several listed buildings in the town centre including the parish church of St Augustine's. The church was built in 1869, but records show a church has existed here since 1145 AD. Alston Station is the starting point for the South Tynedale Railway, which is England’s highest narrow gauge railway.

Article 4 Direction

We introduced two Article 4 Directions in the Alston Conservation Area in 1996 and 2010. The Directions apply only to the original conservation area boundary as designated in 1976, but not to the extended parts designated in 2023.

See copies of the original Article 4 Directions below:

Article 4 Direction (1996) (PDF: 4376Kb / 6 pages) and Article 4 Direction (2010) (PDF: 317Kb / 4 pages).

Conservation area character appraisal and management plan (CAAMP)

The Alston Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan was adopted by the Council on 14 March 2023.

Map of Alston conservation area boundary

View the Alston conservation area boundary on Your Area online mapping.

Related links

Last updated: Monday, 11 September, 2023.