The Schooner Hotel, Alnmouth
Alnmouth
Last Updated:
5 Jan 2026
Alnmouth
55.387244, -1.612511
Site Type:
Pub, Hotel, Inn
Origin:
Status:
Extant
Designer (if known):
Listed Grade II
The Schooner is a lovely Georgian hotel & inn on Alnmouth's Northumberland Street. It's by far the most assertive and imposing secular building in the village, not least because of its paint job which contrasts against the sandstone neighbours.
Never trust a pubs website though, as after all they're after punters. They themselves state it is a 17th century coaching inn, but it certainly isn't. This one dates from the turn of the 19th century, very likely to service what was then still a busy port for grain and timber. It will very much have been designed with lodgings for sailors and meetings between buyers and sellers.
A lovely nod is the arched carriage entrance which would have allowed horses and wagons to the rear yard. This is probably the younger part of the complex - the northernmost section on the right is tighter and far more domestic, while the side with the carriage entrance is more spacious and commercial. Very much a punt though.
The oldest documentary reference I find to the Inn itself is in the 1840s, when it was regularly used for auctions. With this said, the landlord of 1842 William Brown thanks his friends for 20 years of support suggesting a date when it opened. In return, he is advertising new hot and cold bath facilities here.
The Schooner was also where Alnmouth Golf Club was formally instituted - one of the oldest clubs in the country. It was here the Duke formally allowed the Alnmouth Links to be used for golf in October 1869. Inquests were also held here at the time - especially for shipwrecks and the like.
Alterations and extensions were made to the pub in 1886. It confirms oldest part of the hotel had 7 bedrooms (with 20 in total) as well as plans for a new hotel washroom and harness room (for looking after horse tack etc, there's one at Beamish). The size of this place is only accentuated when the 20 year landlord Mrs Binks, put all the furnishings up for auction in 1916. It also gives us a clue as to the age, as many of the lots feature late 18th century furniture which has likely left now. There was over 1400 lots requiring four days worth of sales.
The hotel is sadly no longer open due to rat infestations and poor hygiene...
Listing Description
The two plans shown here depict Alnmouth from the 1840s (on the tithe plan) and the 1860s (on the first Ordnance Survey). Alnmouth develops as a linear ribbon-like village due to the constraints between the Aln and the rising ground & dunes on the east. You'll also notice the long and thin burgage plots extending behind the properties which only accentuate how old this settlement is - probably Saxon times and developed into a port and market thereafter.
Interestingly however you'll notice it isn't a traditional village. It was binded as a junior to the parish of Lesbury. The crossing direct to Hipsburn was only constructed in the 1860s, so all traffic was routed through via Lesbury so was never its own parish. This is especially the case after the demise of St John in the late 18th century which went hand in hand with the short periodic decline of the village.
The Schooner can be seen on these early plans, and was certainly a civic centre while Alnmouth was still a relatively busy port. There's no doubt it was used for quick lodgings and traders meetings.
By the 1890s the establishment of the new St John rendered our building redundant. It then went on to play its own civic role for village meetings, events and the like but retains its prominence on the main street. It almost certainly played a spiritual role though - you only have to look at the frontage. Other social infrastructure also developed within the few decades - the bedding in of the golf club, hotels and pubs dominate the main lane and its own municipal infrastructure appears like the Gas Works.
The Schooner is also now clearly marked and has expanded since previous plans.
The Schooner in November 2025
The Schooner can be seen on the left of this old postcard from the early 1900s. Unknown original source.
Low resolution postcard of the Schooner Hotel, likely from the 1920s. Source: Northumberland Communities