Northumberland is the most northerly county of England.  It lies next to Scotland on the German Ocean and is bounded by Durham and Cumberland Counties.

The air is not so cold as might be imagined from the latitude in which it lies, and the snow seldom lies long in Northumberland, except on the tops of the hills, some of which are above 2000 feet. 

It yields lead; and is one of the most productive and best coal fields in England.  Iron and glassworks are its principal manufacturies; and it has some fisheries.  This county is well watered by rivers; the principal of which are the Tyne, Tweed and Coquet. Alnwick is the county-town, but the largest and richest is Newcastle.