A small, attractive market town with a fascinating past. It was the major part of the small borough of Bedlingtonshire, which was ruled by the Bishop of Durham as part of his palatinate from Norman times. It was not fully brought back into Northumberland until as recently as 1844. Bedlington is one of the few towns in the world to have its own breed of dog – the Bedlington Terrier – which is a small, white, lamb-like animal. The major employer in the town is the electonics company Welwyn Components, and the main attraction for visitors is the Bedlington Country Park. Market day is Thursday.