Gateshead is a large town in Tyne and Wear, England, and the main settlement
in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Part of County Durham until
the creation of Tyne and Wear in 1974, the town lies on the southern bank of
the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne. Gateshead and Newcastle are joined
by seven bridges across the Tyne, including the Gateshead Millennium
Bridge. The town is known for its architecture, including the Sage
Gateshead, the Angel of the North and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art.
Residents of Gateshead, like the rest of Tyneside, are referred to as Geordies.
Gateshead's population in 2011 was 66,382.
History There has been a settlement on the
Gateshead side of the River Tyne, around the old river crossing where the Swing
Bridge now stands, since Roman times. Theories of the derivation of the name
'Gateshead' include 'head of the road' or 'goat’s headland', as the River Tyne
at this point was once roamed by goats. The first recorded mention of Gateshead
is in the writings of the Venerable Bede who referred to an Abbot of Gateshead
called Utta in 623. In 1068 William the Conqueror defeated the forces of Edgar
the Ætheling and Malcolm king of Scotland on Gateshead Fell.
During medieval times Gateshead was under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of
Durham. At this time the area was largely forest with some agricultural
land. The forest was the subject of Gateshead's first charter, granted in
the 12th century by Hugh du Puiset, Bishop of Durham. An alternative
spelling may be "Gatishevede", as seen in a legal record, dated 1430.
The earliest recorded coal mining in the Gateshead area is dated to 1344. As
trade on the Tyne prospered there were several attempts by the burghers of
Newcastle to annex Gateshead. In 1576 a small group of Newcastle merchants
acquired the 'Grand Lease' of the manors of Gateshead and Whickham. In the
hundred years from 1574 coal shipments from Newcastle increased elevenfold
while the population of Gateshead doubled to approximately 5,500. However,
the lease and the abundant coal supplies ended in 1680. The pits were shallow as
problems of ventilation and flooding defeated attempts to mine coal from the
deeper seams. William Hawks, originally a blacksmith,
started business in Gateshead in 1747, working with the iron brought to the
Tyne as ballast by the Tyne colliers. Hawks and Co. eventually became one of
the biggest iron businesses in the North, producing anchors, chains and so
on to meet a growing demand. There was keen contemporary rivalry between
'Hawks' Blacks' and 'Crowley's Crew'. The famous 'Hawks' men' including Ned
White, went on to be celebrated in Geordie song and story.
Throughout the Industrial Revolution the population of Gateshead expanded
rapidly; between 1801 and 1901 the increase was over 100,000. This
expansion resulted in the spread southwards of the town. In 1854, a
catastrophic explosion on the quayside destroyed most of Gateshead's medieval
heritage, and caused widespread damage on the Newcastle side of the river.
Robert Stirling Newall took out a patent on the manufacture of wire ropes in 1840
and in partnership with Messrs. Liddell and Gordon, set up his headquarters at
Gateshead. A worldwide industry of wire-drawing resulted. The submarine
telegraph cable received its definitive form through Newall's initiative,
involving the use of gutta percha surrounded by strong wires. The first
successful Dover-Calais cable on 25 September 1851, was made in Newall's
works. In 1853, he invented the brake-drum and cone for laying cable in
deep seas. Half of the first Atlantic cable was manufactured in Gateshead.
Newall was interested in astronomy, and his giant 25-inch telescope was set up
in the garden at Ferndene, his Gateshead residence in 1871.
In 1831 a locomotive works was established by the Newcastle and
Darlington Railway, later part of the York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway. In
1854 the works moved to the Greenesfield site and became the manufacturing
headquarters of North Eastern Railway. In 1909, locomotive construction was
moved to Darlington and the rest of the works were closed in 1932.
Sir Joseph Swan lived at Underhills, Kells Lane from 1869–83, where his
experiments led to the invention of the electric light bulb. The house was the
first in the world to be wired for domestic electric light.
In 1835, Gateshead was established as a municipal borough within the historic
County Durham. By 1889 it had been made a county borough, but in the same year
one of the largest employers, Hawks, Crawshay and Company, closed down and
unemployment has since been a burden. Up to the Second World War there were
repeated newspaper reports of the unemployed sending deputations to the
council to provide work. The depression years of the 1920s and '30s created even
more joblessness and the Team Valley Trading Estate was built in the
mid-1930s to alleviate the situation. In 1974, following the Local Government
Act 1972, the County Borough of Gateshead was merged with the urban
districts of Felling, Whickham, Blaydon and Ryton and part of the rural district
of Chester-le-Street to create the much larger Metropolitan Borough of
Gateshead. In the past decade, Gateshead Council
has begun developing plans to regenerate the town, with the long-term aim of
making Gateshead a city. The most extensive transformation thus far has
occurred in the Quayside, with almost all the structures there being
constructed or refurbished in this time. The town centre has also been
redeveloped, with the £150m Trinity Square development opening in May 2013.
The centre incorporates student accommodation, a cinema, health centre
and stores. It was nominated for the Carbuncle Cup in September 2014. The cup
was however awarded to another development which involved Tesco,
Woolwich Central. Geography
The town of Gateshead is situated in the North East of England in the ceremonial
county of Tyne and Wear, and within the historic boundaries of County Durham. It
is located on the southern bank of the River Tyne at a latitude of 54.57° N and
a longitude of 1.35° W. Gateshead experiences a temperate climate which is
considerably warmer than some other locations at similar latitudes as a
result of the warming influence of the Gulf Stream. It is located in the rain
shadow of the North Pennines and is therefore in one of the driest regions
of the United Kingdom. One of the most distinguishing features
of Gateshead is its topography. The land rises 230 feet from Gateshead Quays to
the town centre and continues rising to a height of 525 feet at Queen Elizabeth
Hospital in Sheriff Hill. This is in contrast to the flat and low lying Team
Valley located on the western edges of town. The high elevations allow for
impressive views over the Tyne valley into Newcastle and across Tyneside to
Sunderland and the North Sea from lookouts in Windmill Hills and Windy
Nook respectively. The Office for National Statistics
defines the town as an urban sub-division which largely shares the
same boundaries as the historic pre-1974 County Borough of Gateshead. However,
the administrative divisions of the larger Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead
do not correspond to these borders, meaning the town is almost entirely
indistinguishable from surrounding areas in regards to local governance.
Unofficially speaking, the town of Gateshead typically refers to the urban
area directly to the south of Newcastle City Centre as well as various
surrounding suburbs. Felling, Heworth, Pelaw and Bill Quay, in a separate ONS
urban sub-division and not part of the historical County Borough, are sometimes
considered to be within the town of Gateshead due to their closeness to the
town centre and because they are in the same contiguous urban area.
Given the proximity of Gateshead to Newcastle, just south of the River Tyne
from the city centre, it is sometimes referred to as being a part of
Newcastle. Gateshead Council and Newcastle City Council teamed up in 2000
to create a unified marketing brand name, NewcastleGateshead, to better
promote the Tyneside conurbation. When outside the North East of England a
resident of Gateshead would most likely say they are from Newcastle, as it is
largest and most recognised city in the region. Within the North East however,
they would usually state that they live in Gateshead or more specifically give
their neighbourhood within the town, such as Deckham or Dunston, for example.
= Climate= Climate in this area has small
differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year round to
meet the criterion for Oceanic climate, at least 30 mm per month. The Köppen
Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Cfb".
Districts The town of Gateshead consists of the
following districts. Some of them were once separate settlements that were
absorbed by encroaching urban sprawl, while others consist entirely of retail,
industrial and housing estates. Many of these areas overlap each other and their
boundaries are by no means official or fixed.
Here is a table comparing Gateshead with the Wider Metropolitan Borough.
Gateshead's population in 2011 was 66,382.
Economy Gateshead is the home of the
MetroCentre, the largest shopping centre in the European Union. The Team Valley
Trading Estate, initially the largest and still one of the largest purpose
built commercial estates in the United Kingdom is located in Gateshead.
Architecture JB Priestley, writing of Gateshead in
his travelogue English Journey said that "no true civilisation could have
produced such a town", adding that it appeared to have been designed "by an
enemy of the human race". This dismal impression, typical of the author's view
of industrial towns, has proved influential in defining the popular
image of Gateshead. Much, however, has changed since his time.
William Wailes the celebrated stained-glass maker, lived at South Dene
from 1853-60. In 1860, he designed Saltwell Towers as a fairy-tale palace
for himself. It is an imposing Victorian mansion in its own park with a romantic
skyline of turrets and battlements. It was originally furnished sumptuously by
Gerrard Robinson. Wailes sold it to the corporation in 1876 for use as a public
park, provided he could use the house for the rest of his life. For many years
the structure was essentially an empty shell but following a restoration
programme it was reopened to the public in 2004.
The brutalist Trinity Centre Car Park, which was designed by Owen Luder,
dominated the town centre for many years until its demolition in 2010. A product
of attempts to regenerate the area in the 1960s, the car park gained an iconic
status due to its appearance in the 1971 film Get Carter, starring Michael Caine.
An unsuccessful campaign to have the structure listed was backed by Sylvester
Stallone, who played the main role in the 2000 remake of the film. The car
park was scheduled for demolition in 2009, but this was delayed as a result
of a disagreement between Tesco and Gateshead Council. The council had not
been given firm assurances that Tesco would build the previously envisioned
town centre development which was to include a Tesco mega-store as well as
shops, restaurants, cafes, bars, offices and student accommodation. The council
effectively used the car park as a bargaining tool to ensure that the
company adhered to the original proposals and blocked its demolition
until they submitted a suitable planning application. Demolition finally took
place in July–August 2010. The Derwent Tower, another well known
example of brutalist architecture, was also designed by Owen Luder and stands
in the neighbourhood of Dunston. Like the Trinity Car Park it also failed in
its bid to become a listed building and was demolished in 2012. Also located in
this area are the Grade II listed Dunston Staithes which were built in
1890. Following the award of a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of almost £420,000
restoration of the structure is expected to begin in April 2014.
The council has recently sponsored the development of the Gateshead Quays
cultural quarter. The development includes the Gateshead Millennium
Bridge, erected in 2001, which won the James Stirling Prize for Architecture in
2002. The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art has been established in a converted
flour mill. The Sage Gateshead, a Norman Foster-designed venue for music and the
performing arts opened on 17 December 2004. Gateshead also hosted the
Gateshead Garden Festival in 1990, rejuvenating 200 acres of derelict land.
Gateshead is also home to a number of public art works, including the Angel of
the North, one of Britain's largest sculptures, measuring 20 metres high
with a 54-metre wing span. Designed by Antony Gormley it was erected in 1998.
It is visible from the A1 to the south of Gateshead, as well as from the East
Coast Main Line. Other public art include works by
Richard Deacon, Colin Rose, Sally Matthews, Andy Goldsworthy and Gordon
Young. The Gateshead Millenium Bridge won the
prestigious Stirling Prize for Architecture in 2002.
Sport Gateshead International Stadium
regularly holds international athletics meetings over the summer months. It is
also host to rugby league fixtures, and the home ground of both Gateshead
Thunder Rugby League Football Club and Gateshead Football Club. Both clubs have
had their problems: Gateshead F.C. were controversially elected out of the
Football League to make way for Peterborough United in the 1960s, whilst
Gateshead Thunder lost their place in Super League as a result of a takeover
by Hull. Both Gateshead clubs continue to ply their trade at lower levels in
their respective sports, thanks mainly to the efforts of their supporters. The
Gateshead Senators American Football team also use the International Stadium,
as well as this it was used in the 2006 Northern Conference champions in the
British American Football League. Gateshead Miners are Gateshead's first
and only Aussie Rules Football team and compete in the Aussie Rules UK National
League. Gateshead Leisure Centre is home to the
Gateshead Phoenix Basketball Team. The team currently plays in EBL League
Division 4. Home games are usually on a Sunday afternoon during the season,
which runs from September to March. The team was formed in 2013 and ended their
initial season well placed to progress after defeating local rivals Newcastle
Eagles II and promotion chasing Kingston Panthers.
In Low Fell there is a cricket club and a rugby club adjacent to each other on
Eastwood Gardens. These are Gateshead Fell Cricket Club and Gateshead Rugby
Club. Gateshead Rugby Club was formed in 1998 following the merger of Gateshead
Fell Rugby Club and North Durham Rugby Club.
Transport Tyne and Wear Metro stations at
Gateshead Interchange and Gateshead Stadium provide direct light-rail access
to Newcastle Central Station, Newcastle International Airport, Sunderland,
Tynemouth and South Shields. Gateshead Interchange is the busiest bus
station in Tyne and Wear and was used by 3.9 million bus passengers in 2008.
National Rail services are provided by Northern Rail at Dunston and MetroCentre
stations. The East Coast Main Line, which runs from London to Edinburgh,
cuts directly through the town on its way between Newcastle Central and
Chester-le-Street stations. There are presently no stations on this line
within Gateshead, as Low Fell, Bensham and Gateshead West stations were closed
in 1952, 1954 and 1965 respectively. Several major road links pass through
Gateshead, including the A1 which links London to Edinburgh and the A184 which
connects the town to Sunderland. Various bicycle trails traverse the
town, most notably the recreational Keelmans Way, which is located on the
south bank of the Tyne and takes riders along the entire Gateshead foreshore.
Other prominent routes include the East Gateshead Cycleway, which connects to
Felling, the West Gateshead Cycleway, which links the town centre to Dunston
and the MetroCentre, and routes along both the old and new Durham roads, which
take cyclists to Birtley, Wrekenton and the Angel of the North.
Religion In the 2001 Census, more than 10% of
people residing in the wider Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead stated
that they practiced no religion. = Christianity=
Christianity has been present in the town since at least the 7th century,
when Bede mentioned a monastery in Gateshead. A church in the town was
burned down in 1080 with the Bishop of Durham inside. St Mary's Church was
built near to the site of that building, and was the only church in the town
until the 1820s. Undoubtedly the oldest building on the Quayside, St Mary's has
now re-opened to the public as the town's first heritage centre.
Many of the Anglican churches in the town date from the 19th century, when
the population of the town grew dramatically and expanded into new
areas. The town presently has a number of notable and large churches of many
denominations. = Judaism=
The Bensham district is home to a community of hundreds of Jewish families
and used to be known as "Little Jerusalem". Within the community is the
Gateshead Yeshiva, founded in 1929, and other Jewish educational institutions
with international enrollments, such as Sunderland Yeshiva, Yeshiva Ketana, Beer
Hatorah, Nezer Hatorah, Sunderland Kibutz and Yeshiva Gedola.
= Islam= Islam is practised by a small minority
of people in Gateshead and there are 2 mosques located in the Bensham area [Ely
Street and Villa Place]. Tourism
An article in The Daily Telegraph stated that a woman was denied entry into the
UK at some time prior to 2007 for giving her reason for visiting as wanting to go
to Gateshead. British visa officials ruled this as "not credible". The
research into Britain's confused immigration policies was taken up by
Steve Boggan in The Guardian in a piece dated 23 January 2007, which expressed
incredulity at the ignorance of London officials, echoed by Newcastle-Gateshead
tourism heads. Famous residents
See also Gateshead F.C.
Little Theatre Gateshead Quayside
References External links
Gateshead Council Local government web site
Gateshead Heritage @ St Mary's Heritage Centre website
Images of Gateshead – [4] Friends of Red Kites – Details about the
reintroduced kites in the Derwent Valley, Gateshead
Saltwell Park Community Portal Gateshead News and events from Saltwell Park