Benwell
| Benwell | |
| Northumberland | |
|---|---|
_Condercum_(Benwell)_Roman_Fort_(2)_-_geograph.org.uk_-_837865.jpg) Benwell, at the site of the Roman fort | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | NZ213644 |
| Location: | 54°58’26"N, 1°40’8"W |
| Data | |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Newcastle upon Tyne |
Benwell is a village which has been subsumed into the suburbs of Newcastle upon Tyne in Northumberland.
Though modern in appearance today, Benwell sits on ancient foundations: one of the forts of Hadrian's Wall was here, now built over. It was a manor during the Middle Ages, and in the Modern Age a coal mine operated at Benwell.
History
Benwell village was recorded in A.D. 1050 known as Bynnewalle which roughly translates as "behind the wall" or "by the wall". Referring to its position relative to Hadrian's Wall (next to which was the Roman fort of Condercum,[1] hence the nearby Condercum Road). At this time it was part of the Barony of Bolbec.[2]
By the 13th century the mediæval manor of Benwell had been divided, originally into two, but then one of the halves was subdivided. Of the ‘Thirds of Benwell, the largest and wealthiest of them belonged to the Scot family, who were wealthy merchants from Newcastle and by 1296 they were the principal taxpayers in Benwell. The Scot family later went on to create a deer park in 1367, which later became Scotswood.
In the 16th century, Benwell village was arranged in two rows of houses on either side of a wide street or green. A plain oblong tower, three storeys high with battlements around the roof was also recorded as being built.[3]
In 1540, the crown, in the person of King Henry VIII, took possession of Benwell Tower from Tynemouth Priory at the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Early in the 17th century, Benwell was split into smaller estates which were bought by the Shafto and Riddell families who were merchant families interested in exploiting the coal reserves on the banks of the Tyne.
Benwell Colliery was opened in 1766 and operated until 1938.[4]
The village today
The original layout of Benwell exists in the form of Benwell Village, Benwell Lane, Ferguson's Lane and Fox and Hounds Lane however no buildings still exist other than from the early 19th century. The tower from the 16th century was rebuilt in the 18th century and then all traces were removed when the present hall, Benwell Towers was built in a Tudor style by John Dobson in 1831.[5]
Benwell Towers featured in the BBC television programme Byker Grove.[6]
Outside links
References
- ↑ National Monuments Record: No. 25041 – Condercum Fort
- ↑ The Baronies of Bolbec, Archaeologia Aeliana, 3, XXI, p. 146
- ↑ Benwell Towers - Philip Davis (The Gatehouse Record)
- ↑ Durham Mining Museum. "Durham Mining Museum - Benwell Colliery". Dmm.org.uk. http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/b061.htm. Retrieved 2015-12-03.
- ↑ "Benwell, Benwell Lane, The Mitre PH (Benwell Towers) | sitelines.newcastle.gov.uk". Twsitelines.info. http://www.twsitelines.info/smr/9042. Retrieved 2015-12-03.
- ↑ Martin Wainwright. "Byker Grove youth club to become an Islamic school | Television & radio". The Guardian. http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2010/nov/08/byker-grove-islamic-school. Retrieved 2015-12-03.