Newburn, Northumberland
| Newburn | |
| Northumberland | |
|---|---|
 Station Road, Newburn | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | NZ165654 |
| Location: | 54°58’59"N, 1°44’35"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 9,536 (2011, ward) |
| Post town: | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Postcode: | NE15 |
| Dialling code: | 0191 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Newcastle upon Tyne North |
Newburn, also known as Newburn-upon-Tyne is a village in Northumberland, on the north bank of the River Tyne upstream of Newcastle upon Tyne, at the edge of the urban sprawl five miles from the city centre, rising up the valley from the river.
The village is 14 miles east of Hexham and 13 miles south of Morpeth. The 2011 census rerded a ward population of 9,536,
Historically, the area was larger than Newcastle upon Tyne as it was the most eastern fordable point of the River Tyne. The area has Roman remains, and a Norman church dating from 1070 AD. The area grew with the Industrial Revolution with the discovery of coal, and in 1822 Spencer's Steelworks was opened. The village's steelworks fell into decline after the First World War, and the area is now home to a country park and various leisure facilities.
Though some claim the vilage's name comes from the Old English for "New Fort or Castle" (burh or burg being the Old English for fort or castle), the name is more commonly thought to have come from the Dewley or New Burn, which runs through the area. This is somewhat substantiated by the fact that the settlement was recorded as Neuburna in 1121, rather than Neuburh.[1][2][3][4]
History
Newburn was originally considered to have pre-eminence over Newcastle, as Newburn was the first point up from the mouth of the river that was fordable. The Romans marked this ford with a framework of stones, and may have built a fort to command the crossing.[4] The area has other Roman connections: the route of Hadrian's Wall cuts across its northern half, before running toward Throckley.[1] From the eighth century, Newburn was a royal vill or town, and Newcastle didn't become a more important settlement until Plantagenet times.[4]
Between 1332 and 1974 the Percy family were associated with Newburn. Hugh Percy, 10th Duke of Northumberland was the last to inherit Newburn Manor House, which was built in the 16th century. Also in the area at this time was Newburn Hall, which was built in the 15th century.[4]
On 28 August 1640, the Battle of Newburn took place. An army of Scottish Covenanters, led by Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven, planted guns at Newburn to protect them while fording the river, after which they defeated the English on the south side of the river at Stellahaugh, and subsequently occupied Newcastle upon Tyne.[5] This occupation was a prologue to the Civil War.[4] The name of Scotswood, one of the manufacturing areas between Newburn and the city centre, commemorates one of their positions.[6]
Newburn and nearby Lemington had always been considered among the greenest areas of Newcastle, and in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the majority of vegetables supplied to local markets came from Newburn and Hexham.[1] Prior to the early 19th century, the majority of employment in the Newburn area was for fishermen, keelmen and miners.[4]
The district has many associations with the early development of the railway. The pioneering engineer George Stephenson, who was born in Wylam a few miles to the west of Newburn, was twice married in Newburn Church, though he is buried in Chesterfield in Derbyshire, and worked in the Water Row pit in Newburn.[1][4] The area is also the birthplace of an earlier steam pioneer William Hedley, whose first locomotive Puffing Billy was built in 1812, two years before his rival's first locomotive Blücher. A gravestone in Newburn churchyard marks Hedley's burial in 1843.[4] The future railway engineers Joseph and George Armstrong both lived in the village from 1824, and found their first employment at nearby Walbottle Colliery.
In 1855, William Whellan's History, Topography, and Directory of Northumberland described the banks of the Tyne at this point having extensive iron works, coal staithes, brickyards, chemical works and other manufactories.
In 1822 John Spencer established Newburn Steelworks[5] in a small mill for grinding files, on the Dewley Burn in the north of Newburn. Over the course of next hundred or so years his mill grew to take over much of Newburn as the demand for steel boomed with the growth of railways and other industries. By the late 19th century, the works had spread to the east of the area along the banks of the Tyne to such an extent Newburn Hall was "embedded" in them. In 1916 the mill had a weekly output of 1,500 tons. Steel plates for the liner RMS Mauretania were made by Spencers. However the industry was hit hard by the depression after the First World War and the steel works closed between 1924 and 1926, despite a large effort to raise £75,000 needed to save the works. The works' large number of 130-foot high chimneys were demolished in 1933. A number of buildings connected with the works still stand today, although with new uses, including two large sheds which are now owned by H. Pringle, used as a large indoor scrapyard, and offices which are now used by the Multi-Lab company.[1][4]
In the 1850s, the Newburn Brickworks was built as part of the North Wallbottle and Blucher Colliery Company.[5] The works were situated near Spencer's early mill in the north of Newburn. It was connected to the colliery at Blucher by a small railway, which continued onto the staithes at Lemington. Newburn bricks were mainly used for industrial buildings such as sewers, tunnels and arches. The works closed in 1965 and demolished in 1979 to make way for a council-run recycling centre.[5] Its sister plant, Throckley Brick Works, still operates.[7]
In the early twentieth century, around 4,000 people lived in the area. A working men's club was built, comprising a library, reading rooms and lecture rooms for community meetings. By 1925 the building was used as a dole office, and in 1990 adapted for use as a residential care home.[1]
In 1922, Newburn U.D.C. High Street Fire Station was built. The building still stands today, though the fire service has moved out.
Until its closure, Spencer's Steel Works was a major local employer.[8] Newburn Industrial Park, and the Newburn Riverside business park are now two of the key local employers.
Culture and Community
In the late nineteenth century there was a funfair, known as Newburn Hoppings, set up near the area. This was similar to The Hoppings on Newcastle's Town Moor.[4]
There was a wooden picturedrome on Westmacott Street in the early twentieth century.[4] On 18 October 1911, the Imperial Cinema on Station Road opened. Designed by Thomas Eltringham of Throckley colliery, it originally had seating for 550. A 131-seat gallery was added later.[5] By 1919, the cinema was doing so well, two shows a night could not satisfy demand. However, with the opening of the Lyric Cinema in Throckley in 1935, the cinema's audience was divided. Despite this the cinema was refurbished and given a modern façade. But with the impact of television, the Imperial Cinema was one of many small picture houses to close down, shutting in 1961. It was used as a bingo hall for a time, but is now owned by Industrial Engravers, producing signs, vehicle liveries and banners.[1]
Churches
The Church of England parish church, St Michael and All Angels', was built in a commanding position above the area on the site of an earlier wooden-built church, which was burned down in 1067. Osulf II of Bamburgh attacked Copsi, an appointee of William the Conqueror, setting the church alight and slaying Copsi when he emerged from its door.[4] The current church was built over the course of 30 years, beginning in 1070. Parts of Hadrian's Wall were used in its construction. The church was damaged in another fire in 2006, but the current tower has stood since 1100.[4][9]
In the early twentieth century, the Newburn Wesleyan Chapel was built.[1] This has since been demolished.
Sport
Newburn Leisure Centre was built where the town's old football club, Newburn AFC, used to play – built in the 1980s. The centre was formally opened in 1987 by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
- Judo: Newburn Judo Club
- Rowing:
- Durham University Boat Club
- Tyne United Rowing Club
- Tyne Rowing Club
- Newcastle University Boat Club.
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Edminson, John; Edminson, Drew (2002). Old Tyneside from Throckley to Walker. United Kingdom: Stenlake Publishing. pp. 8–15. ISBN 1-84033-214-X.
- ↑ "Newburn". Steve Ellwood. https://steveellwood.tripod.com/photographsofnortheastofengland/id3.html.
- ↑ Beckensall, Stan (2004). Northumberland Place-Names. Morpeth: Butler Publishing. ISBN 0-946928-41-X.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 Bygone: Newburn. Newcastle upon Tyne City Libraries and Arts.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 "Ten interesting facts about Newburn & Walbottle". January 2012. https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/local-news/ten-interesting-facts-newburn--1342310.
- ↑
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- ↑ "Old Bricks - history at your feet". penmorfa.com. http://www.penmorfa.com/bricks/england5.html.
- ↑ "Tyne Riverside Country Park – Outer West Trail". Newcastle City Council. http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/wwwfileroot/leisure/walks/OuterWestTrail.pdf.
- ↑ "Newburn Parish History". 2007. http://www.newburnparish.co.uk/page15.html.