116-728: South Shields ( / ʃ iː l z / ) is a coastal town in South Tyneside , Tyne and Wear , England; it is on the south bank of the mouth of the River Tyne . The town was once known in Roman times as Arbeia and as Caer Urfa by the Early Middle Ages . In 2021 it had a population of 75,337. It is the fourth largest settlement in Tyne and Wear , after Newcastle upon Tyne , Sunderland and Gateshead . Historically within
232-470: A municipal borough and in 1889 it was made a county borough , independent from Durham County Council . In 1870, the Old Town Hall was built, designed by John Johnstone who also designed the previously built Newcastle Town Hall . The ornamental clock in front of the old town hall was presented to Gateshead in 1892 by the mayor, Walter de Lancey Willson, on the occasion of him being elected for
348-693: 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 (via the North Atlantic drift ). 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
464-535: A Gateshead Quays cultural quarter. The development includes the Gateshead Millennium Bridge , erected in 2001, which won the prestigious Stirling Prize for Architecture in 2002. 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
580-559: A control hut in the pier blockyard. In the event of a power cut, each bell was designed to keep ringing for a further six hours. In 1961 the Commissioners installed a groundbreaking system by which the two fog bells would be switched on and off by the keepers on duty in the Tynemouth Pier lighthouse, using an ' infra-red ray ' beamed across the river. This was in turn replaced by a radio link to an automatic fog detector when
696-540: A converted flour mill. The Glasshouse International Centre for Music , previously The Sage, 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 (0.81 km ) of derelict land (now mostly replaced with housing). The Angel of the North , a famous sculpture in nearby Lamesley ,
812-486: A fairly sizeable Arab community in South Shields since the 1890s. This is also one hypothesised explanation of the term " Sandancer " (derived from "sand dancer") for people born and brought up in South Shields. South Tyneside Council is formed of 54 members. As of June 2024 this consists of 28 Labour councillors, 11 Green councillors, and 15 independent councillors. Jonathan Tew has been Chief Executive of
928-637: A legal record, dated 1430. 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. Sir Joseph Swan lived at Underhill, Low Fell, Gateshead from 1869 to 1883, where his experiments led to
1044-477: A miniature steam railway; boating lake; a ten-pin bowling centre and an amphitheatre. There is a good choice of restaurants, cafes, public houses and nightlife as well as hotels, guest houses and caravan parks in and around the town. South Shields plays host to an annual free summer festival and each autumn the town is the seaside finish to the week as well as public gala shows at the Customs House. During
1160-633: A permanent exhibition dedicated to the life and times of Catherine Cookson. From 1985 to 2009 the area marketed itself as " Catherine Cookson Country", which attracted many visitors. They are a number of trade related landmarks: this includes the headquarters, warehouse and factory of the fashion company Barbour ; the Customs House theatre and arts venue and the historic Mill Dam riverside. The town hosts traditional, continental and farmers' markets and has high street of shops. Geographical landmarks include The Leas cliff tops and Haven Point as well as
1276-543: A play on the subject of the 1930 Yemeni Riot. The resultant play RIOT was staged at the venue in 2005 and 2008. In 2008, South Shields resident and filmmaker Tina Gharavi unveiled plans for a plaque to mark Ali's visit. In 2008, a critically acclaimed exhibition about the South Shields Yemeni community was held entitled The Last of the Dictionary Men – Stories from South Shields' Yemeni Sailors ,
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#17327646970861392-748: A series of breaches and collapses meant that the North Pier was completed much later and to a different design. Following completion of the North Pier, in January 1908 the South Pier Lighthouse was provided with a bell, which sounded once every thirty seconds during foggy weather (in contrast to the reed fog horn sounded from the North Pier light). On 20 October 2023, Storm Babet hit the North East Coast with high winds. The South Pier Lighthouse lost its dome due to waves breaching
1508-417: 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
1624-593: A third time. He was also one of the founders of Walter Willson's, a chain of grocers in the North East and Cumbria. The old town hall also served as a magistrate's court and one of Gateshead's police stations. 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
1740-430: A town", adding that it appeared to have been designed "by an enemy of the human race". William Wailes the celebrated stained-glass maker, lived at South Dene from 1853 to 1860. 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. Some of
1856-482: A unified marketing brand name, NewcastleGateshead , to better promote the whole of the Tyneside conurbation. 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 " (Marine West Coast Climate/ Oceanic climate ). The town
1972-601: A vessel approaching from seaward on the correct course, green to a vessel off-course to the north, and red to one off-course to the south. In 1928, both the South Pier and the Groyne lights were converted from incandescent gas to automatic electric operation. They were run off mains electricity (the gas lights being retained as an emergency standby). At the same time each lighthouse was equipped with an electrically activated fog bell; these were switched on and off remotely from
2088-479: A wide range of other flexible vocational and training courses. Local schooling is generally regarded as being very good, which is reflected in continuing improvements to school results and independent inspections. In 2007, Brinkburn Comprehensive and King George V Comprehensive merged forming South Shields Community School . The new school was built at a cost of £19 million on the King George V School site and
2204-493: Is South Shields Town Hall , built 1905–1910, a sumptuous building "the most convincing expression in the county of Edwardian prosperity". The architect was E. E. Fetch of London. Ornamentation includes several references to the town's nautical heritage: Britannia and other sculpted figures in the pediment above the front entrance, a figure of Mercury atop a globe on the dome of the Council chamber, fountains and nymph lampholders in
2320-753: Is a mosque at Laygate, including the Yemeni School, which was visited by American boxer Muhammad Ali in 1977. He had his marriage blessed at the Al-Azhar Mosque, one of the earliest mosques in UK. It is often noted that Al-Azhar in South Shields is the first purpose-built mosque in the UK, however, this is the Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking. This story is covered in a documentary film, The King of South Shields . Throughout April and early May 2008,
2436-1016: 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. Gateshead is served by the following rail transport stations with some being operated by National Rail and some being Tyne & Wear Metro stations: Dunston , Felling , Gateshead Interchange , Gateshead Stadium , Heworth Interchange , MetroCentre and Pelaw . Tyne & Wear Metro stations at Gateshead Interchange and Gateshead Stadium provide direct light-rail access to Newcastle Central , Newcastle Airport , Sunderland , Tynemouth and South Shields Interchange . National Rail services are provided by Northern at Dunston and MetroCentre stations. The East Coast Main Line , which runs from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh Waverley , cuts directly through
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#17327646970862552-605: Is adequate rainfall year-round. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is " Cfb " (Marine West Coast Climate/ Oceanic climate ). The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Borough of South Tyneside. Gateshead Gateshead ( / ˈ ɡ eɪ t s ( h ) ɛ d / ) is a town in the Gateshead Metropolitan Borough of Tyne and Wear , England. It
2668-503: Is adequate rainfall year-round. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is " Cfb " (Marine West Coast Climate/ Oceanic climate ). Before 1820, South Shields was a predominantly sparse hamlet- and village-based rural economy with some small-scale shipbuilding, glass making and salt processing along the riverside. Beyond 1820 and into the Industrial Revolution , South Shields expanded into an urban settlement built around shipbuilding and coal mining. Migration came from up
2784-478: Is an athletics track at Monkton and cricket grounds at Westoe and Whitburn. The physical environment of South Tyneside varies greatly in a small area: from the bustling riverside towns of South Shields, Jarrow and Hebburn to the urban fringe villages of Boldon, Cleadon and Whitburn; from established industrial areas at the Port of Tyne and Tyne Dock riverside to new business parks at Monkton, St Hilda's and Boldon; from
2900-467: Is efficient in waste management. There is also a local authority-managed wind turbine at Middlefields. The weather in South Tyneside as with the rest of the North East region is variable and typical of a Maritime Climate . In 2019, South Tyneside Council declared a Climate Emergency . The motion was proposed by South Tyneside Green Party councillor David Francis , and amended by Labour ,
3016-627: Is famed throughout the region for its Indian, Italian, Middle Eastern and Chinese cuisine. Mill Dam, with former Customs House (now a theatre, cinema and arts complex), cobbled lanes and Mission to Seafarers centre, relate to the history of shipping in the town and the River Tyne. Bede's World in Jarrow ( Old English : Gyrwe ) is dedicated to the life of the Venerable Bede , the 'Father of English History'. The nominated World Heritage Site
3132-411: Is further developing its freight and passenger activities. In 2007, it imported two million tonnes of coal. Manufacturing and ship repair/engineering are other significant sectors. South Shields benefits from significant public and private sector investment. More recently this has included primarily the town centre, riverside and foreshore areas, given the decline of once-traditional heavy industries with
3248-538: Is on the River Tyne 's southern bank. The town's attractions include the twenty metre tall Angel of the North sculpture on the town's southern outskirts, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art . The town shares the Millennium Bridge , Tyne Bridge and multiple other bridges with Newcastle upon Tyne . Historically part of County Durham , under
3364-746: Is situated in a peninsula setting, where the River Tyne meets the North Sea . It has six miles of coastline and three miles of river frontage, dominated by the massive North and South Piers at the mouth of the Tyne. These are best viewed from the Lawe Top, which also houses two replicas of cannon captured from the Russians during the Crimean War , the originals having been melted down during World War II. The town slopes gently from Cleadon Hills down to
3480-550: Is straddled by two rivers – the Tyne and the Don. There is a medieval monastery (St. Paul's Church, AD 681), an Anglo-Saxon farm with rare-breed animals and buildings constructed in original materials from that period, and the Georgian Jarrow Hall. The Jarrow Crusade of 1936 was a key event in the town's history and the original banner carried by the marchers to London can be viewed at Jarrow Town Hall . There has been
3596-471: Is the third largest in Tyne and Wear , after Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland with 1.7% of the town's population being Bangladeshi or 1300 people. Nearly all of the ethnic minority population in South Tyneside is concentrated in South Shields town centre and suburban areas immediately to the south such as Rekendyke and Westoe. There are hardly any in Jarrow , Hebburn which are the other two major areas in
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3712-530: Is thought to be known after the Romans left. Furthermore, Bede records Oswin giving a parcel of land to St Hilda for the foundation of a monastery here in c. 647 ; the present-day church of St Hilda , by the Market Place, is said to stand on the monastic site. In the ninth century, Scandinavian peoples made Viking raids on monasteries and settlements all along the coast, and later conquered
3828-469: Is visible during the day as well as by night), rendered the High and Low Lights of North Shields redundant, and they were therefore decommissioned at the same time. The Herd Groyne lighthouse was refurbished and repainted in 2014, and still acts as a navigational aid to ships entering the River Tyne. In 2015 it was stated that the fog bells on the two lighthouses were no longer operational. A prominent landmark
3944-653: 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 , Gordon Young and Michael Winstone . 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
4060-667: Is within the wider Tyne & Wear Green Belt, with its portion in much of its surrounding rural area of the borough. It is a part of the local development plan which is in conjunction with Newcastle city borough, and was created in the 1960s. Its stated aims are to: In the Gateshead borough boundary, as well as the aforementioned areas, it also surrounds the communities of Chopwell , Crawcrook , Greenside , High Spen , Kibblesworth , Lockhaugh, Rowlands Gill , Ryton , Sunniside , as well several small hamlets. Landscape features and facilities such as woods and nature reserves, local golf courses, Burdon Moor and Whinell Hill are also within
4176-654: The Commonwealth , notably the Indian sub-continent, and the European Union reflect the present-day culture of South Tyneside. In South Shields ( Latin : Arbeia , Brythonic : Caer Urfa ), excavations and a reconstructed fort are found at Arbeia (AD 160). This fort served as a garrison and an outpost of the Roman Empire, and is part of Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site. The hospitality strip at Ocean Road
4292-523: The Football League in 1960 in favour of Peterborough United , whilst Gateshead Thunder lost their place in Super League as a result of a takeover (officially termed a merger) by Hull F.C. 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
4408-597: The Local Government Act 1888 the town was made a county borough , meaning it was administered independently of the county council . In the 2021 Census , the town had a population of 196,151. Gateshead is first mentioned in Latin translation in Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People as ad caput caprae ("at the goat's head"). This interpretation is consistent with the later English attestations of
4524-551: The River Tyne , with other migrants from rural County Durham , Northumberland , Scotland and Ireland. The majority of the people living in South Shields are descendants of those who migrated and settled in the area during the Industrial Revolution in order to work in expanding coalmines and shipyards. Towards the end of the 19th century, with the British Navy needing seamen, Yemeni British sailors settled in
4640-584: The Roman-British fort of Gabrosentum . 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. 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
4756-699: 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. 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
South Shields - Misplaced Pages Continue
4872-458: The rural district of Chester-le-Street to create the much larger Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead . The town of Gateshead is 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
4988-526: The 'Schele' or 'Shield', which was a small dwelling used by fishermen. Another industry that was introduced, was that of salt-panning, later expanded upon in the 15th century, polluting the air and surrounding land. In 1864, a Tyne Commissioners dredger brought up a nine-pounder breech-loading cannon; more cannonballs have been found in the sands beside the Lawe; these artifacts belonged to the English civil war. At
5104-555: The 1920s and 1930s created even more joblessness and the Team Valley Trading Estate was built in the mid-1930s to alleviate the situation. In the late noughties , Gateshead Council started to regenerate the town, with the long-term aim of making Gateshead a city. The most extensive transformation occurred in the Quayside , with almost all the structures there being constructed or refurbished in this time. In
5220-450: 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 , who re-developed the site, and Gateshead Council . The council had not been given firm assurances that Tesco would build
5336-432: The 2011 Census as 148,127. It is bordered to the east by the North Sea and to the north by the River Tyne . A Green Belt of 9.13 sq mi (23.6 km ) is at its southern boundary. The main administrative centre and largest town is South Shields . Other riverside towns are Jarrow and Hebburn, while the villages of Cleadon , Whitburn and The Boldons border the South Tyneside green belt, with Wearside to
5452-424: The 21st century, the local economy primarily includes port-related, ship repair and offshore industries, manufacturing, retail (nearby Newcastle, Durham, Washington and Sunderland), the public sector and the ever-increasing role of tourism. This is illustrated by the new multi-million Haven centre, Dunes centre and seaside improvements in the coastal area and a new multimillion-pound library The Word . South Shields
5568-656: The Anglian Kingdoms of Northumbria, Mercia and East Anglia, who hailed from Angelnen in Denmark (modern day Germany). It is said in local folklore that a Viking ship was wrecked at Herd Sands in South Shields in its attempts to disembark at a cove nearby. Other Viking ships were uncovered in South Shields Denmark Centre and nearby Jarrow. The current town was founded in 1245 and developed as a fishing port. The name South Shields developed from
5684-524: The Arab Riots – in 1919 and 1930. However, over time, attitudes to Yemenis in the town were softened and there was no significant recurrence of this violence. After World War II , the Yemeni population declined, partly due to migrations to other industrial areas such as Birmingham , Liverpool and Sheffield . However, the main reason for the reduction in numbers was the end of the shipping industry and
5800-552: The BALTIC Arts Centre in Gateshead chronicled the Yemeni community of South Shields, including interviews with the last remaining survivors of the first Yemeni generation. The exhibition depicted the Yemeni story as an example of early successful multi-cultural integration in Britain, as well as showcasing the high-profile 1977 visit by Muhammad Ali. In 2005, the Customs House commissioned author Peter Mortimer to write
5916-504: The Bangladesh Welfare Association was opened in South Shields. The last shipbuilder, John Readhead & Sons , closed in 1984 and the last pit, Westoe Colliery, closed in 1993. Today, the town relies largely on service industries, whilst many residents commute to work in nearby Newcastle , Gateshead , North Tyneside and Sunderland . Despite a skilled local workforce, for many years South Tyneside had
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#17327646970866032-578: The Government instead of the Bishops of Durham. However, the rapid growth in population brought on by the expansion of industry made sanitation a problem, as evident by Cholera outbreaks and the building of the now-listed Cleadon Water Tower to combat the problem. In the 1850s 'The Tyne Improvement Commission' began to develop the river, dredging it to make it deeper and building the large, impressive North and South Piers to help prevent silt build up within
6148-505: The Grade I listed old town hall, a new library and exhibition space called The Word, the head post office, museum and art gallery, a new bus/Metro interchange opened in 2019, cross-river pedestrian ferry to North Shields, Harton Quays office development and promenade, the town hall and civic offices. The Customs House is located within the historic Mill Dam conservation area and hosts a theatre, cinema, art gallery and restaurant. Arbeia formed
6264-466: The Indies, as well as flax, wine, and grain. He sold tea, sugar, chocolate, and tobacco. He operated the largest coal mines in the area, and was a leading salt producer. As the government's principal agent in the North country, he was in contact with leading ministers. William Hawks , originally a blacksmith , started business in Gateshead in 1747, working with the iron brought to the Tyne as ballast by
6380-884: The International Stadium, as well as this it was used in the 2006 Northern Conference champions in the British American Football 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
6496-446: 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. In 1831 a locomotive works was established by the Newcastle and Darlington Railway, later part of
6612-428: The amendment was successful and South Tyneside Council is expected to reach net-zero by 2030. The A194(M) , A19 and other trunk roads link South Tyneside to the national road network. The Tyne & Wear Metro is a light rail system connecting the area with the rest of the Tyne & Wear conurbation, including Sunderland and Newcastle station and Newcastle Airport . The Tyne Road and Pedestrian Tunnels traverse
6728-619: The area's natural environment has been restored. Jarrow is home to St. Paul's Monastery , Bede's World museum , Jarrow Hall , the Viking Shopping Centre and the J. Barbour and Sons headquarters and factory outlet. Hebburn riverside has open views of the renewable and offshore-related industries across-river at Wallsend . The town centre has undergone redevelopment with new residential building and civic and leisure facilities. The suburban villages of Cleadon, East and West Boldon , Harton, Monkton, Westoe and Whitburn have traditional pubs, historic buildings and independent boutiques. There
6844-556: The authority since 2021. Shipbuilding and repairing, coal mining and exports, and the chemical industries declined from the latter half of the 20th century, resulting in mass unemployment. In more recent years, however, this trend has reversed and South Tyneside attracts new industries, most notably in the service sector. There is still a considerable manufacturing base of ship-repair and offshore services, engineering, electronics, clothing, furniture, paper products, timber and small precision engineering. At one time, Tyneside built 25% of
6960-403: The bays of Littlehaven, Sandhaven and Marsden . Notable buildings in and around the town include: Work on the North and South Tyne Piers was begun in 1854 by the newly formed Tyne Improvement Commission , for the protection of shipping entering and leaving the river. The principal architect and engineer was James Walker , until his death in 1862 (whereupon John F. Ure took over). Construction
7076-415: The borough. The population of the South Tyneside Metropolitan borough had decreased from 152,785 in 2001, to 148,127 in 2011. In 2001, the population of South Shields was 82,854. Population data from the 2011 United Kingdom Census return classifies South Shields as a medium-sized coastal town. South Shields has been home to a Yemeni British community since the 1890s. The main reason for the Yemeni arrival
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#17327646970867192-417: The channel. Shipbuilding (along with coal mining), previously a monopoly of the Freemen of Newcastle, became another prominent industry in the town, with John Readhead & Sons Shipyard the largest. During World War I , German Zeppelin airships bombed South Shields in 1916. Later during World War II , the German Luftwaffe repeatedly attacked the town and caused massive damage to industries which supported
7308-478: The coal and shipping industries in the town. Given its beautiful setting, parks and trees, this street was often the setting for a number of books by the novelist Catherine Cookson . Westoe village was once a separate village about a mile from South Shields, but urban sprawl has now consumed it, along with the village of Harton to the south on the main route towards Cleadon and Sunderland . Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there
7424-431: The coast road to Whitburn is Marsden Rock – an impressive limestone sea stack colonised by sea birds and a longstanding tourist attraction. Further down the coast is Souter Lighthouse, the first in the world to be powered by electric current. Much of the coastal scenery in this area was, until two decades ago, dominated by the spoil heaps and pit head winding gear of Westoe and Whitburn collieries, but these are now gone and
7540-469: The coastline and are a National Trust protected area. Marsden Bay, with its famous Marsden Rock and historic Grotto public house and restaurant set in the cliffs, is home to one of the largest seabird colonies in Britain. One of the most historic parts of the town is the quaint and beautiful Westoe village, which consists of a quiet street of first grade and second grade Georgian and Victorian houses, many of which had been built by business leaders from
7656-421: The county of Durham , South Shields is south of North Shields and Tynemouth across the River Tyne; and east of Newcastle upon Tyne and Jarrow . Evidence of human inhabitation at South Shields dates from the Late Mesolithic. The first evidence of a settlement within what is now the town of South Shields dates from pre-historic times. Stone Age arrow heads and an Iron Age round house have been discovered on
7772-422: The deeper seams. William Cotesworth (1668-1726) was a prominent merchant based in Gateshead, where he was a leader in coal and international trade. Cotesworth began as the son of a yeoman and apprentice to a tallow - candler. He ended as an esquire, having been mayor, Justice of the Peace and sheriff of Northumberland. He collected tallow from all over England and sold it across the globe. He imported dyes from
7888-420: The demographics of Gateshead with the wider Metropolitan borough. The town's population in 2011 was 120,046 compared with 78,403 in 2001. This is due to a slight population increase and boundary and methodology changes since 2001. Felling used to be a separate urban subdivision and had a population of around 35,000, but now it is considered part of Gateshead town. The population of the 2011 census boundaries in 2001
8004-403: The early 2010s, regeneration refocused on the town centre. The £150 million Trinity Square development opened in May 2013, it incorporates student accommodation, a cinema, health centre and shops. It was nominated for the Carbuncle Cup in September 2014. The cup was however awarded to another development which involved Tesco , Woolwich Central . In 1835, Gateshead was established as
8120-439: The easternmost extremity of the Roman Empire at Hadrian's Wall and is located at the mouth of the River Tyne on the North Sea coast. Excavations, a reconstructed fort and museum are open to the public on the historic Lawe Top site (Old English: hill top). The Great North Run is the world's biggest half marathon and takes place every September/October, starting in Newcastle and finishing on The Leas at South Shields. On
8236-405: The forecourt alongside a statue of Queen Victoria. The 145-foot clock tower contains a Potts chiming clock and five bells, and is topped by a weathervane in the shape of a galleon . The Old Town Hall, a square building of 1768, provides the centrepiece of the Market Place and closes the vista along King Street. The ground floor is open with arches on each side (and a central pillar which predates
8352-402: The fourth century AD. Many ruins still exist today and some structures have been rebuilt as part of a modern museum and popular tourist attraction. There is evidence that the site was used in the early post-Roman period as a British settlement. It is believed it became a royal residence of King Osric of Deira ; records show that his son Oswin was born within ' Caer Urfa', by which name the fort
8468-496: The green belt area. 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. Gateshead is a Town (Urban Subdivision) in the Tyneside urban area . The table below compares
8584-445: The green sector is used to indicate safe waters near the coast to the north of Tynemouth, while red indicates an area with numerous wrecks to the east and south of the lighthouse. The pier is 5,150 ft (1,570 m) long (accessible from South Shields seafront, it is open to the public except in bad weather). It was originally intended that the North ( Tynemouth ) Pier and lighthouse would mirror their South Shields counterparts, but
8700-455: The heavily fortified Newcastle upon Tyne, and in a bid to control the River Tyne, and the North, and the Shields siege helped cause their battalions to maneuver south to York; this may have also led to a brief winter skirmish on the outskirts of Boldon , though the topography is not favourable for a battle. In the 19th century, coal mining, alkaline production and glass making led to a boom in
8816-469: The highest point at Cleadon Hills down to the River Don estuary at St Paul's and Bede's World; from traditional Victorian terraces and impressive Edwardian mansions to typical inter- and post-war suburban housing; from the remains and reconstructed gatehouse of Arbeia Roman Fort to the UK's first purpose built mosque at Laygate; from the great River Tyne to the expanse of Shields Harbour at Littlehaven; from
8932-523: The highest unemployment rate in mainland Britain, although between December 2002 and December 2008 unemployment in South Shields fell by 17.8%, and that of South Tyneside by 17.7%, the best performance in the North East region over that time period. In January 2011, the Guardian reported the unemployment rate at 6.5%, and at 7.5% in October 2011. The Port of Tyne is one of the UK's most important and
9048-470: The invention of the electric light bulb . The house was the first in the world to be wired for domestic electric light. In 1889 one of the largest employers ( Hawks, Crawshay and Sons ) 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
9164-466: The latter lighthouse was automated in 1967. At the same time the South Shields lights were themselves fully automated, with the addition of standby diesel alternators and automatic lamp changers . In 1999, the white sector of the light was intensified by the addition of a PEL sector light above the optic, with the same occulting characteristic but a range of 19 nautical miles (rather than 13, as previously). The installation of this powerful light (which
9280-413: The name, among them Gatesheued ( c. 1190 ), literally "goat's head" but in the context of a place-name meaning 'headland or hill frequented by (wild) goats'. Although other derivations have been mooted, it is this that is given by the standard authorities. A Brittonic predecessor, named with the element *gabro- , 'goat' (c.f. Welsh gafr ), may underlie the name. Gateshead might have been
9396-439: The need for sailors as coal-burning ships decreased in numbers. Today, the Yemeni population of South Shields numbers around 1,000. Many Yemeni sailors married local women and became integrated with the wider community, resulting with a migrant population less distinct than in other mixed communities across the UK. The Yemeni are the first, settled Muslim community in Britain and have been used to justify multiculturalism . There
9512-592: The outbreak of the war in 1642, the North , West and Ireland supported the King ; the South East and Presbyterian Scotland supported Parliament. In 1644 Parliament's Scottish Covenanter allies, in a lengthy battle, seized the town and its Royalist fortification, the fortification was close to the site of the original Roman fort. They also seized the town of Newburn . These raids were done to aid their ongoing siege of
9628-472: The panelling installed by Robinson was later moved to the Shipley Art Gallery . Wailes sold Saltwell Towers 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 council sponsored the development of
9744-488: The pier wall. There is a third lighthouse, just upstream of the pier, on the Herd Groyne at South Shields (which was constructed in 1861–67 to preserve Littlehaven Beach, then known as Herd Sands, which had begun to be washed away by the change of currents caused by the new piers). This very unusual lighthouse resembling a 1940s sci-fi movie space craft was built by Newcastle-upon-Tyne Trinity House in 1882 (ownership
9860-438: The port of Aden , then under British protection. At the end of the war, the Yemeni population of South Shields had swelled to well over 3,000. Shields lost one of the largest proportions of Merchant Navy sailors. Approximately 1 in 4 of these men was of Yemeni background. The port in South Shields employed men of Yemen, Aden, Somalia, African, Indian and Malaysian nationalities. Disputes over jobs led to race riots – also called
9976-558: 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,
10092-474: The rest of the structure); the enclosed first floor has pitched roof, topped by a wooden bell turret. Originally built and used by the Dean and Chapter of Durham , it was sold by them to the town Corporation in 1855. South Shields is home to South Tyneside College , one of the two leading maritime training centres in the UK, with facilities including a marine safety training centre and a simulated ship's bridge for
10208-701: The river between Jarrow and Howdon. A pedestrian ferry also serves the towns of North and South Shields. The Port of Tyne situated at Tyne Dock is a growing terminal handling large volumes of freight, including exports from the Nissan car plant in Washington. Well-known South Tynesiders include author Dame Catherine Cookson , former three times Prime Minister of New Zealand Sir William Fox , actress Dame Flora Robson , Monty Python actor Eric Idle , Hollywood director Ridley Scott , waxed jacket inventor J Barbour and athlete Steve Cram . Author Lewis Carroll
10324-523: The river. Cleadon Hills are made conspicuous by the Victorian Cleadon Water Tower and pumping station (opened in 1860 to improve sanitation) and a now derelict windmill , both of which are listed and can be seen from many miles away and also out at sea. South Shields boasts extensive beaches, sand dunes and coves, as well as dramatic Magnesian Limestone cliffs with grassy areas above known as The Leas , which cover three miles of
10440-551: The site of Arbeia Roman Fort. The Roman garrison built a fort here around AD 160 and expanded it around AD 208 to help supply their soldiers along Hadrian's Wall as they campaigned north beyond the Antonine Wall . Divisions living at the fort included Tigris bargemen (from Persia and modern day Iraq), infantry from Iberia and Gaul, and Syrian archers and spearmen. The fort was abandoned as the Roman Empire declined in
10556-464: The south at Sunderland. South Tyneside is represented by two Members of Parliament in two constituencies : South Shields (including Whitburn) and Jarrow and Gateshead East (which also serves Hebburn, the urban fringe villages, and the eastern parts of Gateshead). Celts, Romans, Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Vikings, the early 20th century arrival of the Arabs and more recently the settling of people from
10672-471: The stunning natural coastline of The Leas and the sandy beaches, bays and limestone cliffs at Marsden Bay and Whitburn to the traditional seaside parks, amusements and funfair at South Shields seafront; and from Marsden Quarry to the Great North Forest. The EcoCentre at Hebburn is a building constructed from recycled materials, self-reliant in power generation by means of its own wind turbine and
10788-514: The summer months, and is home of the Gateshead Harriers athletics club. It is also host to rugby league fixtures, and the home ground of Gateshead Football Club . Gateshead Thunder Rugby League Football Club played at Gateshead International Stadium until its purchase by Newcastle Rugby Limited and the subsequent rebranding as Newcastle Thunder . Both clubs have had their problems: Gateshead A.F.C. were controversially voted out of
10904-486: The town as an urban sub-division. The 2011 ONS urban sub-division of Gateshead contains the historical County Borough together with areas that the town has absorbed, including Dunston , Felling , Heworth , Pelaw and Bill Quay . Given the proximity of Gateshead to Newcastle, just south of the River Tyne from the city centre , it is sometimes incorrectly referred to as being a part of Newcastle. Gateshead Council and Newcastle City Council teamed up in 2000 to create
11020-483: The town centre (Bridges and Saltwell) have minority populations very similar to the national average. The Tyneside metropolitan area, which contains the borough of Gateshead, has a population of 829,300; the NewcastleGateshead urban core area has population of 480,400. The Metropolitan borough of Gateshead had a population of 200,214 in 2011. Gateshead is the main major area in the metropolitan borough and
11136-582: 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
11252-484: 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 . Gateshead Interchange
11368-498: The town takes up around 60% of the borough's population. Other major areas in the borough include Whickham , Birtley , Blaydon-on-Tyne and Ryton . Gateshead is home to the MetroCentre , the largest shopping mall in the UK until 2008; and the Team Valley Trading Estate, once the largest and still one of the larger purpose-built commercial estates in the UK. The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art has been established in
11484-421: The town's growing importance as a major commercial centre and tourist destination. The town is a popular seaside resort with multiple landmarks and tourist attractions. As with other resorts tourism is a large part of the town's economy: to attract tourists the town has an extensive network of cycle paths and walking trails; a promenade; parks-and-gardens; fairground rides; amusement arcades, crazy golf, laser tag,
11600-624: The town, this resulted in the first roots of the Yemeni British community in the town. In South Shields, 6.7% of the population are from an ethnic minority (non white British), compared with 5.0% in the surrounding borough of South Tyneside . Most of the Asians in South Shields are Bangladeshi, with the Beacon and Bents ward that covers South Shields town centre, had 9.9% of the population registering as that ethnicity. The Bangladeshi community
11716-489: The town. The population increased from 12,000 in 1801 to 75,000 by the 1860s, bolstered by economic migration from Ireland, Scotland and other parts of England. These industries played a fundamental part in creating wealth both regionally and nationally. In 1832, with the Great Reform Act, South Shields and Gateshead were each given their own Member of Parliament and became boroughs, resulting in taxes being paid to
11832-416: The training of deck officers. The college was also home to the only planetarium in the region, and to an observatory ; and in its time was a popular visitor attraction for local schools and visitors in general. The observatory was used for 20 years and in 2008 it was deemed redundant to the future curriculum needs of the college. The domed room that housed the planetarium is now a mosque. The college provides
11948-639: 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 (640 mm) telescope was set up in the garden at Ferndene, his Gateshead residence, in 1871. J. B. Priestley , writing of Gateshead in his 1934 travelogue English Journey , said that "no true civilisation could have produced such
12064-726: The war effort, killing many innocent residents. Particularly, a bomb shelter in the market place of South Shields, where the deceased were commemorated in a cobblestone of the British flag. Later controversially removed and the bodies interred elsewhere. Gradually throughout the late 20th century, the coal and shipbuilding industries were closed, due to competitive pressures from more cost-effective sources of energy (including workers) and more efficient shipbuilding elsewhere in Eastern Europe (e.g. Poland) and in South East Asia. In
12180-607: The week is the Magic Convention – 3 days of lectures and shows by the world's best magicians. A notable landmark in the town is the reconstructed Roman fort and excavations of the ancient Arbeia Roman Castra . This form part of the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site . South Shields is also home of the oldest provincial newspaper in the UK, the Shields Gazette . The town's museum & art gallery, includes
12296-410: The world's ships. South Tyneside College specialises in maritime training and attracts students from around the world. Tourism is also an important and growing industry. South Shields town centre and riverside are undergoing significant regeneration, with new housing, business, retail and leisure uses replacing old industrial sites. The town centre offers high street shopping, a regular market by
12412-518: The Ætheling and Malcolm king of Scotland ( Shakespeare 's Malcolm ) on Gateshead Fell (now Low Fell and Sheriff Hill ). 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
12528-520: Was 113,220, proving that there was some sort of population increase. In 2011, 8.0% of the population of Gateshead Town were from an ethnic minority group (non-indigenous), compared with only 6.0% for the surrounding borough. Despite the borough's low ethnic minority population compared with the England average of 20.2%, it has slightly more ethnic minorities than other boroughs in Tyne and Wear, such as Sunderland or North Tyneside, and two wards near
12644-644: Was also designed by Owen Luder and stood 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 Staiths which were built in 1890. Following the award of a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of almost £420,000 restoration of the structure was planned in 2014 and completed by 2015. Gateshead International Stadium regularly holds international athletics meetings over
12760-401: Was delayed by storm damage in 1862, which led to parts of the foundations having to be rebuilt. The South Pier was finished in 1895 and its lighthouse was operational that same year (it was equipped with a third-order fixed optic and a clockwork occulting mechanism , by Chance Brothers & Co. ). The lighthouse currently displays an occulting sector light with white, red and green sectors;
12876-552: Was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the County Borough of South Shields with the municipal borough of Jarrow and the urban districts of Boldon and Hebburn from County Durham . Part of the Tyneside conurbation , the sixth largest in the United Kingdom, South Tyneside has a geographical area of 24.88 sq mi (64.4 km ) and an estimated population of 153,700 (mid-year 2010), measured at
12992-486: Was held at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art , Gateshead . In 2009, the detective series George Gently , based on the novels by Alan Hunter , portrayed the Yemeni integration in a 1960s setting. The Bangladeshi community is actually larger than the Yemeni community. However, Yemenis have been in South Shields a lot longer. The Bangladeshi community is the third largest in the North East of England . In 2008,
13108-696: Was inspired to write ' Alice's Adventures in Wonderland ' and ' Through the Looking-Glass ' by local residents he met when staying in Whitburn . Singer Joe McElderry who won the 2009 X Factor also comes from the area as well as two members of 2011 X Factor winners Little Mix , Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards . South Tyneside is twinned with Épinay-sur-Seine , France ; Noisy-le-Sec , France; and Wuppertal , Germany Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there
13224-509: Was opened in September 2011. However this school closed in 2020. South Tyneside South Tyneside is a metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear , England. It is bordered by all four other boroughs in Tyne and Wear: Gateshead to the west, Sunderland in the south, North Tyneside to the north and Newcastle upon Tyne to the north-west. The border county of Northumberland lies further north. The borough
13340-482: Was passed to the Tyne Improvement Commission the following year). It consists of an upper hexagonal part (including the lantern) of wood and corrugated iron construction, sitting on twelve cylindrical steel legs. The whole structure is painted red and stands 49 ft (15 m) in height. The Groyne shows an occulting light which marks a safe entrance course between the piers, showing white to
13456-590: Was the supply of seamen, such as engine room firemen, to British merchant vessels. Similar communities were founded in Hull , Liverpool and Cardiff . In 1909, the first Arab Seamen's Boarding House opened in the Holborn riverside district of the town. At the time of the First World War there was a shortage of crews due to the demands of the fighting and many Yemenis were recruited to serve on British ships at
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