Shelagh Stephenson is an English playwright and actress .
62-994: Stephenson was born in Tynemouth , Northumberland in 1955. She read drama at Manchester University . Stephenson worked as an actress with the Royal Shakespeare Company and in bit parts in television. She appeared in Coronation Street in 1981 as the minor character Sandra Webb. She has subsequently had parts in Rumpole's Return , Sapphire & Steel , The Gentle Touch , The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes , Boon , Paradise Postponed and Big Deal . Stephenson's stage plays include The Memory of Water (1997), An Experiment with an Air Pump , Ancient Lights , Five Kinds of Silence (radio play 1996; stage play 2000), Mappa Mundi (2002), Harriet Martineau and The Long Road (2008) which
124-612: A Mrs Crawshay in Tynemouth on 21 August 1855. He remarks: 'I took a great fancy to Florence, the eldest, a child of very sweet manners'. Algernon Charles Swinburne arrived hot foot from Wallington Hall in December 1862 and proceeded to accompany William Bell Scott and his guests, probably including Dante Gabriel Rossetti on a trip to Tynemouth. Scott writes that as they walked by the sea, Swinburne declaimed his Hymn to Proserpine and Laus Veneris in his strange intonation, while
186-443: A Northern English location. Sunshine levels of 1515 hours per annum are in the normal range for the coastal North East, which is also true for the relatively low amount of precipitation at 597.2 millimetres (23.51 in). In the late 18th century, sea-bathing from Tynemouth's east-facing beaches became fashionable. King Edward's Bay and Tynemouth Longsands are very popular with locals and tourists alike. King Edward's Bay (possibly
248-424: A Tynemouth township covering the area around the original settlement. Such townships were also made civil parishes in 1866. In the 19th century North Shields rapidly expanded from a small fishing village into a town, overtaking Tynemouth itself to become the largest settlement in the parish. North Shields was given improvement commissioners in 1828 to administer the growing town; the commissioners' district covered
310-674: A dispute between Tynemouth and the more powerful Newcastle over shipping rights on the Tyne, which continued for centuries. For more history see North Shields . Prince Rupert of the Rhine landed at Tynemouth in August 1642 on his way to fight in the English Civil War . Tynemouth was an ancient parish . It was divided into eight townships , being Chirton , Cullercoats , Monkseaton , Murton , North Shields , Preston , Whitley and
372-440: A fee-paying independent school, in 2013 the school merged with the local state Priory Primary School to become a state academy . Former King's School was named in reference to the three ancient kings buried at Tynemouth Priory: Oswin, Osred and Malcolm III. Its most famous old boy is Stan Laurel , one half of the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy. Hollywood film director Sir Ridley Scott , and racing driver Jason Plato also attended
434-708: A few tens of metres short of the Scottish border. It flows southeast through the village of Kielder before entering first Bakethin Reservoir and then Kielder Water , both set within Kielder Forest . It then passes by the village of Bellingham before the River Rede enters as a left-bank tributary at Redesmouth . It passes Hadrian's Wall near Chollerford before joining the South Tyne near Warden to
496-478: A major symbol in the regional identity of the North East of England, the river plays host to a plethora of different species, the number of which is growing year on year in line with the rivers improving health. The trail looks to capture the imagination of residents and tourists visiting the area – providing them with the ultimate 'fact finding' design experience, which celebrates the salmon's migratory journey in
558-496: A new, more powerful electric light was installed by the Tyne Improvement Commissioners (powered from the mains ). Then in 1967 the lighthouse (by then staffed by six keepers on rotation) was automated; a diesel generator was installed along with an electric foghorn. Before the pier was built, a lighthouse stood within the grounds of Tynemouth Priory and Castle . It was demolished in 1898. It stood on
620-471: A range of 7 nautical miles (13 km; 8.1 mi)); however, when the pier had to be rebuilt to a new design, an entirely new lighthouse was required. The work was undertaken by Trinity House , beginning in 1903; the lighthouse was finished before the pier itself, and was first lit on 15 January 1908. The revolving optic , manufactured by Barbier, Bénard, et Turenne , displayed a flash three times every ten seconds; it remains in use today. The light source
682-501: A reference to Edward II) is a small beach on the north side of the Priory, sheltered on three sides by cliffs and reached by stairways or, by the fit and adventurous who understand the weather and tides, over the rocks round the promontories on the north or south sides. Longsands is the next beach to the north, an expanse of fine sand 1,200 yards (1,100 m) long, lying between the former Tynemouth outdoor swimming pool and Cullercoats to
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#1732772379831744-711: A signal station, though it is just north of the Hadrian's Wall frontier (the Roman fort and supply depot of Arbeia stands almost opposite it on the southern headland of the Tyne). In the 7th century a monastery was built in Tynemouth and later fortified. The headland was known as Pen Bal Crag . The place where now stands the Monastery of Tynemouth was anciently called by the Saxons Benebalcrag The monastery
806-520: A venue for a weekend "flea market", book fairs, craft displays, coffee shops, restaurants, exhibitions and other events. Tynemouth is the end point for the 140-mile (230 km) long Coast to Coast Cycle Route from Whitehaven or Workington in Cumbria . In 2011, Tynemouth had a population of 67,519, compared to 17,056 a decade earlier. This is mainly because of boundary changes rather than an actual population increase: for example, North Shields
868-585: Is a coastal town in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside , in Tyne and Wear , England. It is located on the north side of the mouth of the River Tyne , hence its name. It is 8 mi (13 km) east-northeast of Newcastle upon Tyne . The medieval Tynemouth Priory and Castle stand on a headland overlooking both the mouth of the river and the North Sea , with the town centre lying immediately west of
930-475: Is a community-based organisation that works to improve habitat , promote better understanding of the Tyne catchment area and build the reputation of the Tyne catchment as a place of environmental excellence. With its proximity to surrounding coalfields , the Tyne was a major route for the export of coal from the 13th century until the decline of the coal mining industry in North East England in
992-604: Is a small beach within the mouth of the Tyne, sheltered between the Priory and the Spanish Battery, with the pier access on its north side. It was popular with Victorian bathers and is now home to Tynemouth Rowing Club and the local sailing club. A statue of Queen Victoria by Alfred Turner, unveiled on 25 October 1902, is situated at the edge of the Village Green which is home to the War Memorials for
1054-656: Is also the writer of an occasional therapy comedy series on Woman's Hour called How Does That Make You Feel? , which began in 2010 and reached its 10th season in 2018. A radio version of her stage play An Experiment with an Air Pump was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in 2001. In 2002, she adapted Françoise Sagan's Bonjour Tristesse for Radio 4. The Memory of Water was made into a film called Before You Go in 2002 starring Julie Walters and Tom Wilkinson and directed by Lewis Gilbert . Stephenson has writing credits for Downton Abbey, Season 1, Episode 4. Tynemouth Tynemouth ( / ˈ t aɪ n m aʊ θ / )
1116-583: Is described as being in the Venetian Gothic style. Located on Huntingdon Place, Kings Priory School (formerly The King's School and Priory Primary School) is a co-educational academy with over 800 pupils aged between 4 and 18. Though founded in Jarrow in 1860, the school moved to its present site in Tynemouth in 1865 originally providing a private education for local boys. The school has an Anglican tradition, but admits students of all faiths. Formerly
1178-655: Is formed by the North Tyne and the South Tyne, which converge at Warden near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'. The Tyne Rivers Trust measure the whole Tyne catchment as 2,936 km (1,134 square miles), containing 4,399 km (2,733 miles) of waterways. The Ordnance Survey records 'the source of the North Tyne river' at grid reference NY 605974 at Deadwater,
1240-430: Is now a shopping arcade. Charles Dickens visited Tynemouth and wrote in a letter from Newcastle, dated 4 March 1867: 'We escaped to Tynemouth for a two hours' sea walk. There was a high wind blowing, and a magnificent sea running. Large vessels were being towed in and out over the stormy bar with prodigious waves breaking on it; and, spanning the restless uproar of the waters, was a quiet rainbow of transcendent beauty.
1302-587: The 16th century to defend Henry VIII's fleet. Most of the guns had been removed by 1905. It is now a popular vantage point for watching shipping traffic on the Tyne. Beyond the Battery, and commanding the attention of all shipping on the Tyne, is the giant memorial to Lord Collingwood , the Collingwood Monument . Collingwood was Nelson 's second-in-command at the Battle of Trafalgar , who completed
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#17327723798311364-770: The 2011 boundaries. Thus Tynemouth has become larger in both area and population. Tynemouth's Parish Church is the Church of the Holy Saviour in the Parish of Tynemouth Priory. It was built in 1841 as a chapel of ease to the main Anglican church in the area, Christ Church, North Shields . In Front Street there were two other churches, the Catholic Parish of Our Lady & St Oswins, opened in 1899, and also Tynemouth Congregational Church, which closed in 1973 and
1426-577: The Castle and Priory while their husbands were campaigning in Scotland . King Edward III considered it to be one of the strongest castles in the Northern Marches. After the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, Edward II fled from Tynemouth by ship. A village had long been established in the shelter of the fortified Priory, and around 1325 the prior built a port for fishing and trading. This led to
1488-561: The Northeast of England. FINS, REFLECTION and JOURNEY were the first three cubes to be launched in December 2007 from a family of ten. Each cube is inspired by the textures, changing colours, movement and journey of the salmon. With each offering a 'modern day keepsake' to take away, in the form of a designed Bluetooth message. The other cubes will be moving along the River Tyne over one year visiting different locations from Kielder to
1550-644: The River Wear once followed the current route of the lower River Team and merged with the Tyne at Dunston . Ice diverted the course of the Wear to its current location, flowing east the course of the Tyne) and joining the North Sea at Sunderland . The River Tyne is estimated to be around 30 million years old. The conservation of the Tyne has been handled by various bodies over the past 500 years. Conservation bodies have included: Newcastle Trinity House , and
1612-589: The River Wear. Ptolemy's Tína could be a "misplaced reference" to either this river or the Tyne in East Lothian. There is a theory that * tīn was a word that meant "river" in the local Celtic language or in a language spoken in England before the Celts came: compare Tardebigge . A supposed pre-Celtic root *tei , meaning 'to melt, to flow' has also been proposed as an etymological explanation of
1674-629: The Tyne Improvement Commission. The Tyne Improvement Commission conservation lasted from 1850 until 1968. The 1850–1950 era was the worst period for pollution of the river. The Tyne Improvement Commission laid the foundations for what has become the modern day Port of Tyne. Under the management of the Tyne Improvement Commissioners, over a period of the first 70 years the Tyne was deepened from 1.83 to 9.14 m (6 feet 0 inches to 30 feet 0 inches) and had 150 million tonnes dredged from it. Inside these 70 years,
1736-479: The Tyne and similarly named rivers, as has a Brittonic derivative of Indo-European *teihx , meaning 'to be dirty' ( Welsh tail , 'manure'). LJ Ross ' thriller Seven Bridges from the DCI Ryan series evolves around the Tyne bridges. The river is represented, and personified, in a sculpture unveiled in 1968 as part of the new Civic Centre (seat of Newcastle City Council ). Sculpted by David Wynne ,
1798-463: The boundary between Newcastle upon Tyne on the north bank and the Borough of Gateshead on the south bank for 13 miles (21 km), in the course of which it flows under ten bridges. To the east of Gateshead and Newcastle, the Tyne divides Hebburn and Jarrow on the south bank from Walker and Wallsend on the north bank. The Tyne Tunnel runs under the river to link Jarrow and Wallsend. Finally
1860-402: The grounds of Tynemouth Castle and Priory, by kind permission of English Heritage who run the historic monastic and defensive site at the mouth of the River Tyne. Anticlockwise Cullercoats Tynemouth River Tyne, England The River Tyne / ˈ t aɪ n / is a river in North East England . Its length (excluding tributaries) is 73 miles (118 km). It
1922-556: The headland. Historically part of Northumberland until 1974, the town was a county borough which included the nearby town of North Shields . At the 2021 census the Tynemouth built-up area as defined by the Office for National Statistics (which also includes North Shields) had a population of 60,605. The headland towering over the mouth of the River Tyne has been settled since the Iron Age . The Romans may have occupied it as
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1984-409: The honour roll for those lost during both World Wars. It was unveiled in 1923. DM O'Herlihy was named as the original designer but a press report stated that a Mr Steele designed the monument and credited O'Herlihy with preparatory works on the village green. The 82 names from World War II were added in 1999. Tynemouth Clock Tower on Front Street was erected in 1861 by William Scott, esq., a native of
2046-620: The larger settlement within the borough. The first town clerk was Thomas Carr Leitch. The borough council based itself at Tynemouth Town Hall at the junction of Howard Street and Saville Street in North Shields, which had been built for the old North Shields improvement commissioners in 1844/5. In 1904 the borough was elevated to become a county borough , making it independent from Northumberland County Council for local government purposes, whilst remaining part of Northumberland for judicial and lieutenancy purposes. The county borough
2108-517: The late 1980s, Stephenson was a scriptwriter on BBC Radio 4 's drama series Citizens . Her original plays for BBC Radio include Lethal Cocktails , 1989; Darling Peidi , 1993; The Anatomical Venus , 1994; Five Kinds of Silence , 1996, which received the Writers Guild Award for Best Original Drama; Baby Blue , 1998; Through a Glass, Darkly , 2004; Life is a Dream , 2004; Nemesis , 2005; and The People’s Princess , 2008. She
2170-528: The locals. The Mouth of the Tyne Festival currently continues the local festival tradition. This annual free festival is held jointly between Tynemouth and South Shields and includes a world-class open-air concert at Tynemouth Priory. Tynemouth Pageant is a community organisation in North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England, devoted to staging an open-air dramatic pageant every three years in
2232-416: The massive bronze figure River God Tyne incorporates flowing water into its design. The Environment Agency is currently working with architects and cultural consultancy xsite, in collaboration with Commissions North, to create a travelling sculpture trail along the River Tyne. The Tyne Salmon Trail will serve as a celebration of the river, its heritage and its increasingly diverse ecosystem. Historically
2294-514: The north. The outdoor pool opened in 1925 and was considered a major tourist attraction in its heyday. In 2013, Longsands was voted one of the best beaches in the country by users of the world's largest travel site TripAdvisor . TripAdvisor users voted the beach the UK's fourth favourite beach in its 2013 Travellers' Choice Beaches Awards. The beach was also voted the 12th best in Europe. Prior's Haven
2356-573: The northwest of Hexham. The South Tyne rises at Tyne Head on Alston Moor , Cumbria close to the sources of the Tees and the Wear . Initially it flows north through the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), enters Northumberland downstream of Alston and turns to the east as it approaches the town of Haltwhistle . Paralleling Hadrian's Wall which lies to the north,
2418-538: The one rock that can sometimes be seen then is called Priors Stone. Over the centuries they have claimed many ships whose crew "switched off" after safely negotiating the river entrance. In 1864, the Middens claimed five ships in three days with many deaths, even though the wrecks were only a few yards from the shore. In response a meeting was held in North Shields Town Hall in December 1864 at which it
2480-404: The original curved design proved inadequate against a great storm and the centre section was destroyed. The pier was then rebuilt in a straighter line and completed in 1909. A companion pier at South Shields protects the southern flank of the river mouth. A lighthouse had built on the old North Pier (first lit in 1895, it displayed three lights mounted vertically: green over white over red, with
2542-512: The residents of Tynemouth lost during the Second Boer War of 1899–1902. Designed by A.B. Plummer, it was unveiled on 13 October 1903 by William Brodrick, 8th Viscount Midleton . The larger central memorial is made of white granite with a cruciform column rising from between four struts in a contemporary design for its time. The front face has a relief sword and wreath carved onto it with the inscription below. The other three faces hold
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2604-578: The river continues past Redburn and Haydon Bridge to join the North Tyne at Warden. This low level east-west corridor through the Pennines is referred to as the Tyne Gap. From the confluence of the North and South Tyne at Warden, the river flows east through Northumberland by Hexham, Corbridge and Prudhoe and enters the county of Tyne and Wear to the east of Wylam . The river subsequently forms
2666-400: The river flows between South Shields and Tynemouth into the North Sea . Thomas John Taylor (1810–1861) theorised that the main course of the river anciently flowed through what is now Team Valley , its outlet into the tidal river being by a waterfall at Bill Point (in the area of Bill Quay ). His theory was not far from the truth, as there is evidence that prior to the last ice age ,
2728-526: The scene was quite wonderful. We were in the full enjoyment of it when a heavy sea caught us, knocked us over, and in a moment drenched us and filled even our pockets.' Giuseppe Garibaldi sailed into the mouth of the River Tyne in 1854 and briefly stayed in Huntingdon Place. The house is marked by a commemorative plaque. Lewis Carroll states in the first surviving diary of his early manhood, that he met 'three nice little children' belonging to
2790-473: The school. This massive stone breakwater extends from the foot of the Priory some 900 yards (810 metres) out to sea, protecting the northern flank of the mouth of the Tyne. It has a broad walkway on top, popular with Sunday strollers. On the lee side is a lower level rail track, formerly used by trains and cranes during the construction and maintenance of the pier. At the seaward end is a lighthouse. The pier's construction took over 40 years (1854–1895). In 1898
2852-579: The second half of the 19th century, with islands (including Kings Meadow , the largest) removed and meanders in the river straightened. Nothing definite is known of the origin of the designation Tyne , nor is the river known by that name until the Saxon period: Tynemouth is recorded in Anglo-Saxon as Tinanmuðe (probably dative case ). The Vedra on the Roman map of Britain may be the Tyne, or may be
2914-673: The second half of the 20th century. The largest coal staithes (a structure for loading coal onto ships) were located at Dunston in Gateshead, Hebburn and Tyne Dock, South Shields. The wooden staithes at Dunston, built in 1890, have been preserved, although they were partially destroyed by fire in 2006 and then a further fire in May 2020 means that the Staithes is becoming more vulnerable to vandalism and would need extensive financing to preserve it and make it secure. In 2016, Tyne Dock, South Shields
2976-499: The site of the now-disused Coastguard Station. On 20 October 2023, the dome of the lighthouse was "forcibly removed by the relentless combination of sea and wind" caused by Storm Babet . The headland dominates the river mouth and is less well known as Freestone Point. Settlements dating from the Iron Age and later have been discovered here. The promontory supposedly takes its name from Spanish mercenaries who manned guns there in
3038-418: The town. Designed by Oliver and Lamb with carvings by Robert Beall , the tower housed a clock by Joyce of Whitchurch . At ground level there were drinking fountains (and drinking troughs for dogs) on the north and south sides, a marine barometer (by Negretti and Zambra ) to the west and an access door to the east. Made of polychrome bricks and ashlar , the tower (which has been Grade II listed since 1986)
3100-551: The two Tyne piers were built; Northumbrian, Tyne and Albert Docks were built, as well as the staithes at Whitehill and Dunston. This infrastructure enabled millions of tonnes of cargo to be handled by the Port by 1910. The tidal river has been managed by the Port of Tyne Authority since 1968. The River Tyne has a charity dedicated to protecting and enhancing its waters and surrounding areas. The Tyne Rivers Trust, established in 2004,
3162-484: The victory after Nelson was killed in action. Erected in 1845, the monument was designed by John Dobson and the statue was sculpted by John Graham Lough . The figure is some 23 feet (7.0 m) tall and stands on a massive base incorporating a flight of steps flanked by four cannons from HMS Royal Sovereign – Collingwood's ship at Trafalgar. These rocks in the Tyne near the Monument are covered at high water, and
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#17327723798313224-481: The waves 'were running the whole length of the long level sands towards Cullercoats and sounding like far-off acclamations'. Peter the Great of Russia is reputed to have stayed briefly in Tynemouth while on an incognito visit to learn about shipbuilding on the Tyne. He was fascinated by shipbuilding and Western life. Standing 6 feet 8 inches (203 cm) and with body-guards, he would not have been troubled by
3286-471: The whole of the North Shields township and parts of the Chirton, Preston and Tynemouth townships. In 1832 a parliamentary borough (constituency) called Tynemouth and North Shields was created, covering the whole of the townships of Tynemouth, North Shields, Chirton, Cullercoats and Preston. The same area was made a municipal borough in 1849, which was just called Tynemouth despite North Shields being
3348-427: Was a separate urban subdivision in 2001 and had a population of over 36,000. Shiremoor was also a different urban subdivision, with a population of almost 5000 in 2001. The 2011 definition of the town of Tynemouth includes North Shields along with some areas in the north west of the town such as Shiremoor or West Allotment . However using 2011 methodology boundaries Tynemouth had a population of 60,881 in 2001 based on
3410-664: Was abolished in 1974, when the area became part of North Tyneside in the new metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear. Tynemouth was listed in the 2018 Sunday Times report on best places to live in Northern England. Tynemouth has a very moderated oceanic climate heavily influenced by its position adjacent to the North Sea. As a result of this, summer highs are subdued and, according to the Met Office 1981–2010 data, average around 18 °C (64 °F). Due to its marine influence, winter lows especially are very mild for
3472-765: Was agreed that a body of men should be formed to assist the Coastguard in the event of such disasters. This led to the foundation of the Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade. Undersea aquatic park, containing seahorses, sharks, giant octopus, frogs, otters and many other creatures. Its Seal Cove is a purpose-built outdoor facility providing an environment for a captive-bred colony of harbour seals. The 500,000-litre (110,000 imp gal; 130,000 US gal) pool includes rocky haul-out areas and underwater caves, specially created to ensure marine mammals are kept in near natural conditions. It
3534-421: Was an incandescent oil vapour lamp , which (together with the optic) produced a 70,000 candle-power light with a range of 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi). The lighthouse was also equipped with a reed fog signal , powered by compressed air, which was mounted 'on the cupola'; it sounded one long blast every ten seconds. It was manned by four keepers, with two on duty at any one time. In September 1961
3596-499: Was previously known as the Blue Reef Aquarium Tynemouth. Maintaining transport links between Tynemouth and Newcastle is Tynemouth Metro station , originally opened in 1882 as a mainline station catering for the thousands of holiday-makers who flocked to the Tynemouth beaches. Its ornate Victorian ironwork canopies have earned it Grade II listed status. They were restored in 2012, and the station now provides
3658-793: Was revived in 2009 at Hampstead Theatre , where the original production appeared in 1998 after premiering at the Royal Exchange, Manchester ; the play has been since been revived at the universities of San Diego and New Orleans , the English Theatre, Berlin , the University of Waterloo and the Giant Olive Theatre Company , in London. Harriet Martineau was performed by Live Theatre in November 2016. In
3720-447: Was sacked by the Danes in 800, rebuilt, and destroyed again in 875, but by 1083 it was again operational. Three kings are reported to have been buried within the monastery: Oswin , King of Deira (651); Osred II , King of Northumbria (792); and, for a time, Malcolm III , King of Scots (1093). Three crowns still adorn the North Tyneside coat of arms. (North Tyneside Council, 1990). The queens of Edward I and Edward II stayed in
3782-434: Was still involved with coal, importing 2 million tonnes of shipments a year. The lower reaches of the Tyne were, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, one of the world's most important centres of shipbuilding , and there are still shipyards in South Shields and Hebburn to the south of the river. To support the shipbuilding and export industries of Tyneside, the lower reaches of the river were extensively remodelled during
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#17327723798313844-487: Was written in collaboration with the UK-based charity, The Forgiveness Project , to critical acclaim. Her plays frequently deal with new advances in science, such as the concept in the title of her first stage play, and include commentary on pseudoscientific fads such as urine therapy or phrenology as in her play on Harriet Martineau . Methuen Publishing Ltd published a collected edition of all four of these Stephenson plays in 2003. An Experiment with an Air Pump
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