Monkseaton Village

Monkseaton Overview

Monkseaton has a long historical past, and dates back to at least the 12th century, when it was simply known as ‘Seton’. This is probably a derivative of the words ‘Sea’ and ‘Tun’, i.e. the village being near to the sea, and a tun, meaning a hill or rise.

When King Henry I granted lands to the Prior of Tynemouth c.1106, the name was altered to ‘Seton Monachorum’. The prefix ‘Monk’ is often found in connection with places belonging to religious houses, and so in this case it became known as Monk Seaton, or Seaton of the Monks.

Despite the fact that over the past 80 years, Monkseaton Village has been absorbed into the urban confines of the nearby town of Whitley Bay, its history pre-dates that town by many years, and to anyone who resides in Monkseaton, the place is still referred to as ‘The Village’.

Other than historical references, little has been recorded of Monkseaton; however it is known that it was a place of some importance. From the year 1577 coal was worked, and in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries there were several farms along with the usual tradespeople such as blacksmiths, shoemakers and shopkeepers. There was a large brewery, and with 3 or more inns, the population, which varied between 427 in 1801 rising to 952 by the year 1901, was well catered for with ale!

Over the years, many changes have taken place, most of which have been so gradual that they have simply passed by unnoticed. Many of the old farms and buildings that once stood in Monkseaton Village have long since disappeared and remain only as distant memories. The rest sadly, have long since been forgotten.

The ‘Centre’ of Monkseaton is formed by the triangle of land encompassing the area of Front Street, the Black Horse and the Ship Inn, which many people believed was the site of a Village Green. (Contrary to popular belief, Monkseaton has never had a Village Green.)

This above view of Monkseaton Village is dated 1912, and shows the first Ship Inn, (originally built in 1688 as a farmhouse). The inn is visible to the extreme left of the picture alongside East Farm House. Scott & Robson’s grocery store at the top of Percy Terrace, which was recently converted to a house is easily recognisable and is separated by a lane, standing next to the original 3-storey Black Horse Inn built in 1793.

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Cauldwell Lane

Cauldwell Lane runs in a North Easterly direction from the junction with Earsdon Road into Monkseaton Village.

In 1845, it was just a narrow cinder path, the name of which was a spelling corruption taken from the ‘Cold Well’, which was one of the main water supply sources for the village. The actual well was situated in a field near to where the present Pykerley Road stands.

A water supply from the top of Cold Well Lane began with a drain made with flagstones which ‘tapped’ the gravelly sub-soil. Its course followed the path of the present Cauldwell Lane into Monkseaton Village, past the front of Percy Terrace to an opening from where the water could be diverted into the reservoirs in the rear garden of Monkseaton House. The water from these reservoirs supplied the Monkseaton Brewery next door.

When the water supply was not being diverted and allowed to run its natural course, it supplied Nixons’ Pond at East Farm, (next to the present Ship Inn), which was the usual watering place for cattle and horses.

From the top of Cauldwell Lane, there were three drains supplying this water, the first one being situated at the west end of the lane and known as the ‘High Drain’, the second one was located opposite the end of what is now Bromley Avenue and was known as the ‘Middle Drain’, and the third one was situated near Percy Terrace and was known as the ‘Low Drain’. The water supply has long since disappeared, and has been incorporated within the modern drainage systems as the housing development of the 1920’s began.

This 1893 sketch by Thomas Eyre Macklin looks west on Front Street towards Cold Well Lane with the edge of the Fold visible towards the right. Rosebery Court now stands here, and where the houses are situated, is where the present shops were built. Cauldwell Lane was widened in 1924, and it was during this time that Oakland Road, Cauldwell Close and Woodleigh Road were laid out.

This ‘lane’ is now a busy main road, feeding Monkseaton and Whitley Bay, a distinct difference from the cinder track of over 150 years ago!

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Monkseaton Brewery

Monkseaton Brewery stood on the site of what is now the present Monkseaton
Arms Pub.

It was originally built in 1683 for a Michael Turpin of Murton, and during its existence, was the largest and most conspicuous building in Monkseaton, with whitewashed walls, a red pantiled roof and a tall chimney, which was a landmark that could be seen for many miles around.

Michael Turpin also bought a cottage adjoining the Brewery buildings to the west, and this later became the first 'Monkseaton Arms'.

The road that ran alongside the Brewery towards Red House Farm, was locally known as ‘Turpins Lane’, (sometimes called Brewery Lane), and was later renamed Relton Terrace when the present housing was laid out.

The Brewery changed hands many times over the years, with three fires recorded there, the first of which occurred on 9th March 1821, totally destroying the drying kiln along with 60 bolls of malt. The second fire occurred on 4th January 1849 when the malting and stables were burned down, and five of the six Brewery horses perished. The third fire occurred in 1860, destroying part of the buildings containing much of the Brewery machinery, however all of the damage was repaired.

The local farmers delivered grain there with a horse and cart, and, along with the draymen, were usually rewarded with a ‘Horn’ of ale before leaving the Brewery. A horse-drawn dray would be loaded with barrels of ale at the side of the Brewery, through a ‘Loading Hole’ which was a kind of dock formed so that the barrels could be run directly off the ground onto the cart or dray. Malt making was carried out on the upper floors.

During 1855, the Brewery was in the possession of a William Davison, a well known gentleman, who resided at Monkseaton House next door to the Brewery. The house still stands to this day.

Two reservoirs were built in the rear garden of this house in order to supply the brewery with water, and were replenished from a divergent stream and the ‘Cold Well’ (see Cauldwell Lane above).

In 1900, the Brewery was taken over by the Northumberland Brewery Company, and later sold to the Newcastle Breweries in 1934. Shortly afterwards, the Brewery buildings and public house were demolished to make way for the present Monkseaton Arms. A small piece of history remains, as the rear stone wall of the original Brewery buildings still stands behind the conservatory area of the present pub, along with other stonework at the back of Monkseaton House, in Percy Terrace.

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Monkseaton Station

Monkseaton Railway Station (originally referred to as Whitley Station) was built in 1859.

The station buildings, platforms and tracks stood slightly to the north of the present Osborne Gardens, very close to where the new medical centre has recently been built.

By 1915 the old station was found to be inadequate and the railway tracks, including part of the ‘Avenue Branch’ line, were re-aligned and moved further west to where the present station was built at the junction with Norham Road. This development also incorporated the construction of the present road bridge leading from Front Street to Marine Avenue.

Hartley Avenue was laid out following the realignment of the railway, and shadowed the arc of the newly realigned ‘Avenue Branch’ line to Blyth (axed by Dr Richard Beeching in the 1960s). It was referred to as the ‘Avenue Branch’ because it crossed over the ‘Avenue’, just west of Seaton Delaval Hall prior to reaching Hartley Station, and hence the name of Hartley Avenue was derived from here. This former railway track is now a pathway and nature trail running behind the houses on the west side of Hartley Avenue.

Following demolition of the old Monkseaton station, discussions were held with the North Eastern Railway Company to purchase the land which was successfully acquired and laid out as a park, with facilities to include Tennis Courts and Bowling Greens. Councillor C.W. Souter of Whitley Council led these negotiations, and Souter Park was appropriately named in his honour.

The new Monkseaton Station became an important stop on the Newcastle-Coast loop line, with many facilities including left luggage, goods and parcel offices, a rail booking office, waiting rooms with seating and coal fires, as well as all the usual platform kiosks and facilities usually seen at larger stations.

By the 1920s and 1930s, thousands of holidaymakers and day trippers would flock to the coast from Newcastle and its suburbs, as it was just a short walk from Monkseaton Station down Marine Avenue to the seaside for those who wished to avoid Whitley Bay centre. By the end of the Second World War, Monkseaton Station was increasingly used by commuters travelling to and from Newcastle.

By 1980, the loop line and all associated stations were considered to be no longer viable to British Railways and so they were taken over to become part of the present Tyne & Wear Metro System.

Looking south over the level crossing on Marine Avenue, the original Monkseaton Station buildings are situated to the right, and the signal box on the left is where the present Monkseaton Medical Centre is now sited. The houses on Osborne Gardens are hidden beyond and behind it.

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Monkseaton Inns

During the 1700s it is known that at least five inns existed in Monkseaton Village.

The Ship Inn was originally a farmhouse, built in 1688 as part of Monkseaton Dairy Farm, standing on the site of what is now the junction of Percy Terrace and Lyndhurst Road. The Ship Inn first came into being in 1790 when it was converted to a Public House. In 1922, the building was demolished and construction work started on the present Ship Inn, built for the Northumberland Brewery Company (the then owners of Monkseaton Brewery) on its present site, slightly to the West at the edge of Roseberry Terrace. Building work was completed a year later, and a plaque above the door reads: "1688, Ye Olde Ship Inn. Rebuilt 1923."

The Black Horse Inn was originally a two-storey stone structure dating to 1793, and was later remodelled to include a third floor. The building which stood on the north side of Front Street was demolished in 1936, along with a row of cottages known as Coronation Row, in order to make way for the extended Black Horse. These cottages which faced Front Street were built in 1821 by Dryden & Co., to house the workers from the nearby Monkseaton Brewery. The Black Horse was immediately rebuilt on the same site to its present familiar design, still standing to this day.

The Monkseaton Arms which first came into being soon after 1683, is already featured on this page.

The Seven Stars was an old inn which stood on the South East corner of The Fold, Monkseaton, on what is now the corner of Front Street and Rosebery Terrace, close to the present Ship Inn. Little is known of this pub, other than references to a sale notice of 1814 which advertise that it was to be let, and a schedule of the premises indicating there was a Cock-Pit with glass lights behind. The inn was demolished soon after 1814, and single storey cottages forming part of The Fold were built in its place. The site is now occupied by sheltered housing called Rosebery Court.

The Three Horse Shoes stood on the West side of Chapel Lane, not far from the junction with Front Street. The building dates from 1795 when it opened as an ale house under the name of The Three Horse Shoes. During its lifetime, it has been an inn, a shop, a post office and a private residence. It was rebuilt in the early 1930s as a private detached residence, latterly referred to as Garnicks Cottage and named as such after the last resident. This house had fallen into disrepair and was demolished in 1998, to be replaced by a new detached house which stands on the corner of Chapel Lane at its junction with the back lane of Front Street.

The Original Ship Inn and Black Horse, c.1905.

Further details of these buildings, along with many other local Whitley Bay inns can be found in Charlie's book, 'Inns & Taverns of North Shields', published by Tempus.

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Seatonville Road

Old Ordnance Survey Maps indicate that the road connecting Coldwell (Cauldwell) Lane with Rake Lane at Preston Gate was originally known as Turnpike Lane, later becoming simply known as West Road and, eventually, Seatonville Road.

Until the mid 1920s, Seatonville Road was actually a narrow country lane, with two farmhouses situated on it: Burnt House Farm and Seatonville Farm.

Burnt House Farm was built around 1700, with the farmland occupying an area of around 112 acres. The origins of the farm name are unconfirmed, but the obvious suggestion is that it may have derived its name after having caught fire at one time. Nos. 64, 66 and 68 Seatonville Road were built in the early 1930s and now occupy the site of the old farmhouse and outbuildings which were demolished in 1929 to accommodate the new housing development and road widening scheme implemented at this time. A narrow path, following the line of the present Bromley Avenue connected Burnt House Farm to Monkseaton Village, through a field which was known as ‘The Fleets’.

Seatonville Farm was first recorded in 1625 under the name 'Seaton Villa' and, during the mid 1800s, the farmland occupied an area of about 110 acres (to much the same extent as nearby Burnt House Farm). Seatonville Farm buildings stood for just over 300 years until 1959 when they were demolished to accommodate new housing, to the west side of the road. Nos. 129 to 147 Seatonville Road were the last houses to be built on this road, and occupy the site of Seatonville Farm buildings and stackyard. Several years later, Monkseaton High School was built on part of this farmland. Two terraced cottages stood opposite the farmhouse and stackyard, one of which was demolished in the 1920s to facilitate the widening of Seatonville Road. However the remaining cottage still stands to this day.

Looking south along a narrow Seatonville Road in 1920, the buildings of Burnt House Farm are to the left and, in the distance beyond the trees, Seatonville Farm.

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Bygate Road

It has often been asked why Bygate Road was so named. The most likely explanation is that, prior to the mid 1800s, there were no recognised footpaths in Monkseaton Village. At this time, Front Street was little more than a field path, with a wall and a gate at each end.

The nearby divergent road running parallel to the rear of Front Street therefore became known as 'Bye-Gate', and was derived from people passing 'By the Gate', rather than through it.

The spelling was later corrupted to 'Bygate', and it is quite probable that at one time, even as a narrow farm-track, Bygate Road was once the main street through Monkseaton.

There were two sets of gates on Front Street, one of which was situated at what is now the present junction of Coronation Crescent, and the other at the corner with Chapel Lane. They were removed around 1845, when the road was opened out to become the main route through the village. Bygate Farm, which dates from 1735, occupied a small triangular area of land, covering what are now the road junctions with Bygate Road, The Gardens and St. Ronans Road. The last of the Bygate Farm buildings were demolished in 1950, to be replaced with the housing of today. A well known building that once stood on Bygate Road was called 'Rock Cottage', built in 1790 as part of Bygate Farm. In 1965, the cottage was demolished by the owner, and replaced with a new building called 'Rockville Bungalow'.

Two Wych Elm trees (sometimes referred to as 'Witchen' trees), stood outside of Rock Cottage, and separated this house from the main Bygate Farm buildings which stood directly opposite.

In early times, farmers tended to be quite superstitious, and there is a tale that these 'Witchen' trees were planted in order to ward off evil spirits. In later years when Bygate Road was widened, the trees were left in situ, with the road being built around them, as can be clearly seen in the picture! The trees, which became diseased, began to die off in the 1980s and were quickly replaced with two new ones, which still exist to this day — in the middle of the road!

Travelling west up Bygate Road, a row of terraced houses dating from the 1800s, and numbered 6, 8 and 10 have unusual wooden porches to the front with symbols on the apex depicting a square and compasses which were believed to be of Masonic origin. The reason for this is unknown.

Further up the street, beyond the old stone wall is Garden Cottage, which stands near to the corner with Chapel Lane. Built in the 1700s, the cottage is regarded as one of the oldest buildings in Monkseaton and, despite extensive modernisation over the years, it still retains much of its original village charm and character.

Looking east along Bygate Road in 1948, Rock Cottage can be seen to the left, and the outbuildings of Bygate Farm are on the right. The two 'Witchen' trees grow in the centre of the road.

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Monkseaton Chapels & Churches

Chapel Lane derived its name from the old Wesleyan Chapel which stood to the west side of this road, opposite South West Farm stack yard.

The stone-built chapel was built in 1843 by the village grocer, shoemaker, blacksmith and two labourers, and in 1890 some restoration work was carried out, which included the addition of a porch.

In 1913, the Wesleyans vacated the premises, and the building was purchased by a Mr. Henry B. Saint — a local benefactor, who dedicated it for use by the Congregationalists. The chapel later became known as Fairway Hall and was used as a general purpose meeting house.

During the Second World War, on 29th August 1940, the chapel was completely destroyed during an air raid and was never rebuilt. The site was later used as a builder’s yard and covered glass store, which eventually became a store and a glazier’s workshop. These premises are still evident to this day.

Next door to the chapel, a blacksmiths shop adjoined a house known as ‘Rose Cottage’, formerly the Three Horse Shoes Inn.

The Church, which stands on Front Street, opposite the Black Horse Inn, was originally the turnip house for Monkseaton Village Farm and first came into use as a place of worship in 1899, when it was purchased by a local dignitary; Col. T.W. Elliott, who converted the building into a little church for use by the Anglicans.

Col. Elliott presented two cannons to the church when it was first opened, and they remained in place at the front of the building until 1942, when they were removed in a salvage drive for the war effort. For many years the church was often referred to as the ‘Gun Chapel’.

The Anglicans left this church in 1913 when it was taken over by the Wesleyans who had moved from Chapel Lane during this year.

In the years that followed, it became a Methodist Church and was also referred to as the ‘Mission House’.

Other places of worship in Monkseaton Village include Gourd Cottage (No. 23 Front Street), which stands next to Alder Court. This house is used by the Quakers and better known as the Friends Meeting House.

As the population of Monkseaton Village increased, two more churches came into being; St. Peter’s Church on Elmwood Road which was built in 1938, and St. Andrews United Reformed Church on Eastfield Avenue which was built the following year, in 1939.

Looking North along Chapel Lane, towards Front Street in 1910. The Wesleyan Chapel is to the extreme left, followed by the old Blacksmith's shop, and Rose Cottage (formerly the Three Horse Shoes Inn).

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South West Farm

Out of a total of fourteen recorded farms in Monkseaton, South West Farm was one of the smallest.

The farm dates from the early 1700s, and occupied an area of almost 244 acres of land, however many documents relating to this farm are missing or incomplete, so details tend to be very sketchy, and therefore many calculated assumptions have been made over the years.

According to details taken from an old tithe map, the farmland radiated outwards to the west in a triangular shape from Chapel Lane, and roughly encompassed the area now enclosed by Front Street, Cauldwell Lane, Seatonville Road and Bromley Avenue. It also included a square of land to the west of Seatonville Road, enclosed by the present housing built between Cauldwell Avenue and Athol Gardens to the boundary which includes Langley Playing Fields.

Other maps indicate that fields extending south towards Hillheads, and recorded under neighbouring South Farm, also formed part of South West Farm.

To a certain extent, nearly all of the old South West farm buildings still remain. The actual farmhouse is situated within the original stackyard, just off Chapel Lane, to the rear of Bygate Road.

When Chapel Lane was widened in 1952, the old stackyard wall was demolished and rebuilt slightly to the east, however it still remains, and encloses new luxury apartments to the rear of the present Spar shop.

The large stone buildings which back onto Chapel Lane have undergone a number of different uses over the years, including storage and garaging, and latterly offices with facilities for a Funeral Furnisher.

The outbuildings and byres facing Front Street were altered and converted in the early 1950s to become a showroom and offices for a local builders merchant, R.A. Gofton, and named ‘Corner House’.

In later years, the showroom was renovated and became a small supermarket, eventually being taken over by the Spar Group to become a large convenience store.

South West Farm Buildings in 1949. The trees were removed in 1950 and, despite considerable changes over the years, the structures are still easily recognisable. The building in the foreground is now the present Spar store.

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Red House Farm

Probably one of the best known but smaller farms within the boundary of old Monkseaton was Red House Farm.

Contrary to popular opinion, the housing estate bearing this name was not actually built on these lands, but was instead constructed entirely within the field boundary of neighbouring North West Farm.

The lands belonging to the original Red House Farm actually stood slightly further to the North, where a majority of Beaumont Park Estate was laid out, and the actual Farmhouse and Stackyard stood on ground to the rear of Southridge First School between the end of Earnshaw Way and Chevington Grove.

Clicking here will take you to the Farmland page where a comprehensive tithe map shows the layout of all farmland within the boundary of Monkseaton.

Red House Farm in 1960.

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Monkseaton Cottage & Monkseaton House

The oldest surviving building in Monkseaton is probably ‘Monkseaton Cottage’ which stands between the Black Horse Inn and the Monkseaton Arms, on the north side of Front Street.

It is known that it was built during the 1400s, originally as a farm byre, but the passing of subsequent centuries eventually saw its conversion to a dwelling house.

During the late 1800s it was the home of a local dignitary, Colonel T.W. Elliott, who was a benefactor of the Anglican Church which stood opposite.

The larger brick-built structure standing next to it is ‘Monkseaton House’, which was originally built for a Dr. Roxby, and it is recorded that for a short time the house was used as an asylum. A keystone above one of the arched windows at the rear bears the date 1805.

By the mid 1800s, this house was sold to become the residence of William Davison, the owner of the adjacent Monkseaton Brewery. In order to provide an adequate and plentiful supply of water for the brewery, William Davison had two reservoirs built in the rear garden of this house, which were fed from a water channel following the path of Coldwell Lane. The reservoirs have long since been filled in, but it is believed that a tunnel still exists and connects Monkseaton House to the former brewery, now the Monkseaton Arms.

A map dated 1877 no longer shows the reservoirs but instead shows a detailed plan indicating that Monkseaton Cottage and Monkseaton House shared a huge landscaped rear garden, extending back to Percy Terrace and eastwards behind the brewery buildings to include a tennis court, vinery, tomato house, potting sheds and two small summer houses. In recent years, these two buildings were merged together to become a residential care home, but have now been converted back to form two separate residential properties.

The rear gardens have been substantially reduced in size, the eastern part of which now accommodates the block of houses known as Relton Court, near the Monkseaton Arms.

Monkseaton Cottage and Monkseaton House in 1960.

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The Fold

The Fold has existed in Monkseaton Village since at least the 1700s, but the origins of the name have not been ascertained.

Today The Fold basically comprises a square area of land adjacent to Front Street, with a single row of older terraced houses numbered 9 to 19 which are set back from the main road to form its western boundary.

The present flats now dominating The Fold were constructed in 1955 following demolition of several old single storey cottages which stood on the site, and the central area was landscaped to form an open aspect.

The eastern edge of The Fold backed onto a street called Roseberry Terrace which simply consisted of a short row of houses which were demolished in the early 1960s to make way for the current sheltered housing project, better known as Roseberry Court.

Although no longer recognised as such, Roseberry Terrace still exists, and runs adjacent to the Ship Inn. Many people may still remember Taylors Fish and Chip Shop, a converted house, which stood on the end of this terrace at the corner with Front Street until the mid 1960s.

Roseberry Court, situated on the eastern corner of The Fold, sits on the site of two large stone built houses, 'Murie House' and 'Jessamine House', which were built in 1814, prior to which, the old ‘Seven Stars Inn’, dating from the early 1700s, occupied this area.

During the 1920s, The Fold was probably quite an industrious part of the village, with stables and a Blacksmiths shop which were run by a Joe Davidson, and a corner cottage converted to a tyre workshop which specialised in vulcanising and retreading.

On 29th August, 1940, a bombing raid occurred over Monkseaton which destroyed a number of houses in The Fold, with nearby property suffering serious damage. As a result, much of this area was rebuilt, to include new shops and flats between Pykerley Road and The Fold, and in later years, the office block called MacGregor House.

Further development in 2004 saw the demolition of MacGregor House, which was subsequently replaced with small apartments named West House.

This 1925 view of The Fold, at the corner with Front Street, shows the cottages which stood on the site of MacGregors Offices. The development known as ‘West House’ apartments now stand here. The row of terraced houses visible in the right background still exist, and Roseberry Court now occupies the area of vacant land in the foreground.

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West Park, Hillheads

The area of land adjacent to the Ice Rink at Hillheads which is now used as a cricket and recreation field is known as West Park.

Originally forming the north-western section of the Magnesium Limestone Quarry at Marden, West Park was purchased by Richard Heckels Nesbit around 1875 where he set up a steam brickworks. Nesbit also bought Bygate Farm in Monkseaton at this time, and became a prominent member of Whitley Urban District Council where, alongside Alfred Styan, he became a pioneer builder in Whitley, and was responsible for much of the construction work on Albany Gardens, Clarence Crescent, Edwards Road, The Esplanade, Laburnum Avenue, Station Road, and Mafeking Street (later renamed as Fern Avenue).

By 1889, the brickworks at Hillheads were exhausted, so Nesbit ceased operations and landscaped the entire area in order to create West Park where he resided until his death in 1911. West Park was then sold to Mr. George Steel, a Florist and Nurseryman who owned gardens in Park View, Whitley Bay. George Steel utilised West Park as Market Gardens where he built greenhouses, stables and outbuildings, as well as making a vast number of improvements to the land.

West Park at this time was a deep quarry with steep sides, approximately 90 feet below the level of the adjacent Hill Heads Road with a row of four cottages at the bottom. There were 134 wood-fronted clay steps descending from the main road into the quarry, terminating at the rear of the houses.

George Steel and his family took up residence in Nesbit's former house at No. 1 West Park (the end house to the right of the picture). He rented out the remaining three houses. Steel retained ownership of West Park until 1924, when Whitley Urban District Council placed a compulsory purchase order on the land, forcing him to move out shortly afterwards. When the compulsory purchase took effect, the cottages were demolished and the council began infilling with thousands of tons of earth and rubble, commencing at the western edge of the land, and, by 1931, controlled refuse tipping was also in progress.

Eventually, the original 90 foot deep quarry/park was raised to its present level, grassed over and landscaped to become what is now better known as West Park.

Although in poor perspective, this picture dates to around 1880 and shows the brickworks at West Park from a position slightly to the south east of where the present Ice Rink stands. The trees on the ‘horizon’ are actually standing on Hill Heads Road and illustrate the depth of the quarry at this time.

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The Village Homes

In 1868, James Hall, a wealthy Tynemouth ship-owner, was instrumental in setting up the Wellesley Training Ship in North Shields. The vessel was intended to act as an industrial school, preparing homeless and destitute boys who were unconvicted of crime for a life at sea and, by 1877, he decided to turn his attention to girls in a similar plight.

It was during this year that he felt that there was a need to create an institution for the reception and training of little girls who were either orphaned or destitute, and called for subscribers to come forward to establish a home where the training would work on the family principle of "Instruction in household duties which are strictly such as a woman would have to discharge in a poor mans home."

In 1879, the Duke of Northumberland provided a site between Norham Road and Duchess Street, and construction costs were met by a number of local wealthy benefactors, and so the Northumberland Village Homes were formed. (It is interesting to note that the nearby streets — Percy Avenue, Alnwick Avenue, Warkworth Avenue, Countess Avenue, Duke Street and Duchess Street — are appropriately named with obvious links to the Duke of Northumberland.)

Building work commenced on the Village Homes the same year and the first block of two cottages was completed and opened in 1880. Others followed in 1884 and 1888, with a final extension being completed in 1908.

Each cottage had its own ‘Matron’ or ‘Mother’, and the entire complex was occupied by a maximum of 150 girls, many of whom were brought in, in rags and tatters, and were kitted out in the home's distinctive uniform of a blue serge dress and a red cape.

By the 1970s the homes were no longer in use, and they eventually closed in 1986 when the site was taken over for development into a modern housing project.

Although now extensively modernised, all of the original cottages still remain and have been tastefully integrated with newer buildings and selectively landscaped to accommodate individual and modern private housing needs.

The Village Homes in 1910. The house in the foreground is now 96 Village Court.

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Coronation Row

Coronation Row cottages adjoined the old Black Horse Inn and stood on the north side of Front Street, directly opposite the old Methodist Church.

Consisting of a total of 5 residences, the dwellings were built in 1821 by Dryden & Co. (then owners of the nearby Monkseaton Brewery), in order to house brewery workers.

It is highly probable that the cottages derived their name from the coronation of George IV in 1820. The houses were typical of their time, having outside whitewashed walls, stone-flagged floors, with doors and shutters which were painted black within white painted sash frames, and each cottages had its own individual front garden, separated with a small picket fence.

During the 1860s, it is recorded that the middle cottage was called "Comfy Home", and was occupied by a woman called Sally Smith who was locally known as "Cat Sally". She earned a living by making and selling home-made sweets, and apparently her home-made ‘Black Bullets’ were renowned and a treat amongst the local children.

Two of these cottages, along with the old Black Horse Inn, were demolished in 1936 and were replaced with the present public house which now occupies part of the original site. The remaining cottages were converted and used as premises by an electrical retailer, later to become better known simply as Norie’s. These cottages soon fell into disrepair, and despite conversion and repair work, they were demolished some years later to be replaced with the present building which was to become the new modern electrical showroom and shop known and established for many years as Norie Electrical.

Over the years, this building has undergone a number of cosmetic changes, and latterly has been used as business premises for an insurance broker and opticians.

Two trees, one of which stands at the front of these premises and the other in front of the present Black Horse, were originally small saplings, growing in the front gardens of Coronation Row cottages. They have remained untouched here for close to 100 years.

Workmen commence demolition work on Coronation Row and the Black Horse Inn in 1936. The original garden areas of the cottages can be seen divided by the wooden picket fencing.

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Hidden Monkseaton

Sometimes it is not always easy to see what is plainly visible, however much of our history is really quite clear if you take the time to observe.

The secret is to cast your eyes just a little higher than usual the next time you’re out and about, have a look around, and lots will become apparent just by moving beyond eye-level.

As far as Monkseaton is concerned, let’s take a glance at just a few things from our past that you may have walked by many times and not even noticed:

1 Standing outside Seashells shop on Coronation Crescent, look to the upper wall of the house opposite (No.4) where there is a lovely inscribed terracotta plaque signifying the name of the street.

2 An ornate plaque with the date 1910, adorns the corner gable of the corner house of Kenilworth Road and St. Ronan’s Road, giving an obvious indication of when the houses were built.

3 Between the upper windows of the Monkseaton Arms, an elaborate pub sign is apparent on the east wall of Relton Terrace.

4 On Percy Terrace, a plaque above the canopy of the Ship Inn is inscribed: Ye Olde Ship Inn 1688, Rebuilt 1923.

5 On Vernon Drive, a plaque near the main school entrance shows; Monkseaton Senior School — 1932.

Even at eye-level, sometimes the obvious can be missed too:

1 Situated on Relton Terrace, near Seaton Crescent an old wooden signboard indicates a footpath to Red House Farm. (Vanished in the 1960s)

2 Painted on the stonework of Monkseaton Railway Bridge, Front Street, the faded letters ‘EWS’ are visible and indicate ‘Emergency Water Supply’, dating from WW2.

3 On Waverley Avenue close to the junction with St Ronan’s Road, faded remnants of an elaborately painted wall advertisement for a glazier and leaded light manufacturer still remain.

4 Cement/Stone name plaques are embedded in the brickwork of every street on Seatonville Council Estate, and typify a 1950s style when the houses and streets were laid out.

5 Carved square & compass symbols, possibly having Masonic connections are incorporated on the apex of the wooden porches of Nos. 6 to 10 Bygate Road.

Of course, there are many more hidden treasures in Monkseaton — so how many have you missed, and how many other hidden relics of the past lie unseen, unnoticed or undiscovered?

Left to right: Street Plaque on Kenilworth Road; Signboard on Relton Terrace; Street Sign on Coronation Crescent.

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Percy Terrace

Standing in the very heart of Monkseaton Village, it could be argued that one of the oldest streets still remaining is Percy Terrace.

This street runs in an easterly direction from the junction of Front Street and Roseberry Terrace, ending at the junction with Relton Terrace (Formerly known as Turpin’s Lane).

Originally, much of the south side of Percy Terrace would have been taken up by the rear of Monkseaton Brewery and its stable blocks, where much of the stonework still remains, all of which at one time formed different parts of the Brewery and outbuildings.

The houses and access paths of Nos. 1 to 7 Percy Terrace were laid out slightly above ground level, due to the elevation of the road, and stonework is clearly evident at the base of these houses.

Old Ordnance Survey maps suggest that these houses were probably built during the 1880s, however it is known that the end building on Percy Terrace which was recently converted from a shop to a dwelling house, existed as far back as the early 1800’s, and during its lifetime has been a Blacksmiths, a Grocers, a General Dealers and a Newsagency.

The first Ship Inn stood almost opposite this shop. Originally a farmhouse built in 1688, it was demolished in 1923 to be rebuilt slightly further to the west on its present site.

The pub stood next to East Farm, at what is now the junction of Lyndhurst Road, and by the early 1960s the adjacent field and farmland which stood opposite Nos. 1 to 7 Percy Terrace, was sold and laid out for the present housing.

On 9th July 1927, a stone trough was presented to the Whitley and Monkseaton Urban District Council by the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association and was erected at the bottom of Percy Terrace, at the junction with Relton Terrace. Without the abbreviations shown on the actual stonework, it is inscribed thus: "This trough was presented by the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain Association, and was erected by the Whitley & Monkseaton Urban District Council, at the cost of the local branch of the Northumberland & North Durham Society for the Protection of Animals — July 1927."

The trough which still exists, was at one time in regular use by local farm horses and animals, and is now used for ornamental flower displays.

The presentation and opening ceremony of the Stone Cattle Trough in July 1927. Relton Terrace is to the left, and the larger houses in the right background are Nos. 46 and 48 Seaton Crescent.

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Fancy Field

Over one hundred years ago, and up to the very early 1900s, in order to walk from Whitley to Monkseaton Village it was necessary to follow a pretty country field path, which followed the course of the present Norham Road. This path then crossed over the railway lines towards what is now Marmion Terrace.

It was this point which formed the eastern edge of what was commonly known as ‘Fancy Field’, a part of North-East or ‘Village Farm’, bounded to the south by Bygate Farm.

Immediately after crossing the railway lines, the pathway then ran between two wooden gates and continued into the South Eastern corner of Monkseaton Village, closely following the route of what was later to become St. Ronan’s Road.

Studying this 1893 illustration by Thomas Eyre Macklin, we have our back to the railway lines, looking west from a point close to what is now the 90º corner of Marmion Terrace and St. Ronan’s Road.

Bygate Farm buildings can be seen at the far end of the pathway, and the remaining structures and hedgerow follow the line of Coronation Crescent. The large whitewashed building and tall chimney to the right belong to Monkseaton Brewery on Front Street. Horses and cattle grazed freely here, and ‘Fancy Field’ disappeared when the present housing including Kensington Gardens, Kenilworth Road, Waverley Avenue and Melrose Avenue were laid out in the early 1900s. The origin of this colourful field name remains a mystery.

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Monkseaton Banks

It is only in recent years that the last bank in Monkseaton ceased trading.

The convenience of ‘Plastic Money’, Credit and Debit cards, the introduction of ATM machines and, of course, Internet Banking has meant that there is no longer a need for a physical banking service in the village.

It is quite sad that all the established banks which once formed a major part of the daily business in Monkseaton have gradually disappeared. Five banks once existed here, and their place has now been taken by an automated cashpoint machine, at the corner of Front Street and Chapel Lane.

As we look at these buildings, starting from West Monkseaton, the first bank was Barclays, which stood at 42 Earsdon Road from the 1960’s until its closure in the 1990’s when it afterwards become West Monkseaton Post Office.

Following the main road into Monkseaton, the next bank was situated at 42 Cauldwell Lane. This was the National Provincial (later to become the National Westminster or NatWest), which existed from the 1960s to the 1990s.

A little further down the road, the Trustee Savings Bank (TSB), stood on the corner of Front Street and Pykerley Road from the 1950’s to the early 1990s. Moving further east onto Front Street, Lloyds was a modern purpose built detached single storey building which stood between Monkseaton House and the Monkseaton Arms at No.54 Front Street, and was also the last one to close down (1960s to the late 1990s).

The oldest and longest established bank in Monkseaton however, was Martin’s Bank, situated at No. 24 Front Street which existed from about 1927 to the 1970s.

Above right: Lloyds Bank, Monkseaton in 1982.

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Stone Structures

Before traditional bricks were used, many buildings in the North East of England were constructed from sandstone, which was always in plentiful supply.

By the early 1900s, bricks began to replace sandstone as a building material and, excluding all the modern synthetic stone buildings and facings, relatively few original sandstone structures remain in Monkseaton, and most of what does exist lies within the central core of what used to be the old medieval part of the village itself.

Commencing from the lane which connects Bromley Avenue to Chapel Lane, a rugged stone wall adjoins the nearby glazier’s premises to form the boundary edge of this pathway, and although the date cannot be confirmed, its origins probably relate to South West Farm.

Slightly south of this wall, next to the present clinic, the old Bygate Infants schoolhouse was originally a small single-storey stone-built cottage, later converted to include an upper brick-built storey. The ground floor is still clearly visible in sandstone with the first floor being rendered in mortar/pebbledash.

Opposite this house, a stone boundary wall which now encloses new apartments, once enclosed South West Farmhouse and stack yard, and was rebuilt in the 1950s when Chapel Lane was widened. The wall runs the length of Chapel Lane before curving east into Bygate Road where it connects with Garden Cottage, dating to the mid 1700s.

The wall then continues on the north side of Bygate Road, and although repaired over the years with rubble and cement rendering, it continues with a short ‘gap’ to accommodate the terraced cottages (Nos. 6 to 10 Bygate Road) as far as Victoria Place where it extends towards the back of Front Street.

The lane, next to Kelly’s DIY shop bears evidence of old stonework that was once part of the various farm buildings which stood in the middle of the old village, including Monkseaton Methodist Church.

Crossing to the North side of Front Street, the next stone structure is Monkseaton Cottage; probably the oldest building in the village.

Almost hidden from view behind the conservatory area of the Monkseaton Arms, remnants of the rear section of the old brewery wall become apparent, and further stonework from the brewery is evident on Relton Terrace, where it has been incorporated to form the boundary walls of the modern houses on Relton Place, while Percy Terrace also has stonework forming the base and foundations of the present houses.

When Monkseaton North West Farm, (at the top of Percy Terrace) was demolished in the 1920s some of this stonework was used to construct the triangular wall which until recently stood opposite the Ship pub. Sadly this was removed and used as infill, when the nearby underground public toilets were paved over in 2006.

Garden Cottage, built in the mid 1750s, along with the remains of the old stone wall on Bygate Road.

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West Monkseaton Railway Station

West Monkseaton Railway Station was built specifically to cater for the new housing that was being built nearby.

The station was constructed in just over a month, and opened to the public for the first time on 2nd March 1933. Both platforms and a majority of the station buildings were manufactured from concrete and wood, with the exterior being a good example of Art Deco design.

The station was built on the existing section of railway line adjacent to the bridge on Earsdon Road which was often referred to as ‘Dickies Holm Bridge’. This was a narrow bridge crossing the railway lines on Earsdon Road which was widened in 1961 to accommodate the growing increase in road traffic.

West Monkseaton Station closed down on 10th September 1979 for eleven months whilst improvements were carried out for the new Metro system. The station reopened on 11th August 1980.

After the war, the potential earnings from coal were exploited by the government and, in the summer of 1948, open cast mining work commenced at West Monkseaton, adjacent to the Railway line.

The 120 foot deep site took in the area of land from the rear of Newsteads Farm buildings to Uplands, and extending northwest as far as the present Monkseaton Drive. After five years mining, the site had been exhausted and closed down in June 1953 for reclamation of the land. Part of Red House Farm Estate, including the present supermarket now occupies this site.

Looking onto the platforms of West Monkseaton Station in 1933 (image right), it is apparent that some of the houses on Brantwood Avenue have not yet been built.

In the distance, two parallel bridges crossed the railway lines towards Uplands, one of which was situated at the bottom of Brantwood Avenue and the other, just a few yards to the east on West Avenue. The Brantwood Avenue bridge was demolished in the early 1960s, but the second one on West Avenue still remains.

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Marine Avenue

Early Ordnance Survey maps indicate that Marine Avenue was originally called ‘Seaside Lane’, and show that it was laid out on land which was originally part of Monkseaton Village Farm (North East Farm).

In the mid 1800s, the only system of drainage from Monkseaton Village was an open channel or ditch known as a ‘Kundy’. Before Monkseaton Railway Bridge was built, the road was level and the waste drainage from the village was set into this ditch which wound its way down the gradient along the path of Seaside Lane towards the sea and, when development began, a proper underground sewage system was put into place.

When building work commenced in 1885, the name of the road changed from that of ‘Seaside Lane’ to Marine Avenue. The first houses were built by Mr John Potts and Mr James Hilton and were originally named: Carr House, Clifton House, Hazelhurst, Bertlea, Red Lodge, Highfield and The Willows, and in later years when a numbering system was introduced, they became 76 to 88 Marine Avenue.

A local society called ‘The Monkseaton Village Rooms’ produced a report, which in its day aptly described them all as ‘Charming Villa Residences’. Over the years that followed, the remainder of the street was built up consisting mostly of large villas, all of which were given distinctive house names.

The smaller houses which form the lower section of Marine Avenue to the east of Ilfracombe Gardens and Park View, were constructed some years later by local builder; Nichol Ritchie.

Marine Avenue, looking east from the junction with Holywell Avenue in 1908. The visible houses are evenly numbered in descending order from 84 to 72. The large detached house (No.72) is called ‘Star Cross’, which stands on the corner of Queens Road.

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Wilsons Garage

During the early 1920s, William Skillbeck ran a motor car garage in Annfield Plain, Co. Durham, and, as his business expanded, he acquired premises in Whitley Bay. The premises became a garage and showroom, and were situated between Marine Avenue and Marine Gardens (now occupied by Featonbys Salerooms).

At this time, Skillbeck employed a Mr Robert Wilson, who was well experienced in the motor trade, to take charge of the Whitley Bay premises when they opened for business in April 1925. The garage soon became a success, and Robert Wilson was granted the agencies for Austin, Morris, MG and Wolseley cars at this showroom.

William Skillbeck eventually sold the business to Robert Wilson, which continued to flourish, and thereby convinced him to make it a limited company and, when directors were appointed, the business was renamed R. Wilson Ltd, and so the company was born.

Expansion saw the need for new premises and, in 1929, a purpose built garage was erected at the corner of Cauldwell Lane and Bromley Avenue, which became R. Wilson (Monkseaton) Ltd.

The premises at Park View continued in use as a showroom for new and second hand cars until 1932/33, when the premises were sold and the entire business transferred to the Monkseaton.

During the Second World War, Wilsons Garage was contracted by the Ministry of Supply, to overhaul Army vehicles and during an air raid in 1942 the main garage premises suffered blast damage. It was during this year that Robert Wilson sold the business to a group of brothers; Norman, Wilf, Harold and Reg Craven. Because of the high reputation that Robert Wilson had earned over the years, the Craven Brothers decided that the name of the company would remain unchanged and therefore retained the well-established name of R. Wilson Ltd.

In the early 1950s, a site was acquired on the corner of Cauldwell Lane and Woodleigh Road to develop as the showroom and after sales facilities. This site had outlived its usefulness by the early 1960s and a further plot of land was purchased opposite the main garage, on the corner of Front Street and Bromley Avenue, where a purpose built two-storey showroom was erected, and opened in 1967. The now defunct site at the corner of Woodleigh Road became Monkseaton Branch Library.

Next to the main garage building on Cauldwell Lane, a small shop was acquired, which served as a parts and accessories department for the garage. With the advent of large out of town car dealerships, the 77 year old business began to suffer and was forced to close in 2002. The garage site and showroom were later replaced with controversial apartment blocks.

The size of Wilsons Garage becomes apparent in this 1982 photograph, with the showroom in the distance, the main garage in the centre and the parts shop to the right. Note the petrol pump facilities.

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Souter Park

When the old Monkseaton Station was demolished in 1915, the North Eastern Railway Company held title to the land, which was still lying derelict in 1921.

It was during this year that a deputation of Whitley ratepayers called on Whitley Council to develop the site, and so discussions were held by the Council to purchase the land for the laying out of a recreational park.

Councillor C.W. Souter led negotiations with the North Eastern Railway Company, and was instrumental in acquiring the site on behalf of Whitley Council. Despite some opposition to the cost, the unemployment grants committee agreed to allow the Council to borrow £3,900 in order to use unemployed labour to lay out the new park, which included Bowling Greens, Tennis Courts and a Putting Green.

The park was completed in November 1922, and Councillor Souter’s efforts were recognised when the park was named in his honour, as a result of which, he provided an ornamental drinking fountain, that was installed in the park in May 1923. In December 1946, a statue surmounting the fountain was stolen and never recovered.

The park has been in continual use since it was opened, and still exists to this day with many of its original facilities.

Souter Park Bowling Greens in 1930.

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