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Jump to | Monkseaton Overview | Cauldwell Lane | Monkseaton Brewery
| Monkseaton Station | Monkseaton Inns | Seatonville Road | Bygate Road
| Monkseaton Chapels and Churches
| Monkseaton Cottage and Monkseaton House
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Other than historical references, little has been recorded of Monkseaton; however it is known that it was a place of some importance.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.
Monkseaton Chapels and 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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Monkseaton Cottage and 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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