Photographs Of Newcastle: North Shields Fish Quay

North Shields Fish Quay is a fishing port located close to the mouth of the River Tyne, in North Shields, Tyne and Wear, North East England, 8 miles (13 km) east of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne.

The quay began life in 1225 as a simple village of shielings (seasonal huts used by hunters or fishermen) around the Pow Burn (stream or river); the town of North Shields takes its name from the shielings. The quay was originally located here to serve the nearby Tynemouth Castle and Priory. The original site is largely derelict industrial land currently being redeveloped, which lately belonged to the original Tyne Brand canning company. The Pow Burn runs from nearby Northumberland Park and disappears underground at Tynemouth Road and the Metro urban transport line. It eventually reappears at the 'Gut' at the eastern end of the Fish Quay, where it flows into the Tyne.

The growth of North Shields was at one time restricted due to fear that it would take trade from neighbouring Newcastle upon Tyne, which was the region's leading port at the time; its trade guilds resented trade outside of the city, so much so that coal mined in North Shields within 300 ft of the river had to be transported on land 8 miles to Newcastle to be loaded onto boats.

The most striking buildings are the now defunct High Light and Low Light lighthouses which, in the 18th and 19th centuries, provided a line of sight for vessels entering a fairly treacherous river mouth. Until the north and south piers were built many ships foundered on the treacherous rocks known as the 'Black Middens', which lie to the east of the quay and can be seen at low tide.

The site actually has an original Old High Light and Old Low Light as well as a slightly differently positioned later High Light and Low Light, so called because they were positioned low (at river level on the quay) and high (on the bank top some 150 ft higher).

The present quay was built in 1870 to accommodate the increase in fishing boats after the introduction of steam trawlers. It is still a working fishing port with a trade fish market; it is the largest English port for prawns. Its proximity to the Dogger Bank has meant that a number of fishing boats from Whitby and elsewhere on the north east coast have relocated there. Adjacent shops include many fresh fish outlets and fish processing, mainly crab and prawn, continues in industrial units.

The Fish Quay was once the biggest kipper producer in the UK, but the fall in herring stocks has reduced the trade to a single smokery. A number of traditional smokehouses still exist but have been converted to other uses.

The Fish Quay declined in the 1980s as a result of problems in the fishing industry. Refurbishment of the area was begun by Tyne and Wear Development Corporation and then beginning in 2001 based on a consultancy report. The Old Low Light building has been converted into a heritage centre, which opened in 2015.

Text courtesy of North Shields Fish Quay - Wikipedia.

5th September 2023

Fiddlers Green Sculpture.

Fiddler's Green is a memorial which was erected to the memory of those Fishermen who have lost their lives at sea, particularly those who have sailed beyond the piers of the River Tyne. The memorial is a metal sculpture which depicts a Fisherman sitting on a bollard reflecting in thought.

Tyne Street Works.

Union Quay, Irvin Building.

Offices, sale room, chandlers shop, workshops and warehouse of Richard Irvin and Sons. 1913. Red brick with ashlar dressings; slate roof to range on right, flat roof to steel-framed or reinforced concrete range to left.

Two storey office range to right has bay windows and central window all with stone mullions. Swags carved in band above ground floor openings. Carved brackets to cornice. Pilasters with pyramidal finials to shop window. Warehouse range is four storeys with three arched openings and arched windows.

Interior - timber and cast iron columns. Timber floors said to have marks where the nets were pinned out for repair. Reported to have oak panelling in range to the right.

Grade 2 Listed. Source: Sitelines

Vita House.

Typical of the Fish Quay's late nineteenth century architecture. Vita House is a two storey, east-west range of purpose-built fish stores off Union Road. It retains original ground floor openings (now with roller shutters), a Welsh slate roof and an unaltered rear elevation. The south elevation has a overhanging gallery at first floor and a large square hanging clock projecting from the south-west corner at eaves level.

Source: Sitelines

Dock Master's House.

Small L-shaped building of two storeys in red machine-made brick with lintels, sills and banding in sandstone and white brick. The house was probably begun after 1861 and finished by 1896, although two builds are evident, the earliest to the north.

There is a bay window at the north-west with a clock face by Gents of Leicester above it. The roof is Welsh slate with decorative clay ridge-tiles and several large chimneys. Windows are single pane sashes. The building is described in the Clifford's Fort Conservation Plan as "an esoteric mix of Victorian Gothic and Italianate". It is reminiscent of railway architecture. The architect is unknown.

Source: Sitelines

Brewery Bank, Low Lights Tavern.

House, now public house. Late eighteenth century. Painted render; clay tile roof with brick chimney. Two storeys. Central 4-panel double door in doorcase of Tuscan pilasters, frieze and hood. Two sash windows on first floor. All windows recessed.

Grade 2 Listed. Source: Sitelines

Union Road/Brewhouse Bank Ruins.

I think this was the Shields Ice and Cold Storage Company, set up around 1901, to provide an ice factory for fishing trawlers and fish salesmen.

No. 5 Brewhouse Bank, Edwards Architecture.

Brewhouse Bank.

Tanner's Bank, Old Maltings.

A brewery is shown at the northern end of the town on Woods map of 1827. This building is labelled as a 'Malt Kiln' on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map map. It was probably a malt house, associated with the nearby brewery, where the barley was converted into malt for brewing by being spread on floors and left to germinate, regularly turned and raked. When signs of germination appeared, the grains were dried in a kiln which halted further growth and produced malt .Before the malted barley could be used, it was crushed in a malt mill, turning it into grist for the mash tun.

There may not have been a malt mill on part of this complex, it may have been carried out elsewhere. Carr Ormeston and Carr were brewers at Brewery Bank in 1876-7 and Maltsters at Low Lights. A plan of 1892 identifies the Old Maltings as part of their premises. A late 18th century/early19th century sandstone former maltings building, later used as a smoke house. Now workshops

Coursed squared sandstone with ashlar dressings and quoins; brick wing and returns. Welsh slate roof. 3 storeys and basement.

Grade 2 Listed. Source: Sitelines