The old township of Benwell, in Northumberland until 1904, included the village of Scotswood in the south west corner where it bordered with East Denton. The name Scotswood probably dates from 1367 when Richard, son of John Scott, obtained permission to enclose the west ward in Benwell which belonged to him.
Scotswood grew during the industrial revolution and provided labour for the huge Vickers/Armstrong military engineering group. The Scotswood Road, which Vickers Armstrong used to dominate, is a main route along the Tyne and is mentioned in the song "Blaydon Races".
Benwell, Scotswood and Elswick were the sites of a number of coalmines. The Montague Colliery Disaster occurred on 30 March 1925 and was caused by an inrush of water from the nearby Paradise Pit resulting in the loss of 38 lives. A memorial to the victims stands in Elswick / St. John's Cemetery.
Scotswood, like a many of the areas along the Tyne, has suffered a terrible decline in the last 30 years or so due to the death of industries causing large scale unemployment and anti-social behaviour. The area has also been the subject of many "regeneration schemes" over the years and it seems a new scheme is about to start.
My first wander around Scotswood was in 2006 and the area was in a terrible rundown state. When I re-visited in 2010 I was suprised at how much of the area has been demolished and the few remaining streets looked very tidy and quiet, not the picture of Scotswood that the media continuously portray. Large parts of the area are now what I call ghost streets after the demolition of whole streets of houses but the roads remain and it gives quite a sad, strange effect.
Thanks to Yvonne Young for the history of Scotswood.
27th December 2018
The Rise housing estate.
Rowing boats on the river Tyne.
23rd July 2015
The Rise
Construction of a new housing estate between Whitehouse Road and Armstrong Road.
Armstrong Road.
Armstrong Road, the old Scotswood Library.
Scotswood Bridge.
Old Railway Station area.
Armstrong Road, St Margaret's Church.
Shafto Street.
Parmontley Street.
Ouston Street.
Heighley Street.
Whitfield Road.
The old Scotswood Railway Bridge over the Tyne.
Looking down to the A1 Bridge over the Tyne.
Looking east towards The Rise, a new housing estate.
30th June 2014
Panoramic photo taken from Gateshead.
5th March 2014
Panoramic photo taken from Gateshead.
Scotswood Road.
16th August 2013
River Tyne.
Taken from Scotswood Bridge.
Whitfield Road.
River Tyne.
Taken from Scotswood Bridge.
22nd June 2012
Scotswood Montagu Pit Disaster Memorial.
The Montague Colliery Disaster occurred on 30 March 1925 and was caused by an inrush of water from the nearby Paradise Pit resulting in the loss of 38 lives.
19th November 2010
The few remaining shops on Armstrong Road.
Haig Crescent in the background.
The Pink Palace.
Looking up Woodstock Road.
Armstrong Road.
The latest regeneration scheme just north of Scotswood Bridge.
Parmontley Street, I think.
St Margaret's Parish Church, Scotswood.
The old Scotswood Library.
Whitfield Road.
Parmontley Street with the old Scotswood railway bridge in the distance.
Back lane of Parmontley Street and Shafto Street.
Shafto Street.
Looking down Broadmead Way.
Looking up Broadmead Way with Woodstock Road to the left and right.
Abercorn Road from Broadmead Way.
Abercorn Road from Broadmead Way.
The northern end of Broadmead Way.
Ghost street - Nutley Place looking south across Langham Road.
Armstrong Road looking south with Shafto Street on the right.
25th April 2009
Vickers on Scotswood Road.
26th January 2009
Denton Road looking up towards Whitfield Road.
Denton Road - Excelsior School in the background.
Denton Road, The old Sporting Arms pub.
Denton Road looking south towards Scotswood Bridge.
26th January 2006
Armstrong Road.
Shafto Street, I think.
Possibly Roberts Street but I'm not sure.
Whitfield Road and possibly Shafto Street.
Staying Here.
This short-documentary is the product of a close collaboration with residents of the area of Scotswood, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Over the last 10 years the area has been the subject of a series of radical regeneration schemes, which involved mass demolition and clearances of many of its neighborhoods. This film looks at the landscape and the people of Scotswood today, and their efforts to be involved in the regeneration process.
More Information:
- Timmonet - Scotswood
- Co-Curate - Scotswood
- Co-Curate - Scotswood Timeline
- St James' Heritage and Environment Group - Scotswood through the Years in Maps and Pictures. Direct link to PDF file.
- West Newcastle Picture History Collection
- Wikipedia - Benwell and Scotswood
- Scotswood Garden
- YouTube - The Pink Palace
- YouTube - In Between. A short film about the community in Scotswood.
Montagu Pit Disaster:
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Montague Colliery, View Pit
- Sitelines - East Denton to Scotswood (Montague Main) Waggonway
- Monument to the Montagu View Pit Disaster on my St Johns Cemetery page.
- Durham Miners Museum has a description of the tragedy and a list of the deceased.
- Chronicle Live - Pitmen and pony statue represent hope for Scotswood
- Chronicle Live - Families share their memories of pit disaster
- Chronicle Live - Montagu pit disaster: How 38 men and boys died in a Tyneside tragedy
- Northern Mine Research Society - Montague Colliery Inrush 1925
- BBC - Garden marks pit deaths tragedy
Historical Interest:
- Culture 24 - The Next Train & Granny's Roots In Scotswood Road
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Dock
- Sitelines - Scotswood House
- Sitelines - Scotswood Tower
- Sitelines - Scotswood, park
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Pillbox and another Sitelines - Scotswood, Pillbox
- Sitelines - Scotswood, WW2 Roadblock
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Whitehouse Road, barrage balloon site
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Armstrong Road, war memorial
- Amber Online - Scotswood Road by Jimmy Forsyth
- Culture 24 - Scotswood Road Pubs
Past and present religious sites:
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Bridge Crecent, St. Margaret's Mission Church
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Delaval Road, City Mission Room
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Chapel Terrace, Scotswood Methodist Chapel
Past and present industrial sites:
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Enamelling and Glazing Works/Adamsez Works
- Sitelines - Scotswood Paper Mills and Sitelines - Scotswood, Paper Mill
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Artificial Manure Works
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Lampblack Manufactory
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Pumping Engine
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Quarry
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Paradise Cement Works
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Montague Fire Brick Works/Bensons Yard
- Sitelines - Delaval Firebrick Works
- Sitelines - Scotswood Road, Vickers Armament Factory
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Sir W G Armstrong's Elswick Shipbuilding Yard
Historic public houses/breweries:
- Sitelines - Scotswood Road, Ord Arms
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Ord Arms Inn
- Sitelines - Scotswood Road, Delaval Arms Public House
- Sitelines - Scotswood Road, Robin Adair Public House
- Sitelines - Scotswood Road, Boat House Inn
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Denton Road, Grace Darling Public House
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Prospect Terrace, The Masons' Arms Public House
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Denton Road, Sporting Arms Public House
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Chapel Terrace, Rose and Crown Public House
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Chapel Terrace, Alma Inn Public House
Collieries:
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Bakers Main Pit
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Kitty's Drift
- Sitelines - Scotswood Colliery
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Delaval Colliery
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Drift Mine
Scotswood Station:
- Disused Stations: Scotswood Station
- Sitelines - Scotswood Station
- Sitelines - Scotswood, tunnels under Newburn and Wylam Railway
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Harold Street, underbridge
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Station Approach, underbridge
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Station Approach, roadway
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Station Approach, steps
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Shafto Street, railway tunnel
- Sitelines - Scotswood, Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, retaining wall
- Sitelines - Scotswood, goods shed
See my other photos around Scotswood:
12 comments:
Great coverage and new photos.
Thanks for putting a link to my blog.
Remembering the West End in Wartime will be on at 1.00 Monday 15th Nov at West End Library, Condercum Road. Films, objects and memories of life and work during the Second World War. people will be encouraged to share their memories.
If your about call in.
Keep up the good work kidda
Yvonne
Thanks.
Sounds interesting, I'll try and make it along.
I was born in Elswick and lived in Benwell before relocating south at an early age. I returned 'home' to go to university and spent a year living at 638 Armstrong road - long gone due to an arson attack- the photos bring it all back. We loved our year in Scotswood. The Sporting Arms was our local and we never had any bother. In fact everyone looked out for you. Hard times followed after the loss of yet more heavy industry in the 1980s and the place became a no-go area. I has shocked when I went back in 1992 and it looks worse today. I was never brave enough to have a drink in the Bobby Shafto - had a reputation as a pub full of bone heads! Great pictures and great memories of all who made us so welcome.
Thanks, Ken.
What a shame that a place with such a rich industrial heritage, but with the feel of a village, has ended up like this. Let`s hope the locals end up with a say in what is built there now.
I spent my childhood growing up on woodstock road in the 90's and early 00's by far the best days of my life. Since they pulled down all the houses in that street i have never ever felt part of another community like i did back then. Everybody knew one and other and got along, neighbours were propper neighbours. You could depend on any single one of them if you ever needed to. Shame i cant say the same for any other street ive ever lived in since. Im now grown up with a child of my own and cant express how much i would love to bring up my boy in an enviroment with such a sense of community and good spirit. Sad thing is, i know that is most probably never going to happen. People just arent like they used to be. Sad but true.
I was born in Pretoria st in 1945 and grew up there happy memories as a child and teenager. Shame it has all gone
Dave saul
Its been 20 years and there's still no finished plan half built houses its like living in middle of nowhere no local shops you have to walk 20/40 mins to get to a shop disgraceful it is
There's a photo taken on Broadmead on the corner of Langham. I lived at no 6, slightly further down as the grass on the immediate left would've been a plantation then my house. I loved Scotswood, grew up there going to Denton Rd School. Used to love the sportsy in the summer holidays, the bands going along Woodstock then parading at Scotswood Sports Centre. Swimming baths on a Saturday morning being 10p a session. Used to have movie days at 'The Hut' which was right next to the Dene. Always remember Ali's shop on the corner of Woodstock and a yellow electric board van a few doors away and a really old car with a spare wheel on the back we always thought it was a Transformer because of the massive wheel arches and the long bonnet that opened from the sides. Loved my Scotswood days, great memories and lots of happiness!
n
My dad used to live down langham Road, I’ve been trying to find pictures and information about the place but it’s so hard to find.I know the house has now been demolished but would like to see what it was like back in the early days
Try looking here if no readers of this site can help you https://www.flickr.com/photos/wnphc/
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