Photographs By Area

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Scotswood

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




Scotswood Bridge.









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:
Montagu Pit Disaster:
Historical Interest:
Past and present religious sites:
Past and present industrial sites:
Historic public houses/breweries:
Collieries:
Scotswood Station:
See my other photos around Scotswood:

12 comments:

  1. Yvonne Young14 November 2010 at 11:48

    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

    ReplyDelete
  2. Newcastle Photos14 November 2010 at 11:59

    Thanks.

    Sounds interesting, I'll try and make it along.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ken20 January 2011 at 11:51

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Newcastle Photos28 January 2011 at 07:38

    Thanks, Ken.

    ReplyDelete
  5. DougalGeorge30 March 2011 at 19:50

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous7 January 2013 at 01:03

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Unknown22 July 2019 at 16:19

    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

    ReplyDelete
  8. Unknown14 September 2019 at 12:11

    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

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous31 March 2021 at 03:42

    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!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous11 February 2022 at 19:37

    n

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous4 August 2024 at 22:25

    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

    ReplyDelete
  12. Newcastle Photos6 August 2024 at 06:23

    Try looking here if no readers of this site can help you https://www.flickr.com/photos/wnphc/

    ReplyDelete