Photographs Of Newcastle

Built in various stages through the nineteenth century, Jesmond Towers is a large Grade II listed gothic-looking building. It was bought by Shipbuilder Charles Mitchell in 1869. Charles and his wife Anne, who he married in 1854, made the house their home. The lounge was home to many great paintings which were collected by their son who was great art enthusiast.

In 1890 Anne's sister, Emily, who was in a state of depression following the death of her husband, threw herself from the battlements of Jesmond Towers and is said to haunt the school to this very day: she is referred to as the Pink Lady.

Following Anne Mitchell's death in 1899, Jesmond Towers was inherited by her son Charles William Mitchell until his death in 1903( see details of occupants in 1901 Census). Following his death the Mitchell family home soon became Pallinburn, formerley the Askew family residence near Ford,Northumberland and Jesmond Towers was sold to become La Sagesse School in 1912.

In March 2008 the school announced that it would close on March 2009.

The school had continued to rent the building and the surrounding land from the Daughters of Wisdom who had trebled the rent. The school had faced increasing competition from other local public schools (e.g. the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle, becoming fully co-educational) meant the school only had approximately two hundred pupils when it closed.

Shepherd Offshore acquired the Jesmond Towers Estate in March 2009, following the closure and announced plans to build luxury houses on the site which upset residents who objected to the plans for the site.

In 2009 the BBC used the building as the new set for the Dumping Ground in the children's television series, Tracy Beaker Returns.

Description courtesy of Wikipedia.