Killingworth
Encyclopedia : K : KI : KIL : Killingworth
- See also Killingworth, Connecticut or Killingworth Village
- redirect
Distances & Commuting from Killingworth
- Newcastle Upon Tyne - 5.5 miles
- Newcastle International Airport - 5.5 miles
- Tyne Tunnel - 5 miles
- North Shields Ferry Port - 5.5 miles
- Gateshead Metro Centre - 11 miles
- Tees-side - 42 miles
- Berwick Upon Tweed - 59 miles
- Lake District - 80 miles
- Edinburgh - 102 miles
- London - 278 miles
- Killingworth Cordinates - Latitude 55.033384N Longitude -1.567869
Killingworth is very central for commuting and is only 5.29 miles from Newcastle Upon Tyne which can be reached by Car, Bus, Taxi or via The Metro Train or Cycle. There is an Express Bus which only boards passengers within Killingworth and West Moor and then does not stop again until it reaches Newcastle Upon Tyne where the passengers can then disembark and takes approx 15-30mins journey time. There are a number of cycle paths marked out from Killingworth to Newcastle and surrounding areas.
Newcastle International Airport is within easy commuting distance and can be reached by Bus and transfer onto the Metro Train which travels directly into the Airport Terminal, or by Taxi or Car.
Killingworth is very close to the main A1 and the A19 for easy commute to the North and South of England and is only 50 miles from the Borders of Scotland. The North Sea is within 5 miles of Killingworth and can be easily accessed through a country lane through Seghill, into Seaton Deleval passing the very scenic Seaton Deleval Hall and onto Seaton Sluice where Blyth, Whitley Bay and Tynemouth are all on the coastal roadway which is very picturesque.
History of Killingworth
Killingworth Township is a "New Town" which was started in 1963, and was built originally for 20,000 people, it was a former mining community and was formed on 760 acres of derelict colliery land, it was undertaken by Northumberland County Council and was not a New Town sponsored by the Government. It was assigned "New Town" status in the 1960s in a similar fashion to the nearby town of Cramlington. Unlike that town, Killingworth's planners adopted a radical approach to town centre design, resulting in a development of relatively high-rise buildings in an avant-garde and brutalist style, and won awards for architecture, dynamic industry and attractive environment. This new town centre consisted of pre-cast concrete houses, 5 to 10 storey flats, office and service buildings, shops, and car parks, interconnected by ramps and walkways which made up a deck system of access to shopping and other facilities and was constructed on the Swedish Skarne method of construction. However, the walkways become dangerous and have now been demolished.
Killingworth in the early 1960s was originally called Killingworth Township, but after 40 years the Township was dropped and everyone calls it Killingworth or Killy.
At a very early stage in the reclamation of the derelict pit sites a 15 acre lake south of the Town Centre was created in approx. 1964, spoil heeps were levelled, seeded and planted with semi-mature trees. Today Swans, Ducks and local wildlife all live in around the 2 lakes which span the main road into Killingworth. The lake is kept well stocked with fish and there is an Angling Club, and Model Boating Club which use the lakes regularly.
Killingworth originally consisted of Local Authority Houses, Angus Close were the first houses to be built and were named first, followed by the Garth's which all had a number attached e.g. Garth Four, Garth Six, Garth Seven, Garth Nine, Etc. Through the years the Garth's grew in size and were built on West Bailey and East Bailey. The houses in the Garths were built of concrete and had flat roofs, and in approximately 1995 The Local Housing Association modernised the Garth's situated on West Bailey adding pitched roofs to the flat roofed homes, renewing fencing and building new brick sheds, relocating roads and pathways, along with this they removed the Garth names and replaced them with names of lakes, birds and trees. Many of the Local Authority Homes have been purchased by the Tenants whom some still reside in the houses that were built new in the 1960s.
Killingworth has grown hugely since the early 1960s with the addition of new Privately Owned Homes, Highfields Estate was built in the 1970's and was named after battles e.g. Flodden, Agincourt, Stamford, Culloden Etc. Agincourt was used in the filming of Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? and was Thelma and Bob's Home and was shown in many episodes. Lakeshore Estate was built also in the 1970's and was built on the edge of the large lakeshore thus the name Lakeshore Estate.
Killingworth flats or Killingworth Towers were built in the 1970's and were local authority tenanted flats, they were constructed of dark grey concrete blocks, and were named Bamburgh Tower, Keilder Tower Etc, they were very large storey blocks of flats with integrated walkways and alleys. They were demolished in the 1980s and 2 new estates of privately owned homes were built by Cussins Homes and Barratt Homes.
Town Centre
The original shops built in the 1960's comprised of 2 shops Moores and a small confectionery shop and were sited between Garth Six and Angus Close and next door to the West House Public House, but the shops were demolished in the 1970s.
The original town centre was built in the 1960s and was opened by the Boxer Henry Cooper, who declared the centre open whilst standing on the steps of the Puffin Billy Public House, the Shopping Centre comprised of Woolco Department Store, Dewhurst Butchers, Greggs, Newsagents, Etc, but it was demolished in the 1970s and 1980s. Woolco was a large Department Store which sold everything from groceries to car parts and even incorporated a Tyre Service Bay and was the main centre of Killingworth. Many of the local people whom worked in Woolco now work in the new Morrisons Shopping Centre which was built in the early 2000's.
The Morrisons Centre is a relatively new shopping mall and contains Morrisons Supermarket, Card Shop, Newsagent, Hairstylist, Thorntons, Chemist, Peacocks, Job Centre Plus Office, Bowes Mitchell Estate Agents, Travel Agent, Wilkinsons, Shoe Shop, Catalogue Bargain Shop, Peters Bakery, Opticians, Matalan, Photographic Shop, Bookmakers, DVD Hire\Sales, and there is also a McDonalds.
Raised above the car park is the Killingworth Health Centre which has Doctors, Dentists, and Chemist.
The Swan Centre is a large white building within the Town Centre and was originally Merz and McLennans Building it was built in the 1960s and had 100,000 square feet of office space, it was constructed by Northumberland County Council, and it employed 600 professional and clerical people. The building towered over Killingworth and could be seen for miles around, over the years the office space became vacant and the building was reduced in height, remodernised, reopened and renamed as "The Swan Centre". It incorporates the Killingworth Library, North Tyneside Council Rent and Rates Office, Education Centre, Coffee Shop, Fitness Centre, and Conference Rooms.
Public Houses and Working Mens Social Club
Killingworth has 2 public houses - The West House and The Station.
The West House was rebuilt from a derelict farmhouse and barn, originally known as the West House Inn, built in the style of an old Northumberland Inn.
The Station public house was originally next to the Killingworth Railway Station, but the railway station was demolished some years ago, although the railway crossing and public house still remain.
Killingworth Working Mens Social Club is next to the Town Centre and used to be a large hub of entertainment in the 1970s and some good turns have entertained there over the years.
Killingworth Village - Old Killingworth has also 2 public houses - The Killingworth Arms and The Plough.
George Stephenson - Dial Cottage
George Stephenson became an assistant to his father and later followed in his footsteps to become the engineman at Killingworth colliery. It was here that Stephenson developed one of the earliest locomotives called the Blucher which ran on the Killingworth colliery railway in 1814. It was capable of pulling 30 tons up a grade at 4 miles per hour. His design was the first to successfully use flanged wheels running on rails. He also convinced the mine manager to experiment with steam locomotion, and over the next several years Stephenson had built a further 16 engines at Killingworth.
Whilst developing the Blucher George Stephenson lived in a cottage which is named "Dial Cottage" and is situate on Great Lime Road which is on the borders of Killingworth, West Moor and Forest Hall and the cottage still stands to this date, the cottage has a sun dial and a plaque above the door which reads "George Stephenson engineer. Inventor of the Locomotive Engine lived in this cottage from (1805 to 1823), his first locomotive (Blucher) was built at the adjacent colliery wagon shops, and on July 25th 1814 was placed on the wagonway which crosses the road at the east end of this cottage".
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