Tynemouth
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- ''This article concerns itself with the village. For the Parliament constituency of the same name, see Tynemouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Tynemouth was a settlement from Iron Age times and the headland was easily defended. The queens of Edward I and Edward II preferred to stay in the medieval castle there while their husbands were campaigning in Scotland. King Edward III considered it to be one of the strongest castles in the Northern Marches. After Bannockburn in 1314, Edward II fled from Tynemouth by ship.
A 7 metre statue of Lord Collingwood, born in Newcastle, who was the first British commander to open fire at Trafalgar before breaking the French line, looks out over the mouth of the Tyne - a view encompassing both neighbouring North and South Shields. Collingwood took command of the Battle of Trafalgar upon the death of Admiral Nelson. The base of the monument features cannon from his ship, 'Royal Sovereign'. These are the only Trafalgar guns extant, aside from those on H.M.S. Victory.
Tynemouth was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1849 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835. The county borough covered the whole area east of Wallsend and south of Whitley Bay, including the less historic but more economically significant town of North Shields as well as smaller villages such as New York and Cullercoats. However, postally the whole area is North Shields. Today all of these places form one built-up area and Tynemouth is considered the wealthy, upmarket suburb of North Shields. It covers the area east of Northumberland Park and south of Beach Road.
Before the construction of the great piers (1854-95) at the river mouth, the notorious Black Midden reef was claiming victims just below this spot. This led to the formation of the first Volunteer Life Brigade in the country. The Volunteer Life Brigade Museum based in the Watch House high on the cliff top overlooking the sea is fascinating. It has an eery atmosphere and a collection of strange artefacts relating to ship wrecks and the sea.
Tynemouth beaches
Tynemouth is popular locally for its beaches. Longsands is wide and sandy, with rolling surf. It has become a well known surfing beach, and has hosted international surfing competitions. King Edward's Bay is a smaller, more secluded beach next to the priory. The beaches and sea views have always attracted visitors, including Lewis Carroll in 1855, William Bell Scott, Algernon Swinburne and Dante Gabriel Rossetti in 1862, when Swinburne declaimed his poems to the waves, and Charles Dickens who was knocked flat by a wave and soaked in 1867.
Things to do in Tynemouth
Places to visit
Tynemouth Castle and Priory on the seafront are open to visitors during the summer months and there are occasional special events held within the castle grounds, such as falconry displays.
The Blue Reef Aquarium [link] is located on the seafront above Longsands beach. It bills itself as the ultimate undersea safari. It is open daily from 10 am. It also has a visitor cafe and gift shop.
The Toy Museum is situated next to the Plaza Tandori restaurant above Longsands Beach
Theatre
Tynemouth Priory Theatre[link] is a small venue on Percy Street. The Tynemouth Priory theatre club was formed in 1946 and moved to its current location in 1970. They have 6 productions each year.
Outdoor activities
Tynemouth is the endpoint for the 140 mile long Sea to Sea Cycle Route [link](C2C) from Whitehaven or Workington in Cumbria.
There is a well kept bowling green and park above Longsands beach. There is also a duck pond used by model boat enthusiasts and pedal boats may be available for hire in the summer.
Longsands is a popular surfing and windsurfing location thanks to the rolling surf coming in from the North Sea.
[Tynemouth Surf Co] is situated above the beach and provides equipment and accessories as well as surf tuition and information. There is another surf shop on front street.
The Deep Blue Diving Centre [link]is located on Front Street through which accredited diving instruction and trips may be organised.
Tynemouth Sailing Club [link]is based in Priors cove between the Priory and the pier. There is a small clubhouse here, and dingy sailing seems to be the main activity.
Pubs
There are several pubs and bars worth a visit. The publife in Tynemouth is quieter compared to nearby Whitley Bay, but is a popular evening destination, especially on Sunday evenings. The pub with most character is probably the famous Turks Head Hotel opposite the Priory. It is also known locally as the "Stuffed Dog" due to the one kept on permanent display in a glass case. The Salutation Inn on Front Street is an old coaching inn that has been modernised. The Cumberland Arms has a good selection of real ale. It appears to be a small traditional pub, but has been deceptively extended out to the rear. The Percy Arms is a noisy, extensively modernised pub and is a good place to watch sport on TV. Fitzpatrick's on Front Street looks like a quaint old pub from outside, however the gloomy interior and sticky carpets are probably best left to the hardcore local drinkers.
There are a couple of bars which are aiming for a more sophisticated atmosphere, these are The Blue Lounge and next door is the smaller Barca. Sammy Jacks on Front Street is a well established, popular bar, especially on Sunday evenings.
Newly opened is the Priory Bar. Formerly a restaurant, this small bar is on the first floor of the old Gibraltar Rock pub next to the Priory. It has a spectacular view of the sea and cliffs in King Edwards bay.
Live music
There is no regular live music scene to speak of in Tynemouth. The Grand Hotel and the Park Hotel sometimes have live jazz music. The closest regular live music venues are probably The Wooden Doll and The Porthole public houses in North Shields.
The Priory occasionally hosts music events.
Eating out
There is a surprisingly wide range of options for eating out in Tynemouth, these attracts many visitors from the wider area.
The most upmarket restaurant in Tynemouth is Sydney's, on the corner of Front Street and Percy Park Street. It has a good value set menu at lunchtime. As it is a comparatively small place you would need to book a table for an evening meal.
77 Front Street below Sammy Jacks bar is a popular Chinese restaurant with a good reputation.
The Gate of India, is situated on Front Street opposite the Priory. It is a busy and popular Indian Restaurant. The kitchen will also provide food to takeaway. Next to the surf shop above Longsands beach you will also find the Plaza Tandori. This is Bangledeshi restaurant with a cavenous interior.
There are three Italian Restaurants in Tynemouth. Il Forno (previously called Garibaldi's) is the most upmarket of these and is located in a converted part of Tynemouth Metro station. Sonny's is a Italian restaurant located above the Percy Arms pub. Giorgio's is a pizzaria style place on Front street. There is also another Italian restaurant called Sambuca a short walk away on the North Shields' Fish Quay. This is a very small and very popular place, so booking a table well in advance is essential. It doesn't accept credit cards or cheques.
The Salutation Inn pub on Front Street is a good place for bar meals.
There are several cafes on Tynemouth's Front Street. The Lovat Guest House features a small tearoom, serving sandwiches and snacks. At the back it has an attractive walled garden to sit in. The Priory Cafe, opposite the Post Office on Percy Park Road, offers standard British cafe fare. Longsands Cafe (also known as the Clocktower Cafe) is at the bowling green above Longsands. It has a view of the sea, and is a good place to have roast dinners at Sunday lunchtime. Cafe C is situated on the beach below the Grand Hotel. Popular with surfers, it has a great location and offers standard cafe food.
The Gibraltar Rock is an old pub next to the Priory which is now a "Carvery" style restaurant serving Sunday Lunch style roast dinners.
Marshall's Fish & Chip Restaurant and Takeaway on Front Street is regarded as one of the best fish & chip shops in the region. However it closes in the early evening.
Shopping
There is a market every Sunday morning at Tynemouth's Metro station. Well worth a look, this is very popular in the wider area with many people traveling there by Metro. You can find a good selection of stalls for things like crafts, and collectable items such as militaria, books and antiques. A farmers market is also held there once a month on a Saturday.
The Land of Green Ginger is a collection of small craft and specialist shops in a converted church on Front Street.
There is a small delicatessen at 61 Hotspur Street called the deli around the corner. It promotes local Northumbrian food, and also sells sandwiches and pies.
Notable Tynemouth residents
Harriet Martineau, Novelist and journalist, lived at 57 Front Street 1840-45. Her eminent visitors included Richard Cobden and Thomas Carlyle.
Sam Lamiroy, a British surfing champion.
Many of the books of prize-winning children's author Robert Westall are set in Tynemouth.
Tynemouth festivals
Fish Quay Festival
Each year, Tynemouth and nearby North Shields play host to the Fish Quay Festival, which includes art, local and international music, street celebrations and a carnival-style event. This also includes a fireworks display with Tynemouth Castle as the preferred backdrop. Due to extensive regeneration work the festival will not take place in 2006.
Mouth of Tyne Festival
Starting in 2005 and continuing annually, the Mouth Of Tyne Festival (also known as the MOTFest) expands upon the Fish Quay Festival. It is staged in Tynemouth and South Shields on the opposite bank of the Tyne. To cope with the cancellation of the Fish Quay festival, 2006's [MOTFest] will include live world music, cultural performances, processions and a pyrotechnic show, as well as art displays.
2005's MOTFest will be held between July 15-17 at venues in and around Tynemouth and South Shields.
Tynemouth Pageant
[Tynemouth Pageant] is a community organisation in North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England, devoted to staging an open-air dramatic pageant every three years in the grounds of Tynemouth Castle and Priory, by kind permission of English Heritage who run the historic monastic and defensive site at the mouth of the River Tyne.
Also of interest
- The 80's television series Super Gran was set in Tynemouth and the flying bicycle and other artefacts used in filming can be seen on permanent display in the Land of Green Ginger.
- Much of the 2004/5 BBC television series 55 Degrees North, starring Don Gilet and Dervla Kirwan was filmed in and around Tynemouth, including the location of Nicky and Errol's houses.
Metro
{| class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="4" style="margin: 0 auto; border-collapse: collapse; text-align: center;"
|- style="background: #F0F0F0;"
! Preceding station
! colspan="3" |
Tyne and Wear Metro Lines! Following station |- style="text-align: center;" | Cullercoats | style="background:#FFFF33;" | | Yellow line | style="background:#FFFF33;" | | North Shields
External links
- *[Map sources] for Tynemouth
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