Meadow Well, also known as Meadowell or the Ridges, is a district of North Shields, North East England. Historically in Northumberland, it is now part of the Tyne and Wear Metropolitan county. The population in 2016 was approximately 11,000. [1]
The council estate was constructed in the 1930s to house residents that were displaced by the clearance of the Dockwray Square and Low Town slum areas. [2] These flats were replaced with better quality homes in the 1960s and 70s. [3] Meadow Well was formerly known as the Ridges Estate – a name occasionally used today – since it was built on the site of the Ridges Farm. The name Meadow Well is derived from a well situated meadow upon which the estate was built.
On Monday, 9 September 1991, Meadow Well was featured heavily in the news across the UK as riots broke out following the death of two youths. The riots resulted in large parts of the Meadow Well estate being burned down, including residences, shops, electricity sub-stations, a community centre and a health centre. Today the area has been regenerated, with much of the original Meadow Well estate having been demolished and redeveloped. The riots spread to Benwell, Scotswood, and Elswick in Newcastle upon Tyne, and Pennywell in Sunderland on 12 September. Today the stigma still remains over the Meadow Well estate, even after redevelopment and regeneration. [4]
Meadow Well Metro station is on the yellow line of the Tyne and Wear Metro. It was originally named Smith's Park. The station was purpose built for the Metro and opened on 14 November 1982.
After the redevelopment of the Meadow Well and Royal Quays areas, the station was reopened on 10 October 1994 with the name Meadow Well Metro Station.
There are three Primary Schools which service the area. These include St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Primary School, [5] Riverside Community Primary School and Nursery [6] and Waterville Primary School. [7] Norham High School, providing secondary education, is located to the north west.
The estate is around a mile west of the centre of North Shields. Percy Main borders Meadow Well to the south. The hamlet of East Howdon is to the south west.
The Royal Quays Outlet Centre and Northumbrian Water's treatment works lie between the village and the River Tyne.
Wallsend is a town in North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England, at the eastern end of Hadrian's Wall. It has a population of 43,842 and lies 4 miles east of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Gateshead is a town in the Gateshead Metropolitan Borough of Tyne and Wear, England. It is on the River Tyne's southern bank. The town's attractions include the twenty metre tall Angel of the North sculpture on the town's southern outskirts, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. The town shares the Millennium Bridge, Tyne Bridge and multiple other bridges with Newcastle upon Tyne.
South Tyneside is a metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear, England.
North Tyneside is a metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear, England. It forms part of the greater Tyneside conurbation. North Tyneside Council is headquartered at Cobalt Park, Wallsend.
South Shields is a coastal town in South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England; it is on the south bank of the mouth of the River Tyne. The town was once known in Roman times as Arbeia and as Caer Urfa by the Early Middle Ages. It is the fourth largest settlement in Tyne and Wear, after Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland and Gateshead.
North Shields is a town in the Borough of North Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, England. It is 8 miles (13 km) north-east of Newcastle upon Tyne and borders nearby Wallsend and Tynemouth.
North Shields Fish Quay is a fishing port located close to the mouth of the River Tyne, in North Shields, Tyne and Wear, North East England, 8 miles (13 km) east of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne.
The Meadow Well riots were a series of riots that took place during September 1991, starting on the Meadow Well council estate in North Shields, east of Newcastle, England, in response to a police enquiry, specifically regarding youths. The riots subsequently spread as far as Benwell, Scotswood, and Elswick in Newcastle upon Tyne, and Pennywell in Sunderland. They are regarded as some of the worst riots in British history.
Meadow Well is a Tyne and Wear Metro station, serving the suburbs of Chirton and Meadow Well, North Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, England. It joined the network as Smith's Park on 14 November 1982, following the opening of the fourth phase of the network, between Tynemouth and St James via Wallsend.
Longbenton is a district of North Tyneside, England. It is largely occupied by an extensive estate originally built as municipal housing by Newcastle City Council in the 1930s and extended in the 1950s. It is served by the Tyne and Wear Metro stations Longbenton Metro station and Four Lane Ends Metro Station. Nearby places are Killingworth, Forest Hall, Four Lane Ends, West Moor, Heaton and South Gosforth, in Newcastle upon Tyne. The Longbenton and Killingworth Urban Area had a population of 34,878 in 2001. This figure increased to 37,070 in 2011.
Byker is a district in the east of the city and metropolitan borough of Newcastle upon Tyne, in the county of Tyne and Wear, England. Home to the Byker Wall estate, made famous by TV series Byker Grove, Byker's population was recorded at 12,206 in the 2011 census. Byker is bordered by Heaton to the north and by Shieldfield to the north east. Until 1974 it was in Northumberland.
Shiremoor is a village in Tyne and Wear, Northern England. It is in the Metropolitan Borough of North Tyneside and formerly governed under Northumberland. In the 2011 census, it was included in the Tynemouth area of Tyneside. It is near the North East Green Belt, which surrounds Tyneside, Wearside and Durham. It is located around 3+1⁄2 miles from Whitley Bay.
Royal Quays is an area of North Shields, North Tyneside, England, beside the River Tyne.
Howdon is a largely residential area in the eastern part of Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, England. It consists of High Howdon and the smaller settlement of East Howdon. Much of the High Howdon area was formerly called Willington prior to post-World War II urbanisation. The North Tyneside ward population at the 2011 Census was 11,129.
Willington Quay is an area in the borough of North Tyneside in Tyne and Wear in northern England. It is on the north bank of the River Tyne, facing Jarrow, and between Wallsend and North Shields. It is served by the Howdon Metro station in Howdon. The area from 2006 onwards has been an area of new housing built on brownfield sites. The house building continues into 2013 and is changing the social and economic balance in the area. The area has also had a make over of the bowling green off Howdon Lane and further warehousing next to the bowling green has been demolished to make way for further new housing. The changes made recently at Willington Quay are now making it an attractive place to live within North Tyneside.
Benton is an area of North Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, England. It is 4 miles (6 km) to the north east of Newcastle upon Tyne. The parish of St Bartholomew, Longbenton, is within the North Tyneside district. The population of the North Tyneside Ward taken at the Census 2011 was 10,359. The area is contiguous with the suburbs of Newcastle.
Newcastle City Centre is the city centre district of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the historical heart of the city and serves as the main cultural and commercial centre of the North East England region. The city centre forms the core of the Tyneside conurbation.
Jesmond is a suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, situated north of the city centre and to the east of the Town Moor. Jesmond is considered to be one of the most affluent suburbs of Newcastle upon Tyne, with higher average house prices than most other areas of the city.
Percy Main is a small village absorbed into North Shields, North East England. Historically in Northumberland, it is now part of Tyne and Wear.