Monkseaton

Monkseaton
Monkseaton Location within Tyne and Wear
Population	19,044 (2011.Wards) [1] [2]
OS grid reference	NZ346722
Metropolitan borough	North Tyneside
Metropolitan county	Tyne and Wear
Region	North East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WHITLEY BAY
Postcode district	NE25
Dialling code	0191
Police	Northumbria
Fire	Tyne and Wear
Ambulance	North East
UK Parliament	Tynemouth
List of places UK England Tyne and Wear 55°02′35″N1°27′32″W / 55.043°N 1.459°W / 55.043; -1.459

Monkseaton is an area of Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, in the North East of England. Historically in Northumberland, it is in the north-east of the borough, 3⁄4 mile (1.2 kilometres) from the North Sea coast and 1+1⁄2 mi (2.5 km) north of the River Tyne at North Shields. ^[3] One mile (1.5 kilometres) to the north of Monkseaton, the extensive built-up areas of North Tyneside change abruptly into green belt stretching north into south-east Northumberland. It is at an elevation of 130 feet (40 m) above sea-level. ^[4]

History

A photo of the Monkseaton Arms, a pub in Monkseaton, taken in 1970.

Monkseaton pre-dates the Tyneside coastal resort of Whitley Bay, originally recorded as land owned by the Priory of Tynemouth. The first documentary references to Monkseaton medieval village date from the early 12th century (c.1106–16) when Henry I granted Seton, later to be renamed Monkseaton, to Tynemouth Priory. ^[5] It was a substantial village in the late 13th century, when Monkseaton Manor was one of ten manors of Tynemouth Priory, with fifteen bondsmen, ten cotmen and three freeholds listed in 1292. ^[6]

The remains of a medieval brewery wall are still to be seen alongside the Monkseaton Arms public house.

In the Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales of 1872, the population was recorded as 421 in 80 houses; this gave the village an area of 1,110 acres. It was described as having a large brewery and several collieries. ^[7] Although Monkseaton has been subsumed in the urban developments of the 20th century, it still retains much of the character of the village it once was. It is a designated conservation area. ^[8]

On 30 April 1989, one person was killed and 14 others injured in a mass shooting known as the Monkseaton shootings. ^[9]

On 28 June 2012, the village suffered flash flooding following torrential rainfall in the North East of England. Roads were closed causing traffic chaos, and many properties and buildings were flooded, including Langley First School which was closed for three weeks. The heavy rainfall made an embankment on the Tyne and Wear Metro line collapse, causing houses in Brantwood Avenue to be evacuated and West Monkseaton Metro station to be temporarily closed. Many residents suffered significant flood damage to their homes and possessions. ^[10]

Facilities

Churchill Playing Fields are located within the vicinity and the North Tyneside International Youth Football Tournament takes place here every year. Bowling greens, tennis courts and a cricket pavilion accompany the park. ^[11]

Monkseaton Metro station was moved to its current position in 1915 ^[12] and the tennis courts in Souter Park South are now where the station was originally located. The station is one of the village's two stops on the circular Tyne and Wear Metro which connects it to Newcastle, the other being West Monkseaton. Another rail route, heading north up the coast, is now disused and has been adapted into a footpath and cycle route leading to the A190 road that links Seaton Sluice to the town of Seaton Delaval.

Front Street, Monkseaton

Monkseaton has three centrally-located pubs situated close to each other on the north side of Front Street, the main thoroughfare of the village. Heading west from Monkseaton station, the first of these is the Monkseaton Arms, next is the Black Horse, and finally, set back from the street somewhat, is the Ship Inn. Two other pubs, the Hunting Lodge and the Beacon, are located west and north not far from West Monkseaton Metro station. There are several local schools, including Monkseaton Middle School, ^[13] Valley Gardens Middle School, Monkseaton High School and Whitley Bay High School.

Notable residents

• Ian La Frenais – comedic writer, of e.g. The Likely Lads ^[14]
• Denise Welch ^[15] – actress, dancer and television presenter
• Gladstone Adams – inventor and former chairman of Whitley Bay Urban District
• Enid Stamp-Taylor - actress (17, Percy Avenue, Whitley Bay)
• James Gibb (1918-2013) - British pianist, born here

References

1. "Monkseaton North Ward population 2011" . Retrieved 3 July 2015.
2. "Monkseaton South Ward population 2011" . Retrieved 3 July 2015.
3. Google. "Monkseaton" (Map). Google Maps . Google.
4. "Monkseaton". Ordince Survey.
5. "The story of Monkseaton - from humble origins to popular Tyneside suburb". 14 April 2021.
6. "Proposed Designation of Monkseaton as a Conservation Area – Draft Consultation Boundary" (PDF). North Tyneside Council. 20 September 2005. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
7. "Monkseaton Northumberland". A Vision of Britain. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
8. "Conservation areas in North Tyneside | North Tyneside Council". Archived from the original on 26 September 2021.
9. "Town struggles to recall shooting". 2 May 2009. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
10. "Further blow for Tyneside families hit by floods". 2 July 2012.
11. "Monkseaton, Souter Park and Churchill Playing Fields". 26 May 2021.
12. Young, Alan. "Monkseaton (first site)". Disused Stations: Closed Railway Stations in the UK. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
13. "North Tyneside Schools | Monkseaton Middle School".
14. "Watch Ian la Frenais talk about the Likely Lads tour". 4 September 2018.
15. "The stunning Denise Welch talks to MilliOnAir's Steven Smith". 29 June 2017.

External links

• Monkseaton Village Website
• Monkseaton Conservation Area