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Benwell

Benwell is a suburb in the West End of Newcastle. It was a separate village surrounded by fields and only became part of Newcastle in 1904. During the Roman occupation Benwell had a Roman fort (Condercum), and today you can still visit the remains of the Vallum Crossing and the Temple of Antenociticus. The manor of Benwell was created after the Norman Conquest and its medieval name "Bynnewalle" derives from being "behind the wall" (Hadrian's Wall). Coal mining contributed to the growth of Benwell, with the sinking of Charlotte Pit of Benwell Colliery in 1766 and the later development of other pits and collieries in the area.

Benwell village was recorded in A.D. 1050 known as Bynnewalle which roughly translates as "behind the wall" or "by the wall". Referring to its position relative to Hadrian's Wall (next to which was the Roman fort of Condercum, hence the nearby Condercum Road). At this time it was part of the Barony of Bolbec.

By the 13th century the medieval manor of Benwell had been subdivided, originally into two, but then one of the halves was further subdivided. So, although people usually refer to the three sections of Benwell Manor as ‘thirds’, this gives a misleading impression, because one of the ‘thirds’ was larger and wealthier than the other two. This third belonged to the Scot family, who were wealthy merchants from Newcastle and by 1296 they were the principal taxpayers in Benwell. The Scot family later went on to create a deer park in 1367, which later became Scotswood.

In the 16th century Benwell village was arranged in two rows of houses on either side of a wide street or green. A plain oblong tower, three storeys high with battlements around the roof was also recorded as being built.

In 1540, the crown (Henry VIII), took possession of Benwell Tower from Tynemouth Priory when it dissolved the monasteries.

Early in the 17th century, Benwell was split into smaller estates which were bought by the Shafto and Riddell families who were merchant families interested in exploiting the coal reserves on the banks of the Tyne.

Benwell Colliery was opened in 1766 and operated until 1938.

The original layout of Benwell exists in the form of Benwell Village, Benwell Lane, Ferguson's Lane and Fox and Hounds Lane however no buildings still exist other than from the early 19th century. The tower from the 16th century was rebuilt in the 18th century and then all traces were removed when the present hall, Benwell Towers was built in a Tudor style by John Dobson in 1831. Benwell Towers featured in the BBC television show Byker Grove.

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Visit the page: Benwell for references and further details. You can contribute to this article on Wikipedia.

Newcastle upon Tyne West End Map and Aerial View Scotswood Road Royal Victoria School for the Blind (1838 - 1985) Benwell Temple of Antenociticus Benwell Vallum Crossing / Condercum Adelaide Terrace Armstrong Road, Benwell / Scotswood Atkinson Road Benwell at War Benwell Colliery (1766 - 1938) Benwell Hall Benwell Lane Benwell, Historical Account, 1848 Benwell, Historical Account, 1890 Buddle Road, Benwell - Elswick Condercum Road Ferguson's Lane Hodgkin Park Map and Aerial View South Benwell Fire Brick Works South Benwell School (1893 - 1980) St Cuthbert's High School West Road

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from TWAM (youtube)

West End Stories: The Roman God of Benwell - Antenociticus

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from http://newcastlephotos.blogsp…

Old Benwell
- Photos of derelict buildings from the 1980s

Added by
Simon Cotterill

from Flickr (flickr)

Benwell #2

Pinned by Simon Cotterill

from Newcastle University (youtube)

North Benwell Youth Project, Newcastle

Pinned by Simon Cotterill

Benwell

from TWAM (youtube)

West End Stories: The Roman God of Benwell - Antenociticus

from http://newcastlephotos.blogsp…

Old Benwell - Photos of derelict buildings from the 1980s

from Flickr (flickr)

Benwell #2

from Newcastle University (youtube)

North Benwell Youth Project, Newcastle

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

022342:Benwell Grange Benwell Lane Benwell Unknown 1973

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

015424a:Benwell Tower Benwell Lane Benwell Knowles W.H.

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

015425:Benwell House Benwell, Lane Benwell 1830

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

050001:Benwell High Cross Benwell Unknown 1906

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

048188:Benwell Library Atkinson Road Benwell Unknown 1986

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

008674:The Well Benwell Lane Benwell Unknown c.1925

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

068040:Benwell Dene Hodgkin Park Benwell Newcastle upon Tyne Unknown 1902

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

064144:Benwell Nature Park Benwell Newcastle upon Tyne Maybury Malcolm 1997

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

064152:St. James Church Atkinson Road/Benwell Lane Benwell Maybury Malcolm 1997

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

052054:South Benwell Primary School South Benwell Unknown 1988

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

049184:Benwell Library? Atkinson Road Benwell Unknown c.1950

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

008905:Benwell (High Cross) Cottages Benwell Unknown 1894

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

051952:The Fairholme Club Benwell Unknown 1929

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

049308:Benwell Presbyterian Church Armstrong Road Newcastle upon Tyne Unknown 1982

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

034800:East Cottages Benwell Dept of Environmental Health 1937

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

051878:Cannon Street Benwell Unknown 1957/8

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

049825:Royal Victoria School for the Blind Benwell Unknown c.1930

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

008676:Hawthorn Inn Benwell Unknown c. 1925

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

068338:Atkinson Road Infants School Atkinson Road Benwell Unknown 1953

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

064154:Adelaide Centre Adelaide Terrace Benwell Maybury Malcolm 1997

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

051266:Hodgkin Park Benwell Newcastle upon Tyne Unknown 1957-8

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

049836:Royal Victoria School for the Blind Benwell Unknown c.1905

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

051240:Hodgkin Park Benwell Newcastle upon Tyne Northern Gossip 1899

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West End

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Benwell Temple of Antenociticus - Overview About Antenociticus Map Street View "The fort at Benwell, which was occupied throughout most of the Roman period by the cavalry regiment ala I Asturum, is no longer visible. …

Co-Curate Page

Benwell Vallum Crossing / Condercum - Overview About Condercum Map Street View "Nothing is now visible of the fort at Benwell (Condercum) in Newcastle, which was occupied throughout most of the Roman period by the Asturian …

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

015230:Bobby Shafto Armstrong Road 1966

from Newcastle libraries (flickr)

060693:Majestic Theatre Condercum Road Benwell Unknown 1929

from Geograph (geograph)

Scotswood Delaval Drift, Scotswood Road

from https://stjameschurchnewcastl…

Benwell through the years - in Maps and Pictures - A 32 page document about the history of Benwell by St James’ Heritage & Environment Group in partnership with West Newcastle Picture History Collection.

from Geograph (geograph)

Terraced houses, South Benwell Road

from Geograph (geograph)

Ethel Street

from Youtube (youtube)

Closure of small shops in Benwell 1979

from Youtube (youtube)

Part 2 Where Did Benwell Go! Buddle Road

from Youtube (youtube)

Where Did Benwell Go! Part 1

from Geograph (geograph)

Old Benwell
- Photos of derelict buildings from the 1980s

Benwell Temple of Antenociticus
- Overview About Antenociticus Map Street View "The fort at Benwell, which was occupied throughout most of the Roman period by the cavalry regiment ala I Asturum, is no longer visible. …

Benwell Vallum Crossing / Condercum
- Overview About Condercum Map Street View "Nothing is now visible of the fort at Benwell (Condercum) in Newcastle, which was occupied throughout most of the Roman period by the Asturian …

Benwell through the years - in Maps and Pictures
- A 32 page document about the history of Benwell by St James’ Heritage & Environment Group in partnership with West Newcastle Picture History Collection.

24 unseen images of Newcastle West End under demolition in the early 1970s
- Chronicle live 16 MAY 2016. Article by David Morton. Rare photographs show Newcastle West End changing as the bulldozers moved into Benwell in the early 1970s...

The Boy and The Hall
- Illustrated book (PdF) by Ron Henzell. "The Boy and the Hall is a story of the links between the past and the present through the autobiography of one individual." Relates …

Old Benwell
- Photos of derelict buildings from the 1980s