Elswick Township, 1848

ELSWICK, a township, in the parish of St. John The Baptist, Newcastle, union of Newcastle, W. division of Castle ward, S. division of Northumberland; containing 1,789 inhabitants. This township, which includes the hamlet of Low Elswick, and comprises 938 acres, is within the borough of Newcastle, adjoining the town on the west, and containing many good streets and villas, and some very extensive manufacturing establishments. The rural part rises beautifully from the northern bank of the river Tyne, towards Benwell, and consists chiefly of arable land, rich and fertile. Large collieries are in operation in the neighbourhood; and in a place called the Quarry field, abundance of good stone is obtained for building. On the Tyne is an establishment for the manufacture of whitelead, red-lead, litharge, sheet and pipe lead, and patent shot, the tower for which last, erected in 1796, is 175 feet high: these works were commenced in 1778, and are of greater magnitude than any others in the kingdom. Messrs. Lister and Sons established a crucible factory in 1831; and there are copperas-works, on a very large scale. Elswick House is a noble mansion, commanding beautiful views of the vale of the Tyne, Axwell Park, Gibside, Ravensworth Castle, and the whole range of the Gateshead hills. A church district named St. Paul's, High Elswick, was endowed in 1846 by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners: the living is in the gift of the Crown and the Bishop of Durham, alternately.