Topics > Tyne and Wear > North Tyneside > Monkseaton
Monkseaton
"THIS pleasant village of the old monks of Tynemouth possesses a picturesqueness that gives a particular charm of its own. Its slightly elevated situation, and its easy walking distance from the coast, gives it a rural attraction to many visitors. During the last few years quite a new town has sprung up of quite a superior class of houses, which are semi-detached. The close proximity of Monkseaton to the romantic Vale of Briardene, is an additional attraction as a seaside resort." (John Roberts, 1894)
Monkseaton is a village near Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, in the North East of England. It is in the north-east of the borough, less than a kilometre from the North Sea coast and around 5 km north of the River Tyne at North Shields. A kilometre or so north of Monkseaton, the extensive built-up areas of North Tyneside change abruptly into green belt stretching north into south-east Northumberland.
History
Monkseaton predates the Tyneside coastal resort of Whitley Bay, being 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. 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.
The remains of a medieval brewery wall are still to be seen alongside the Monkseaton Arms public house.
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.
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.
Monkseaton Metro station was moved to its current position in 1915 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.
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, Valley Gardens Middle School, Monkseaton High School and Whitley Bay High School.
Recent history
In 1989, one person was killed and 14 others injured in the Monkseaton shootings.
On Thursday 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 closed. Many residents suffered significant flood damage to their homes and possessions.
Famous Residents
- Ian La Frenais – comedic writer, of e.g. The Likely Lads
- Denise Welch – actress, dancer and television presenter
- Gladstone Adams – inventor and former chairman of Whitley Bay Urban District Council
- John McLaughlin – jazz guitarist
Visit the page: Monkseaton for references and further details. You can contribute to this article on Wikipedia.
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
033151:Whitley Bay and Monkseaton Technical School 1898
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from http://www.monkseatonmorrisme…
Monkseaton Morrismen and Folk Dance Club
Added by
Simon Cotterill
from IllustratedChronicles (flickr)
TM Hodgson - 6th NF - Monkseaton (Wounded)
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from Newcastle libraries (flickr)
033151:Whitley Bay and Monkseaton Technical School 1898
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
from http://www.monkseatonmorrisme…
Monkseaton Morrismen and Folk Dance Club
Added by
Simon Cotterill
from IllustratedChronicles (flickr)
TM Hodgson - 6th NF - Monkseaton (Wounded)
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
