Murton Township, 1848

MURTON, or Moor-Town, a township, in the parish and union of Tynemouth, E. division of Castle ward, S. division of Northumberland, 2½ miles (N.W.) from North Shields; containing 438 inhabitants, who are chiefly employed in the coal-mines with which the district abounds. It comprises, exclusively of a moor, 443 acres, of which two-thirds are arable, and the remainder grass-land: there are excellent quarries of freestone. The villages of New York and Philadelphia are in the township. The impropriate tithes have been commuted for £135. Here is a place of worship for Wesleyans. A stone coffin, inclosing a perfect skeleton, was found in one of the quarries, in 1790.

Extract from: A Topographical Dictionary of England comprising the several counties, cities, boroughs, corporate and market towns, parishes, and townships..... 7th Edition, by Samuel Lewis, London, 1848.

Philadelphia

Just outside of Murton Village to the west, on Murton Lane, was small village named Philadelphia. It is visible on the first and second edition OS maps but does not appear on the third edition, meaning it will have been removed possibly between 1900-1920. Philadelphia can be traced back to at least 1828, when it was recorded as a colliery village in Murton township. Like New York, it was named after British terratories during the American War of Independence.

Murton Gap Strategic Development Allocation Draft Heritage Statement July 2015 (revised May 2016), Capita.

Not to be confused with the village of Philadelphia near Newbottle in Sunderland.