Frankland Mount is a large house which was built between 1911 and 1912 on a parcel of land within a field forming part of Burnt House Farm. The house still stands, in its own grounds, and is enclosed and almost hidden from view by the surrounding housing of Frankland Drive, Newlands Avenue and Mount Close.
Although information is very sparse, it would appear that the house was commissioned by a Herbert Frankland Storey who moved into the property after his marriage to a Barbara Stobbs of Bank Top Farm, Holywell in December 1912. The house is reputed to have been modelled on an identical dwelling in Saskatchewan, Canada, where relatives of the couple had lived during the late 1800s.
In 1923, the Storeys left Frankland Mount and moved south to live in a farm in the New Forest. The house and grounds were subsequently sold and from 1928 to 1930 they are recorded as being in the possession of a Mr. W.S. Rolls, an insurance manager.
By 1936 Frankland Mount was in the possession of a Mr E. Couzens, a butcher, followed in 1938 by a Mr. W. Nixon, dairyman – possibly accounting for the outbuildings at the rear of the house, which appear to have been tiled out and converted for use as a small dairy. There is also some evidence of stables with overhead hay lofts.
Eventually, the property came into the possession of a William Wilson Rawes, and later to Oliver Wilson Rawes, who was the Mayor of Whitley Bay from 1968 to 1969. Oliver Rawes was also a prominent local businessman who ran auction rooms and an antique shop on Park View and Whitley Road for many years. By the 1960s, Frankland Mount had fallen into a state of disrepair, and was later sold following his death.
In July 2002 the substantial property was sold for £308,000 and the new owners have since carried out extensive repairs, renovations and modernisation work.
Access to Frankland Mount was originally gained via a field track running off Seatonville Road, the gateway of which is still evident by the presence of two stone pillars located between Nos. 55 and 57 Seatonville Road. It also allowed access to Burnt House Nursery Gardens, which were developed some years later.
The track led between what is now Athol Gardens and Chatsworth Gardens, eventually narrowing to a pathway which ran adjacent to the south east edge of what became Langley Playing Fields, ending at the boundary fence with Murton Steads Farm.
When the housing development of Newlands Avenue, Mount Close, and Frankland Drive was laid out in the early 1960s, the track was closed off between Seatonville Road and Newlands Avenue, and the land it occupied was incorporated into the rear gardens of both Athol Gardens and Chatsworth Gardens. Direct access to Frankland Mount was then altered to be via a private gated driveway running off Frankland Drive.
by Charlie Steel © 2014
Further reading for many of Charlie’s articles can be found in his books: ‘Monkseaton Village’ (Vol. 1 & 2), North Shields Public Houses, Inns & Taverns’ (Part 1 & 2) and ‘Tynemouth Remembered’ all published by Summerhill Books.
More information on www.monkseaton.info and on the Monkseaton Village Facebook Page.