Roundabout Publications

Community magazines for local advertising in Monkseaton, Tynemouth, and Whitley Bay

  • Home
  • Advertising & Prices
    • About Advertising
    • Advertising Prices
    • Advertising Terms & Conditions
    • Deadlines & Distribution Dates
  • Articles
    • By Author
      • Angela Melvin
      • Anne Morrison
      • Carole Saville
      • Charlie Steel
      • David Tickner
      • Geoff Holland
      • Gill Crann
      • Helen Bowman
      • Jenny Foster
      • Katherine Wildman
      • Lesley Anne Collins
      • Terry Took
    • By Topic
      • Adventures of a North Sea Pilot
      • All at Sea
      • Art and Culture
      • Business
      • Entertainment
      • Family Life
      • Food and Drink
      • General Interest
      • Great Days Out
      • Health
      • Local History
      • Pirates
      • Shopping List Shorts
      • Sport and Leisure
      • Technology
      • Travel
      • Walks
      • Young Life
  • About Us
  • Contact
    • Advertising Enquiry
    • Community Entry Enquiry
    • General Enquiry

LOCAL HISTORY: Wellfield

May 31, 2014

Probably the oldest building in Wellfield (foregound)Wellfield is the area which lies adjacent to Earsdon Road between West Monkseaton and Earsdon Village. Sometimes referred to as South Wellfield, the name was derived from Earsdon Well which stood in a field just a few yards north of the main entrance road to the present estate, and was once the main water source which supplied the residents of nearby Earsdon Village.

Between the 1700s and 1800s, much of the farmland surrounding Monkseaton Village was dotted with wells and springs, and the area upon which Wellfield Estate was built was no exception.

Old ordnance survey maps show the existence of pumps and wells in this area and there is still evidence of two small drainage channels or ‘burns’.

The first ‘burn’ drains eastwards from fields close to Earsdon Village and gently curves northwards where it is now culverted under Nelson Road in Wellfield, to re-emerge on the opposite side of Earsdon Road.

A second stream drains from fields at Shiremoor and Murton and runs parallel to Otterburn Avenue, most of which has likewise been culverted next to where the present housing now stands.

The existence of these ‘burns’ lend their name to the adjacent Wellfield streets – Burnbank Avenue, Thorneyburn Avenue and Otterburn Avenue.

Both of these ‘burns’ connect at a point where the new and inappropriately named housing estate of ‘West Park’ at North Wellfield is currently being built, before linking to the Briar Dene Burn near Hartley Lane, flowing eastwards and eventually draining into the sea.

Wellfield itself is now a residential suburb which was laid out and built between the 1920s and the 1950s. The older properties are situated closer to Earsdon Village and the newer ones are closer to West Monkseaton.

Prior to construction of the present dual carriageway, the main road connecting West Monkseaton and Earsdon ran immediately in front of the houses on Hesleyside Road and Monkseaton Road.

Apart from residential housing, the estate also incorporates two schools, a children’s playing field area, and, until fairly recent years, also had a Post Office, a Co-operative store, a General Dealers and a Hairdresser’s shop, all of which have now closed and been converted into private dwelling houses.

The oldest building at Wellfield is probably the house which stands on the corner of Monkseaton Road, near the junction with Hesleyside Road as seen in the foreground of the photograph above.

The grounds of this house have a sunken garden which has been identified as part of a small quarry on the 1895 Ordnance Survey map.

by Charlie Steel © 2014

Local historian and writer Charlie Steel has lived in Monkseaton for most of his life.

His published books include ‘Monkseaton Village’ Vols 1 & 2, and ‘North Shields Public Houses, Inns & Taverns’ Parts 1 & 2, all of which are available from most local booksellers.

Further details can be found on Charlie’s website at  www.monkseaton.info or he can be contacted at charlie@monkseaton.info.

 

Filed Under: Charlie Steel, Features, Local History

Small Business owner?

Want to advertise?

The deadlines for the 2020 issues are:

MonthDeadlineDistribution Dates
January 20205th December (2019)27th, 30th, 31st December (2019)
February 20209th January29th - 31st January
March 20206th February26th - 28th February
April 20205th March27th, 30th, 31st March
May 20209th April28th - 30th April
June 20207th May27th - 29th May
July 202011th June26th, 29th, 30th June
August 20209th July29th - 31st July
September 20206th August26th - 28th August
October 202010th September28th - 30th September
November 20208th October28th - 30th October
December 20205th November26th, 27th, 30th November
.

Copyright © 2021 · Roundabout Publications· Log in