Spital Tongues
Encyclopedia
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, located north west of the city centre.
Its unusual name is believed to be derived from 'spital
Spital
-Placenames:In the United Kingdom:*Spital, Berkshire, close to Windsor*Spital, Derbyshire, part of Chesterfield*Spital, Merseyside, on the Wirral Peninsula*Spital, Tamworth, a Ward of Tamworth Borough Council*Spitalfields, London...
' – a corruption of the word 'hospital' that is quite commonly found in UK place names (for example Spitalfields
Spitalfields
Spitalfields is a former parish in the borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London, near to Liverpool Street station and Brick Lane. The area straddles Commercial Street and is home to many markets, including the historic Old Spitalfields Market, founded in the 17th century, Sunday...
) - and 'tongues', meaning outlying pieces of land. Edward I
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
gave two such 'tongues' of land to the St Mary Magdalene Hospital – hence 'hospital tongues' and eventually 'Spital Tongues'.
St Mary Magdalene Hospital
The first St Mary Magdalene Hospital was founded in the 12th century to care for victims of leprosyLeprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
, the disease having been brought into Britain by the returning Crusaders
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
. This was sited well outside the town, close to the present-day site of Lloyds TSB bank at the northern end of Northumberland Street
Northumberland Street
Northumberland Street is a major shopping street in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, in the North East of England. It is home to a wide range of different retailers, banks and cafes, and in terms of rental per square metre, Northumberland Street is the most expensive location in the UK outside of...
. The St Mary Magdalene Hospital was a hospital in the medieval rather than the modern sense, concerned not with curing but with caring. Today, such an establishment would be called an almshouse
Almshouse
Almshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
.
In 1874, the hospital was moved to a new location behind the Hancock Museum
Hancock Museum
The Hancock Museum is a museum of natural history in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, established in 1884. In 2006 it merged with Newcastle University's Hatton Gallery to form the Great North Museum. The museum and all of its collections are owned by the Natural History Society of Northumbria,...
, before in turn being replaced in 1959 by 38 purpose-built bungalows in Spital Tongues. These properties are still collectively known as St Mary Magdalene Hospital.
In 1884 the St Mary Magdalene charity opened the Home for Incurables in Moor Lodge, Spital Tongues. Moor Lodge had been built on land that had belonged to the charity for centuries. The charity had previously leased the house and grounds to William Hunter (the coal owner after whom the nearby Hunters Moor was named), so had to pay £500 for the surrender of the lease at this time.
A new home, still extant today, was designed by the architect Edward Shrewbrook and opened with great ceremony in 1893. This occupied the site of the Moor Lodge kitchen garden, and was extended with the addition of the Richardson Wing (providing beds for children) in 1911. The name of the hospital was later changed to St Mary Magdalene Home in 1931 (the same year that the original Moor Lodge was finally demolished, having previously reverted to use as a private dwelling), and it was renamed Hunters Moor Hospital upon becoming part of the National Health Service
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
in 1948. Hunters Moor Hospital was home for the
Regional Neurological Rehabilitation Centre until 2007 when the Centre moved to new purpose built accommodation at Walkergate Hospital. The site of Hunters Moor Hospital has been acquired by Dame Allan's Schools for development as a purpose built primary school.
Spital Tongues village
Originally some way from the centre of Newcastle, Spital Tongues was considered to be a beautiful place, surrounded by the large open spaces of the Town MoorTown Moor, Newcastle upon Tyne
The Town Moor is a large area of common land in Newcastle upon Tyne. It covers an area of around 400ha, and is larger than Hyde Park and Hampstead Heath combined, stretching from the city centre and Spital Tongues in the south out to Cowgate/Kenton Bar to the west, Gosforth to the north and...
and Castle Leazes
Castle Leazes
Castle Leazes is a piece of common land in Newcastle upon Tyne. It is situated in an area which separates Leazes Park and Spital Tongues.This area of land has been considered as a possible site for a replacement stadium by Newcastle United football club, particularly in the mid-1990s...
. Over the last fifty years, new development has nibbled away at these green spaces, much of it related to the expansion of Newcastle University and the Royal Victoria Infirmary
Royal Victoria Infirmary
Originally founded as the Newcastle Infirmary in 1751, the Royal Victoria Infirmary , in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, was opened on 11 July 1906 by Edward VII on of Town Moor given by the Corporation and Freemen. The fully furnished and equipped hospital, containing twenty wards, a nurses' home,...
(RVI) to the south and east. Nevertheless, for a place located less than a mile from the present-day city centre, Spital Tongues retains a remarkable sense of separation and distinctiveness. Together, Hunters Moor, Nuns Moor, the Town Moor and Castle Leazes provide an effective buffer on three sides between Spital Tongues and the surrounding area, helping to maintain the area's village feel. Indeed, many older residents continue to refer to Spital Tongues as "the village", a sense of identity both reflected in and perpetuated by names such as the 'Village Chippy'.
Another feature adding to Spital Tongue's erstwhile attractiveness was the existence of its own water supply. The Pandon Burn came out of the ground at a spring in what is now Fountain Row, before running its course to the Tyne
River Tyne
The River Tyne is a river in North East England in Great Britain. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'.The North Tyne rises on the...
. This route crossed the road at what is now Barras Bridge, near St. Thomas' Church in the city centre. The bridge arch is still extant beneath the modern road, while the river is now culverted for the entire length of its journey between Spital Tongues and the Tyne.
Spital Tongues' rural feel was further enhanced by the presence of an orchard on the site now occupied by Burnside and Wallace Street, and by the grazing of cattle on the Town Moor – a practice that continues to this day.
A key shift in the life and character of Spital Tongues took place with the opening of Spital Tongues Colliery in 1836. Basic housing for pit workers housing was constructed in Long Row, behind Morpeth Street, and demolished a century later.
The area's industrial importance was further developed with the opening of Robson's furniture factory in the 1880s. This precipitated the construction of further housing, including Chippendale Place and Sheraton Street. The terraces of Ancrum Street and Oxnam Terrace were reputedly named after the border towns from which Robson's employees originated.
Fenham Barracks
Alongside its industrial development, Spital Tongues also established some importance as a military settlement following the construction of Fenham Barracks in 1806. The barracks were home to the Royal Northumberland FusiliersRoyal Northumberland Fusiliers
The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Originally raised in 1674, the regiment was amalgamated with three other fusilier regiments in 1968 to form the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.-Origins:...
until 1962, though the Queen's Own Yeomanry
Queen's Own Yeomanry
The Queen's Own Yeomanry is an armoured regiment of the British Territorial Army. The Queen's Own Yeomanry is the only Yeomanry regiment that serves in the formation reconnaissance role, equipped with the CVR family of armoured reconnaissance vehicles, including Scimitar and Spartan.On...
(Territorial Army) retains a presence on the site. Other barrack buildings now form part of Leazes Parade, a development of flats for Newcastle University students.
BBC Broadcasting Centre
One of the most recent additions to Spital Tongues, occupying the prominent site on the corner of Hunters Road and Barrack Road, is the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Broadcasting Centre, affectionately known as the 'Pink Palace'. Opened in 1986, it brought together the BBC's TV and radio operations in the North East from a range of city centre locations, notably the former Lying-In Hospital building in New Bridge Street that now forms part of the Newcastle Building Society
Newcastle Building Society
The Newcastle Building Society is a UK building society that has its head office in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is a member of the Building Societies Association.-History:...
headquarters.
Huntsmoor House
Huntsmoor House, Hunters Road, was built as a soldiers' home in 1899 to meet the social needs of those soldiers stationed at Fenham Barracks. It was used as a warehouse by the Newcastle bookseller Thornes before being turned into student accommodation. A three-storey red brick structure, the design of Huntsmoor House is unusual, topped with a crenellated tower featuring carved shields and a flagpole. The central section is flanked by two arched windows that rise through two storeys, with a Tudor style exposed beam gable above.Chimney Mill
The Chimney Mill was constructed in 1782 in Claremont Road, replacing a previous windmillWindmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
on the site. Grade II listed, it is significant on a number of levels – as the only surviving smock mill
Smock mill
The smock mill is a type of windmill that consists of a sloping, horizontally weatherboarded tower, usually with six or eight sides. It is topped with a roof or cap that rotates to bring the sails into the wind...
in the region; as the first 5-sailed smock mill in Britain; and for being designed by the civil engineer John Smeaton
John Smeaton
John Smeaton, FRS, was an English civil engineer responsible for the design of bridges, canals, harbours and lighthouses. He was also a capable mechanical engineer and an eminent physicist...
, the man responsible for the third Eddystone Lighthouse
Eddystone Lighthouse
Eddystone Lighthouse is on the treacherous Eddystone Rocks, south west of Rame Head, United Kingdom. While Rame Head is in Cornwall, the rocks are in Devon and composed of Precambrian Gneiss....
(later dismantled and rebuilt as Smeaton's Tower
Smeaton's Tower
Smeaton's Tower is the third and most notable Eddystone Lighthouse. It marked a major step forward in the design of lighthouses. In use until 1877, it was largely dismantled and rebuilt on Plymouth Hoe in the city of Plymouth, Devon where it now stands as a memorial to its designer, John Smeaton,...
on Plymouth Hoe
Plymouth Hoe
Plymouth Hoe, referred to locally as the Hoe, is a large south facing open public space in the English coastal city of Plymouth. The Hoe is adjacent to and above the low limestone cliffs that form the seafront and it commands views of Plymouth Sound, Drake's Island, and across the Hamoaze to Mount...
).
The Chimney Mill was powered by wind until 1891, decommissioned in 1892 and later converted into the clubhouse for Newcastle City Golf Club. The Club transferred to Gosforth
Gosforth
Gosforth is an area of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom, to the north of the city centre. Gosforth constituted an urban district from 1895 to 1974, when it became part of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne. It has a population of 23,620...
in 1907, after which the windmill's sails and fantail were removed (in 1924 and 1933 respectively), with the windshaft and cap being dismantled and replaced by modern boarding in 1951.
In the mid 1970s the property was bought and restored by the architect Thomas Falconer. His conversion created a design studio on the top floor, an architect's studio on the first floor and space for rent on the ground floor. The building has been used as offices for the fashion design company Nigel Cabourn Ltd since 1983. In September 2006, the property was being marketed for sale at a price of £775,000.
Victoria Tunnel
The Victoria TunnelVictoria Tunnel (Newcastle)
The Victoria Tunnel is a subterranean wagonway that runs under Newcastle upon Tyne, England from the Town Moor down to the River Tyne. It was built between 1839-42 to transport coal from Leazes Main Colliery in Spital Tongues to riverside staithes ready for loading onto boats for export.The tunnel...
was built to transport coal from Spital Tongues Colliery, opened in 1836, to the river Tyne. 2.5 miles long and up to 85 feet deep, the tunnel was built by 200 men between 1839 and 1842, and came about as a result of the owners, Latimer and Porter, being refused permission to build a surface wagonway
Wagonway
Wagonways consisted of the horses, equipment and tracks used for hauling wagons, which preceded steam powered railways. The terms "plateway", "tramway" and in someplaces, "dramway" are also found.- Early developments :...
across the moor and city. Its Spital Tongues entrance was close to what is now the junction of Belle Grove West and Ancrum Street.
The tunnel ceased to be used in 1860, and remained unused for the next eighty years. It was reopened for use as an air raid shelter during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, with £37,000 spent on alterations and new entrances in order to provide seating capacity for 9,000 people. Though no longer used, some of these entrances remain very visible today, notably the entrance in Claremont Road next to the Hancock Museum.
The tunnel remains largely intact today, and though not generally open to the public there have been occasional organised tours starting from its southern entrance on Newcastle Quayside
Quayside
The Quayside is an area along the banks of the River Tyne in Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead in the North East of England, United Kingdom....
. The northernmost (Spital Tongues) entrance was filled in when Belle Grove West was built in the 1870s and is therefore not accessible.
Whiteknights
The house now called Whiteknights was originally known as New House prior to being opened as a lunatic asylum in 1766. At this time the property was renamed St. Luke's, before changing its name to Belle Grove Retreat in 1795. The property went on to give its name to the various other streets and buildings built in Spital Tongues from the 1850s, such as Belle Grove Terrace, Belle Grove Villas, Belle Grove West and the Belle Grove public house. The Belle Grove Retreat reverted to use as a private house in 1857, and assumed its current name in 1900.Belle Grove Public House
On the corner of Belle Grove Terrace and Ancrum Street, the Belle Grove was a public house dating from 1857 until it's closure in 2008. The adjacent house at No. 19, now part of the pub, was once the home of the artist Ralph HedleyRalph Hedley
Ralph Hedley was a realist painter, woodcarver and illustrator, best known for his paintings portraying scenes of everyday life in the North of England....
until his death in 1913, a connection marked by a commemorative plaque..
Belle Grove Terrace
No. 13 Belle Grove Terrace was also once home to T. Dan SmithT. Dan Smith
Thomas Daniel Smith was a British politician who was Leader of Newcastle upon Tyne City Council from 1960 to 1965. He was a prominent figure in the Labour Party in the north east of England, such that he was nicknamed 'Mr Newcastle'...
, the leader of Newcastle City Council
Newcastle City Council
Newcastle City Council is the local government authority for Newcastle upon Tyne, a city in Tyne and Wear, England. The council consists of 78 councillors, three for each of the city's 26 wards...
from 1960 to 1965, and the man behind the intended reinvention of Newcastle as the 'Brasilia
Brasília
Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...
of the North'. The 15-storey Mill House tower block in Spital Tongues is one of many such residential towers erected across Newcastle during Smith's leadership; he lived there in an upper-storey flat from the early 1980s until his death in 1993.
George Arrowsmith's
Though of little architectural significance, the shop on the corner of Belle Grove West and Hunter's Road has historical interest as the site of George Arrowsmith's general store. Opened in 1903, the shop was owned by the Arrowsmiths – one of Spital Tongues' most well-known families - until 1940. George and his wife Margaret had fifteen children following their marriage in 1882, and members of the Arrowsmith family continue to live in Spital Tongues today.The former Arrowsmith shop has remained in continual retail use, and is now one of only a handful of shops in the village. It represents a sharp decline from the Co-operative store and 27 other retailers that Spital Tongues boasted in the 1920s.
Benson Memorial Church
The Benson Memorial Church in Ancrum Street was opened as a Sunday school in 1867, recognising the role of John Benson in setting up the school in temporary premises in 1845. Today, the building continues to serve a community function as the home of the Apostolic ChurchApostolic Church
The Apostolic Church is a Pentecostal Christian denomination which can trace its origins back to the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival. Despite the relatively recent origin of the denomination, the church seeks to stand for first century Christianity in its faith, practices, and government.The purpose of the...
.
Spital Tongues today
Just as Spital Tongues has long sought to balance its competing rural and urban faces, the village today remains protected by its green collar at the same time as facing immense development pressure within the existing built up area.The continued expansion of Newcastle University remains a challenge, with more than 2,000 students already living in University-owned accommodation in Spital Tongues – Castle Leazes Halls off Belle Grove West and Richardson Road flats between the Dental Hospital and Wallace Street. Plans for a series of new blocks of up to ten storeys at Castle Leazes Halls were rejected by the Planning Inspectorate in 2006, following significant local opposition and an earlier refusal by Newcastle City Council.
Yet, while many local residents believe that Spital Tongues' student population has reached saturation point, there is no doubt that the student presence helps to support local shops, pubs and services that may not otherwise be viable. On the other hand, the diminishing number of permanent residents has undoubtedly contributed to the closure of other local services such as the school (in 1977) and post office (in 2005), meaning that residents must make the journey into the city centre or to neighbouring areas of Fenham
Fenham
Fenham is an area of the west end of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It lies to the west of the city centre, and is bounded on the north and east by a large area of open land known as the Town Moor. To the south lies Benwell, whilst West Denton lies to the west, Blakelaw and Cowgate to the north, and...
and Arthur's Hill
Arthur's Hill
Arthur's Hill is an area of Newcastle upon Tyne, England.The area is situated one mile west of the city centre, in the Wingrove electoral ward. As the name suggests, the area is atop a large hill overlooking the city...
.
However, the insatiable demand for housing in Spital Tongues is testament to its continued popularity as a place to live, combining relative proximity to the city centre with a unique, semi-rural atmosphere.
External links
- Spital Tongues Map, highlighting the proximity of the area to Newcastle city centre
- Satellite view of Spital Tongues, giving a good idea of the green fields surrounding the area
- Spital Tongues History Society Local history group
- Timmonet - Spital Tongues Photographs from 2001
- Victoria Tunnel
- Nigel Cabourn Fashion designer - includes photographs of Chimney Mill