Northumberland Square

Historic square. One of the flagship developments of North Shields 'new town' which was laid out in Georgian tradition and pre-dating Newcastle's Grainger Town by over a quarter of a century. The Earl of Carlisle owned the land, which he sold to John Wright in 1796. Wright planned an ambitious townscape which included a grand processional way which terminated in this elegant Georgian Square. Rook's plan of 1827 shows the central gardens laid out with four entrances and an elaborate symmetrical pattern of curvaceous paths. The same layout is shown on Ordnance Survey first edition. This layout was gradually eroded. Today the space is informal and organic. A series of notches have been taken out on each side for street furniture and a long strip for a pavement outside the library. Many mature trees, mown grass with spring bulbs, a series of sinuous tarmac paths, a concrete flag path, an octagonal rose bed surrounding a life size statue of a fish wife (HER 10926). LOCAL LIST